Well, I think I’ve cracked the code.

What code, you ask?

The code above all others: the chicken nugget code.

It was something of an accident, of course. (This is the story of my life: I figured it out, but only eventually. And mostly accidentally.)

I was making a few dinners at once to take to a friend. Zayley popped into the kitchen to remind me she had a meeting starting in ten minutes.

I had already diced up most of a package of chicken breasts to make chicken nuggets. I had also already pulled out a large bowl.

I figured that if I was going to leave for 20 minutes or so, I might as well brine the chicken while I was gone. So I dropped the chicken breasts, both diced and whole, into the bowl and added water and about a quarter cup of salt.

That’s the brine I usually use for baked chicken breasts. (Brine: a fancy word for salty water.)

I have never tried it when I’ve made chicken nuggets because frankly, I feel like cutting up chicken, dusting it in various spices and coatings and frying it in bite-sized pieces is already enough work.

However, I’m glad I tried it this time.

These were absolutely the best chicken nuggets I’ve ever made.

And about the extra work: it is certainly extra. But the results are delicious and definitely worth it. To make that hassle worth it, though, I always make at least double the number of nuggets my family will eat for dinner.

That way, I can freeze the extra and toss them in the air fryer or on a sheet pan later for a quick meal. I’m not saying these are the same as a well-known fast food chain that rhymes with Brick-De-lay. I’m just saying they are pretty close.

CHICKEN NUGGETS

Ingredients
2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Warm water to cover chicken
1/4 cup salt (that’s not a typo; I really mean a quarter cup)
1 cup corn starch (or enough to coat chicken pieces)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 eggs
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese (the kind in the green can)
Oil for frying (I use corn oil; vegetable or peanut oil would also work well)

Directions
■ Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place chicken pieces into a large bowl. Cover chicken with warm water. Add salt. Stir. Allow chicken to brine for about 15 minutes.
■ When time is up, place deep skillet on eye of stove and pour in oil to a depth of about an inch. Heat oil over medium heat. While oil heats, drain salted water off chicken and rinse chicken pieces in fresh water. Pat chicken dry.
■ Place in the largest mixing bowl you have. Sprinkle over corn starch and seasonings. Toss chicken to coat evenly, adding more corn starch if necessary. Use a fork to beat eggs in a small bowl. Pour egg over coated chicken. Stir to coat evenly. In a shallow bowl or on a sheet pan, mix Parmesan cheese and Panko. (I used my largest rimmed sheet pan for this, placing the bowl of chicken on the back end and the Panko/Parmesan to the front. This worked out beautifully to corral drips. Remove chicken one piece at a time from the bowl and roll in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing crumbs into chicken.
■ Place each piece into the hot oil carefully. The oil is at the right temperature when the chicken begins to sizzle immediately but is not so hot that the chicken browns immediately. Turn pieces when the bottom is brown; this takes about 2-3 minutes on my stove. Allow chicken to brown on the other side (about 1-2 minutes). Remove cooked pieces to a paper-towel lined plate to cool.

Amelia Plair is a mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].

Amelia Plair is a Starkville resident who writes occasional food columns.