McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are primarily made from 100% white boneless chicken breast meat, which constitutes about 45-46% of the nugget. The chicken is mixed with water and a blend of seasonings and binders including salt, yeast extract, lemon juice solids, and natural flavorings such as celery and white pepper
. The nuggets are coated with a batter and breading mixture that includes enriched bleached wheat flour (with added niacin, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, maize flour, wheat flour and semolina, vegetable starches from corn, wheat, rice, and peas, as well as leavening agents like baking soda and sodium aluminum phosphate. This coating gives the nuggets their crispy texture when deep-fried
. Vegetable oils used for frying include sunflower, rapeseed, canola, corn, soybean, and hydrogenated soybean oil, with added preservatives like citric acid to maintain freshness
. In summary, the main components of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are:
- White boneless chicken breast meat (about 45%)
- Water
- Batter and breading made from wheat and corn flours, starches, and leavening agents
- Seasonings and natural flavorings (including celery and white pepper)
- Vegetable oils for frying (sunflower, rapeseed, canola, corn, soybean oils)
This recipe was updated in 2016 to remove artificial preservatives and improve nutritional value
. Nutritionally, one nugget contains about 47 calories, 2.3g carbohydrates, 3.2g fat, and 2.4g protein
. This composition ensures the nuggets have a consistent texture and flavor, with the chicken meat emulsified and shaped into the iconic nugget forms before battering and frying
