One of the most popular side dishes to order when at any fast food outlet is chicken nuggets, and what's not to like about it? Deep-fried chicken chunks, coated in breadcrumbs, deep fried till golden and crispy on the outside, yet soft and juicy inside, you've got yourself one delicious snack option either at home or when out with friends and family. But have you ever calculated how many calories each serving of chicken nuggets contains? Today's blog will help you find answers to your questions.
Ingredients: As always, we analyze the ingredients first in order to draw a logical conclusion. Chicken constitutes the primary ingredient, but the devil, as always, is in the detail. The chicken utilized in nuggets sold in the market uses leftover pieces of chicken, and tendons, which are all brought together using binding agents and soy isolate powder as a filler. Coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried in refined oil, this snack isn't the lightest.
Carbohydrates: Each 6-piece serving of chicken nuggets contains 14 grams of carbohydrates or 64 KCAL. While some of these carbohydrates come from the breadcrumbs, a lot of it is derived from the artificial binding agents that go into giving the nuggets a soft and juicy texture.
Fats: Each serving of chicken nuggets contains a whooping 19 grams of fats or 171 KCAL. As fats are the most calorically dense foods, fats make up almost 59% of the total calories. The fats are derived from the refined oil that's used to deep fry the chicken nuggets as well as the cartilage and chicken skins and leftover bits to prepare the nuggets.
Protein: Each serving of chicken nuggets contains 14 grams of protein or 56 KCAL. Since it's a non-vegetarian dish, the protein content is fairly decent, but you get just 14 grams of protein for 291 calories, which isn't particularly lean.
The substitute: If you're looking for a healthier version, then as always, you're better off preparing it at home. You can utilize chicken breast, a mix of spices and condiments, use an egg as a binding agent, and whole wheat breadcrumbs to give it that crispy exterior. moreover, you can bake the nuggets, rather than deep-frying them to keep the fats and calories low.
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