Adults Are Increasingly Popping Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets are having a bit of a glow-up, and TASTE's Cathy Erway traces how the kids staple is being remade for adults who read ingredient labels. Her piece opens at a Manhattan farmers market, where a pasture-raised meat stand is now hawking frozen nuggets built from chicken, oats, sea salt, fennel, and celery powder, among other ingredients, instead of mystery "natural flavors." It's just one example of a wider trend, in which nuggets are now pitched as quick, "cleaner" protein for busy grown-ups, not just something you toss on a sheet pan for kids. "The reality is that all adults love them," says Christina Zwicky of Real Good Foods. "People want better-for-you versions of food that they already love."

Erway surveys the new nugget landscape, which includes small farms using whole-grain breading; those "better-for-you" brands like Real Good Foods boosting protein with whey and chickpea flour; and legacy player Pilgrim's rebranding with air-fryer-friendly, boldly flavored versions—think dill pickle and cheesy jalapeno. Upscale restaurants are playing around with caviar-topped nuggets, while fast-food chains and influencers pile on with their own spins. Through it all, Erway argues, Americans are trying to square nostalgia and convenience with health concerns, and the humble nugget has become a surprisingly useful vehicle for that. More here. (Meanwhile, Food & Wine, as well as this columnist and her 8-year-old, taste-test a bunch of frozen nugget brands.)