Ingredients in 6 Popular Fast Food Chicken Nuggets

Today we take a look at the many ingredients found in fast food chicken nuggets. We selected six of the top fast food restaurants in the nation measured by popularity and sales.

Although Burger King nuggets are highly popular, we excluded them from our report because the restaurant does not publish ingredients by menu item.

Many chicken nuggets in background with list of ingredients used in fast food restaurants.

Ingredients Guide

This guide provides lists of ingredients in chicken nuggets for select fast food restaurants, including Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen, KFC, McDonald’s, Popeyes, and Wendy’s.

Definitions of Select Ingredients

Here are brief definitions of ingredients that are common in processed foods, but not generally well known to guests of the restaurants.

Dimethlypolysiloxane is a silicone-based polymer. It’s commonly used as an antifoaming agent when frying foods in oil.
Used by Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and Wendy’s.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), the sodium salt of amino acid glutamic acid, is produced by the fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane or molasses.
Used by Chick-fil-A, KFC, and Popeyes.
Sorbitan Monostearate (SMS, Span 60), made from a sugar alcohol derived from corn or fruit and animal fats, is primarily used as an emulsifier to enhance the activation of yeast. It’s often found in mayo, sauces, and bread.
Used by Dairy Queen.
Tricalcium Phosphate is used as an anti-caking agent.
Used by KFC.

Common Ingredients

In addition to the less well-known ingredients listed above, many of the formulations use common ingredients, including salt, seasoning, and vegetable oils.

Common Ingredients used by all Six Restaurants
Chicken, Chicken Breast, or Chicken Tenderloin, Rib Meat
Flour enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Leavening with sodium bicarbonate (may also include sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, and/or sodium aluminum sulfate)
Salt and Spices
Vegetable Oils (may include soybean, peanut, canola, and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oils)

List of Ingredients by Restaurant

Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets Ingredients

Here is the complete list of ingredients in Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets.

Chicken

Ingredients in Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets:Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Meat Nuggets, Enriched Bleached Flour, Fully Refined Peanut Oil [with dimethylpolysiloxane {an anti-foam agent} added], Sugar, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Pasteurized Nonfat Dry Milk, Leavening, Spices, Water, Soybean Oil, Paprika, and Pasteurized Egg.

Enriched Bleached Flour includes malted barley flour, niacin, iron thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate are used for Leavening.

8 pieces of Chick-fil-A Chicken nuggets with summary of nutrients. — Chick-fil-A Nuggets

Check Ingredients: Chick-fil-A Chicken Strips

Dairy Queen Chicken Strips Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients in Dairy Queen’s Chicken Strips, which are fried in Vegetable Oil.

Chicken

Ingredients DQ Chicken:Uncooked Chicken Tenderloin Fritters containing up to 18% of a solution of Water, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Salt, and Sodium Phosphates.

Breading

Ingredients in DQ Chicken Strips Breading:Unbleached and Enriched Wheat Flour, Water, Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour, Modified Corn Starch, Yellow Corn flour, Salt, Spices, Leavening, Bread Crumbs, Onion Powder, Soybean Oil and Paprika.

The Unbleached and Enriched Wheat Flour and the Bleached Enriched Wheat Flours include niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminum phosphate, and monocalcium phosphate are used for Leavening.
Bread Crumbs are made with Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour, corn syrup solids, dried yeast, soybean oil, salt, mono and diglycerides, malted barley flour, ammonium sulfate, calcium propionate, and sorbitan monostearate.

Wheat flour, sodium bicarbonate, and corn starch are used by multiple restaurants.

KFC Extra Crispy Tenders Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients in the Extra Crispy™ Tenders from Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Chicken

Ingredients in KFC Extra Crispy Tenders Chicken:Chicken Tenderloins (or Chicken Breast Strips) containing up to 25% of a solution of Water, Seasoning, Potassium and Sodium Phosphates.

Seasoning includes modified potato starch, salt, onion powder, chicken flavor (or Natural Chicken Flavor), and spice extractive.
The Chicken Flavor is made with maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract, chicken fat, and dehydrated cooked chicken.

Breading

Ingredients KFC Extra Crispy Tenders Chicken Breading:Wheat Flour, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Spices, Monosodium Glutamate, Corn Starch, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate), Garlic Powder, Canola Oil, Citric Acid, Natural Flavorings, Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Calcium Silicate (added as an Anti Caking Agent) and may also include Modified Corn Starch and Spice Extractives.

Check the Ingredients: KFC Chicken Pot Pie

McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients in McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.

Ingredients in McDonald’s McNuggets:White Boneless Chicken, Water, Vegetable Oil, Enriched Flour, Bleached Wheat Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Vegetable Starch, Salt, Leavening, Spices, Yeast Extract, Lemon Juice Solids, Dextrose, Natural Flavors.

Vegetable Oil includes one or more of the following: canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and hydrogenated soybean oil.
Enriched Flour includes bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Vegetable Starch is made with modified corn, wheat, rice, pea, and corn.
Baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and monocalcium phosphate are used for Leavening.

Open box of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets with text list of ingredients.

Popeyes Classic Chicken Tenders

Here are the ingredients in the Classic Chicken Tenders from Popeyes.

Chicken

Ingredients in Popeyes Chicken Tenders:Chicken, Seasoning (Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Seasoning, including dried garlic and dried onion).

Batter

Ingredients in Popeyes Chicken Tenders Batter:Chicken, Seasoning (Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Seasoning, including dried garlic and dried onion).

Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour includes niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Sodium Bicarbonate and/or Sodium Aluminum Sulfate are used as Leavening agents.

Shortening

Ingredients in shortening used to cook Popeyes Chicken Tenders:Cooked in Beef Tallow, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Beef Tallow, BHT (protects flavor), Citric Acid, and Dimethylpolysiloxane (anti-foaming agent).

Container of chicken tenders from Popeyes restaurant.

Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients in Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets.

Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets:Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Seasoning, Sodium Phosphates.

Seasoning includes salt, natural flavors (including extractives of celery seed), and spices.

Breading

Ingredients in chicken nuggets breading:Wheat Flour, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Spice, Gum Arabic, Extractives of Paprika, Yellow Corn Flour, Leavening, Yeast, Natural Flavors, Sugar, Breading Set in Vegetable Oil.

Sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate are used for Leavening in the Breading.

Cooking Oil

Vegetable oils and additive used to cook Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets:Soybean, Canola, Corn and/or Cottonseed, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, and Dimethylpolysiloxane.

Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets and list of ingredients.

Ingredients, allergens, and nutrition facts are based on available information as of the date this article was published and/or updated. Restaurants and food manufacturers may change their recipes without notice. Check directly with the food provider for the most accurate and up-to-date information. NutritionandIngredients.com does not provide health or wellness advice or dietary recommendations. Our aim is to research commercially processed food and publish articles for informational purposes only. Unless otherwise stated, % Daily Value is based on 2,000 calories per day, but calorie needs vary by individual. Always consult your physician for any healthcare or dietary advice.

Ingredients in 6 Popular Fast Food Chicken Nuggets