Chicken Nuggets

Bite-sized pieces of chicken, coated in batter or breadcrumbs and deep-fried until golden: chicken nuggets are a product of the American food industry rather than of any kitchen, and they are rated on BiteCritic because people order them constantly, in fast-food chains, pubs and children's menus. The form was developed in the 1950s by Robert C. Baker, a food scientist at Cornell University, who worked out how to bind ground chicken and make a coating that would stick through frying and freezing; McDonald's launched its version nationally in 1983 and made the shape universal. Two families exist. The industrial nugget is ground or finely chopped meat, often with skin, pressed into a mould and coated; the restaurant nugget, sometimes sold as chicken bites or popcorn chicken, is a cut piece of whole breast or thigh. The difference is visible on the inside and should decide most of the score.