The Best Brand Of Frozen Chicken Nuggets Will Always Have A Spot In Our Freezer

When the craving strikes, nothing hits like a chicken nugget. Whether handed through a takeout window, prepared from scratch at home, or baked from a frost-covered bag, these bit-sized morsels satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Still, pre-packaged meat products can sometimes give you a bit of an ick: Is the texture mealy? Is the breading burnt? Is the size so big it's no longer nugget-like? Luckily for us, Chowhound's Megan Lim weighed in after wading her way through the freezer aisle. She ranked frozen chicken nuggets from worst to best, factoring in flavor first and foremost, but also nutrition, cost, availability, and presentation. No, Dino Buddies did not come out on top — but give the full breakdown a read to see where they rank.

Real Good Lightly Breaded Chicken Nuggets took the top spot, despite getting in their own way. As Lim notes, Real Good's nuggets don't exactly align with what we've come to expect from the product aesthetically. The lightly coated breading is inconsistent from nugget to nugget, the nuggets themselves are darker in color than their brethren, and their shape looks more like a drumstick than a perfectly imperfect nugget. And yet their taste more than makes up for their lack of style. According to Lim, Real Good nuggets have a delicious, authentic fried chicken taste. The meat is moist, but not mushy and pulls apart as you eat it, as chicken should. With their salty and umami-forward notes, these nuggets are perfect for a midnight snack or a protein-packed lunch.

Real Good Lightly Breaded Chicken Nuggets would have moved up the rankings for their flavor and texture alone, but they also have a handful of easy to understand ingredients that help them stand out substantially from the frozen section crowd. As Lim highlights throughout her ranking, the use of antibiotics and allergy triggers held many nuggets back. As with all Real Good items, the brand's chicken nuggets are high in protein and low in carbohydrates and sugar. With their top-tier flavor, clear-cut ingredients, and nutritional benefits, Real Good Lightly Breaded Chicken Nuggets are a good choice for feeding hungry kids and mindful eaters alike.

They can be baked conventionally or crisped up in an air fryer. Either method will get them crunchy and ready for dipping in your favorite condiment, whether that's classic ketchup, one of the many regional U.S. barbecue sauces, or ranch. Real Good's nuggets would also benefit from a quick dice, making them perfect for tossing on a bowl of dressed greens for an easy dinner.