Review: MorningStar Farms Chick’N Nuggets

These Chick’N free nuggets are easily one of my favorite meat substitutes on the market currently. Indeed, they’re the rare case where the copycat somehow manages to beat the original. Let’s be clear, I’m talking about those mass produced, spongy chicken nuggets up and down the country; those that bear little to no resemblance to the actual poultry they sprang from. Where exactly on a chicken is the nugget after all?

Whether you’ve grabbed a carton from a fast food drive thru window or a frozen bag from the freezer aisle, most of us are familiar with the taste and texture of a traditional highly processed nugget. The fact that chicken based nuggets have become so abstracted from the actual animal makes them an easy product to simulate I think. This product from MorningStar Farms ably replicates the texture and to be quite frank, once you start dipping these in your favorite sauce, the flavor to a large extent too. Again, this isn’t to say they’re anything like unadulterated quality chicken.

Where these nuggets lead the pack though is the range of other benefits. First and foremost they’re 100% vegan, so you can enjoy these karma free and generally more healthily too. (see below). They’re flexible in a range of dishes and affordable as well. I don’t often say meat-free products could fool a meat eater, a careful diner with a decent palate can spot the difference a mile away – but – throw some buffalo sauce on these and build a layered wrap for lunch; you’d be hard pressed to immediately notice or even care.

Side note: I can’t say for sure, but I don’t recall this product being completely vegan in the past. During 2018 it seems like a lot of the MorningStar Farms range is being reformulated to take advantage of the increased customer demand for vegan products. These nuggets now have a chunkier, crustier exterior to ones you might have enjoyed in the past. I still find them very enjoyable.

MorningStar Farms Chick’N Nuggets – what’s in the bag

There’s about fifteen or so nuggets to a bag. They come in a resealable plastic bag to prevent freezer burn.

MorningStar Farms Chick’N Nuggets

Here are a few of our own creations using these nuggets, first up this buffalo salad. On top of a romaine salad I added sliced cucumber, tomato, blue cheese crumbles, coleslaw and air fried Chick’N Nuggets:

When cooking in the microwave I also tend to add the sauce to the nuggets hot out of the oven or microwave and toss them quickly to coat.

Where my wife prefers a salad like that above, I like the extra carbs of a tortilla wrap. With that in mind, here’s another take on a Buffalo salad, this time using avocado and coleslaw for a little more richness:

MorningStar Farms Chick’N Nuggets cooking instructions, nutrition, ingredients

Four nuggets deliver 20g of protein with a not crazy amount of sodium. I’d image these stack up well against the real deal, not that the real deal is all that real of course. Cooking couldn’t be easier, 90 seconds in the microwave and you’re good to go. I rarely oven cook these but the texture is a little better, slightly more crisp.

Update June 2019: For the very best results, I’ve been having a lot of fun air frying these nuggets. Check out how to air fry them here.

MorningStar Farms Chick’N Nuggets – what’s a fair price?

I paid $3.67 for these at a local Walmart. I can usually get around four meals from a bag, which puts the serving at just under a dollar which is more than fair to me.

More MorningStar Farms products and dishes

• MorningStar Farms Veggie Corn Dogs
• Incogmeato Chik’N Tenders review
• MorningStar Farms Italian Sausage Style Crumbles review
• Italian-style nachos
• Incogmeato Chik’N Nuggets – some of the best around
• MorningStar Farms Buffalo Chik Patties review – 2020 version
• MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips
• MorningStar Farms Incogmeato Burger
• Loaded veggie tots
• Thai red curry with rice noodles
• Thai jungle curry with rice noodles
• Sweet potato fry nachos
• Sloppy Joes with MorningStar Farms Crumblers
• Vegan BBQ Plate with MorningStar Popcorn Chikn
• Thai Yellow Curry with Cous Cous
• Loaded OreIda crinkle cut fries with chipotle mayo
• Nachos with MorningStar Farms crumblers
• Loaded cauliflower tots with MorningStar Farms crumblers
• Buffalo salad with MorningStar Farms Nuggets
• MorningStar Farms Original Chix Patties review
• MorningStar Farms Popcorn Chik’N Veggitizers review
• MorningStar Farms Mini Corn Dogs
• Review: MorningStar Farms Veggie Lovers Vegan Burgers
• Review: MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles
• Review: MorningStar Farms Grillers Original 2019

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.  I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.

I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years.   I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen.  Follow along on Instagram too!