My latest haul from Costco included a frozen four pound bag of Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks. The frozen chicken nuggets were already cooked and it looked like it would make for some tasty game day snacks that I could heat up in the air fryer.
Just in case you were wondering, Just Bare is a brand owned by JBS Foods, a conglomerate that owns other brands such as Pilgrims, Certified Angus Beef, Country Pride and many others.
Chicken nuggets are a beloved food for both kids and adults alike. Their crunchy outside and tender, juicy inside make them an irresistible snack or meal. But when trying to portion out chicken nuggets, one common question arises: how many chicken nuggets make up 3 ounces?
As a chicken nugget enthusiast, I decided to investigate this issue in depth. Through research and hands-on testing, I uncovered the truth about chicken nugget sizes and weights. Read on to learn how many nuggets you can expect in a standard 3 ounce serving.
Determining an Average Nugget Weight
The first step in solving this nugget numbers puzzle was determining the average weight of a single chicken nugget I headed to my local grocery store and purchased a bag of frozen chicken nuggets Once home, I took out my kitchen scale and started weighing.
I found that the nuggets ranged from 0.4-0.6 ounces each, with an average weight of 0.5 ounces per nugget. This aligned with online research stating most nuggets weigh 0.5-1 ounce.
Keep in mind that brands and recipes impact weight. Larger, more heavily breaded nuggets may skew towards 1 ounce or more per piece. Smaller “popcorn” style nuggets weigh on the lighter end of the range.
Calculating Nuggets in 3 Ounces
Armed with an estimated average nugget weight I could now calculate the number of nuggets in a 3 ounce serving. The math is simple
- If 1 nugget is approximately 0.5 ounces
- Then dividing 3 ounces by 0.5 ounces per nugget = 6 nuggets
So, a 3-ounce serving size equals about 6 chicken nuggets of the average size. Easy enough!.
The next question that made sense, though, was whether this would hold true in a real test. I couldn’t just rely on averages and guesses. It was time to conduct a hands-on experiment.
Hands-On Testing for Accuracy
To really verify my calculations, I got out the kitchen scale once again and began meticulously weighing chicken nuggets. I grabbed a new bag so my test nuggets would be identical to the ones I estimated weights for earlier.
One by one, I placed whole nuggets on to the scale:
- Nugget 1: 0.6 oz
- Nugget 2: 0.5 oz
- Nugget 3: 0.4 oz
- Nugget 4: 0.5 oz
- Nugget 5: 0.6 oz
- Nugget 6: 0.5 oz
Total weight of 6 nuggets = 3 oz
Success! My real-world test confirmed that 6 average chicken nuggets weigh approximately 3 ounces. This handy reference will make portioning nuggets a breeze.
Factors that Impact Chicken Nugget Sizes
Through my nugget weight experiments, I realized size and shape variances that can alter the numbers:
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Brand Differences: Size and weight are different because different brands use different recipes and breading. Always weigh a few nuggets from each new package.
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Uniform Shape: Nuggets with odd shapes can have more or less breading, which changes the weight. Uniform nuggets maintain consistency.
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Cooking Method: Frying adds oil whereas baking loses moisture – both affect weight. Weigh nuggets after cooking for accuracy.
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Measuring Inconsistencies: Estimating by volume in a bowl or by nugget count lacks precision. Weighing gives a true ounce measurement.
following a 3 Ounce Serving Size
Now that you know approximately how many chicken nuggets make a 3 ounce serving, you can use this to:
- Accurately track portion sizes and calorie/nutrient intake
- Follow recommended healthy serving sizes for meals
- Plan meals and bulk food prep using proper nugget amounts
- Divide up nuggets equally for potlucks, parties, family dinners
Just remember that weights can vary slightly based on your specific brand and batch of nuggets. Weighing a few test nuggets gives the optimal accuracy.
The next time nugget cravings strike, feel confident portioning out a 3 ounce serving thanks to this in-depth guide. Simply weigh out about 6 average sized nuggets, cook to golden perfection, and enjoy! With the secrets of nugget weights revealed, these tasty bites are now in the palm of your hand.
Air Fryer Just Bare Chicken Nuggets
- 12 oz Just Bare Frozen Chicken Nuggets about 20 pieces
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce
- Preheat your air fryer to 420F.
- Lightly spray the chicken nuggets with Pam.
- Heat the nuggets in the air fryer for 6 minutes.
- Turn the nuggets over and cook for another 6 minutes, or until they reach 165F on the inside.
- Serve the nuggets with sour cream and Buffalo sauce.
The breading turned a crispy golden brown and looked delicious! Every time we have made these we have been delighted at how well they tasted. The pieces are the right size and the right amount of meat to breading. The flavors are just the right amount of salty, savory, and sweet.
We picked up on some tangy flavor notes that made it seem like the chicken had been marinated in buttermilk or pickle juice? And yes, these nuggets taste just like the ones from Chick-fil-A!.
We have eaten these with Primal Kitchen’s No Dairy Buffalo Sauce (amazing) and the Primal Kitchen Mango Jalapeno BBQ Sauce (really good)!.
These chicken breast chunks are a serious step up from mystery meat “chicken nuggets”.
Easy to prepare, relatively healthy and quite tasty is a great combination.
Nutrition, Ingredients and Labelling
Let’s take a closer look at what you get with this massive bag of boneless chicken breast chunks!
One bag of the Costco chicken nuggets has four pounds of product with a serving size of 3 ounces. The nutrition facts for a single serving are:
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 6g (8% DV)
- Cholesterol: 50mg (16% DV)
- Sodium: 540mg (23% DV)
- Carbohydrates: 9g (3% DV)
- Protein: 16g
All told these chicken nuggets are not that bad for you! They are a little high in sodium but are otherwise low in fat, carbs and cholesterol.
I weighed out some nuggets and found, on average, that it took about 5 nuggets to make a 3 ounce serving. This means that a single nugget should have the following calories and nutrition:
- Calories: (160/5) = 32
- Fat: (6/5) = 1.2g
- Cholesterol: (50/5) = 10mg
- Sodium: (540/5) = 108mg
- Carbohydrates: (9/5) = 1.8g
- Protein: (16/5) = 3.2g
Different chunks will have different amounts of calories because they are not all the same size, but this should get you close.
The Chicken Chunks have the following ingredients:
- Chicken Breast
- Water
- “Seasoning” (Sugar, Salt, “Spices”)
- Rice Starch
- Breading
- Wheat flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Dry Milk
- Dried Egg Whites
- Baking Powder
- “Spice”
- Paprika
- Vegetable oil
I am not crazy about the fact that one of the primary ingredients is a generic term called “Seasoning” that, when described more fully, includes the generic term “Spices”. Come on guys…either tell us what is in here or don’t pretend that you are giving us information.
The labelling indicates that this product is:
- Fully Cooked
- Made from chicken with no added hormones, antibiotics or steroids.
- Sold in a resealable bag.
I appreciate that they let us know that the chickens do not receive antibiotics but am annoyed at the “no hormone”. Federal law prohibits the use of hormone addition so essentially we get a marketing claim of, “We followed the Law.”
The resealable bag claim is accurate but was useless for me. I assumed that the seal was a reclose able strip on the top of the bag like 95% of resealable packages.
I learned that with resealable packaging, you have to pull the bag open from a tab on the front of the bag after cutting the package open at the top. Oh well, looks like I will be using a Chip Clip to keep these fresh!.
The chicken is already fully cooked but you want to heat it through to an internal temperature of 165F. The package provides three sets of cooking instruction: Air Fry, Oven, Microwave.
We found the Air Fry method to be the fastest and also produces the best crunch but had to modify the instructions.
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F.
- Place frozen chicken pieces in basket in a single layer.
- Air fry for 8 minutes.
- It took 12 minutes at 420F in my Ninja Foodi Air Fryer to heat up the chicken chunks. This is longer than what’s on the package, but it works in our air fryer.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Lay frozen chicken pieces out in a single layer on a baking sheet that hasn’t been greased.
- Bake uncovered for 23 minutes.
- Lay out the frozen chicken pieces in a single layer on a dish that can go in the microwave.
- Microwave on high for 2.5 minutes.
Costco Has A Chicken Nugget Secret! Just Bare vs Kirkland #shorts
FAQ
How many chicken nuggets in a 3 oz serving?
3 ounces of chicken nuggets equals about 6 to 8 medium-sized nuggets or a small order from a fast food restaurant. What kind of chicken nuggets are in a 3 oz serving? The number of nuggets in that serving may be different. Each chicken nugget in a 3 oz serving is about 1. 5 inches in length and 1 inch in width.
How much shredded chicken is 3 oz?
Three ounces of shredded chicken is generally a little more than ½ cup. Weigh the chicken with a food scale if you need an accurate weight for a recipe. What does 3 oz of chicken nuggets look like? How many chicken nuggets is 3oz? On average, there are 3-5 chicken nuggets per 3-ounce serving.
How much does 3 ounces of chicken weigh?
According to the USDA, three ounces of chicken is approximately the size of one palm or the weight of three to four pieces. The USDA estimates that three ounces of chicken equal about three or four pieces. In fact, some chicken breasts are twice or even three times larger than an average size.
What is a serving size of chicken nuggets?
A serving size of chicken nuggets is approximately 3 ounces, which is equivalent to a palm-sized piece of chicken. The serving contains 180 calories, and each nugget excluding dipping sauce and optional milk weighs 6 grams. The nuggets are baked and roasted, with the skin removed.
How many calories are in a chicken nugget?
One ounce is about one-eighth of a cup. A serving of Nuggets contains 180 calories, which is for a palm-sized piece of chicken, equivalent to 3 ounces. A can of soda has 280 calories, while an eight-ounce chicken nugget has 250. A serving size of chicken nuggets will vary depending on the chicken breed.
How much does a single chicken nugget weigh?
One chicken nugget weighs about 0. 4 ounces. For reference, a single chicken nugget is roughly the size of a closed fist.
How many nuggets make 3oz?
However, on average, a single Pioneer Chicken nugget weighs about 0. 5 ounces. This means that a 3 oz serving would contain roughly six nuggets. Dec 3, 2023.
How much is 3 oz of chicken chunks?
The size of three ounces of cooked chicken chunks is about the same as a deck of cards or the palm of your hand.
How to measure out 3 oz of chicken?
A Cupped Hand = 1/2 cup The Palm = 3 oz. The palm of your hand can be used to estimate protein intake. 1 palm is equivalent to a 3 oz. serving of protein.
How many ounces are in 5 chicken nuggets?
Plus, their consistent size makes CN portioning easy—five 0. 66oz chicken nuggets from 2. 00oz equivalent meat/meat alternate and 1. 00oz equivalent grains toward meal pattern requirements.