Goodbye, Costco: The Chick-Fil-A Nugget Dupe You Can Grab Right At Aldi

The chicken nugget is a classic American creation that, as the story goes, was invented by agricultural scientist Robert C. Baker at Cornell University in 1963. Twenty years later, the famous Chicken McNugget appeared on McDonald's menus. From there, it's become one of the more ubiquitous American snacks, appearing in grocery store frozen aisles and restaurant menus across the country.

Around that same time, Chick-fil-A customers were asking the fast food chain to create a nugget that resembled its famous chicken sandwich in flavor. The fast food chain relented, and its chicken nuggets have become one of the most popular versions in the industry — so much so that copycat versions are easily found. With the Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks, Costco's Kirkland Signature brand has created a very similar product to those beloved Chick-fil-A nuggets. But according to reviews, Aldi — one of Costco's primary competitors — might have created an even better CFA nugget dupe.

Aldi's Kirkwood branded Crispy Chicken Nuggets are fully cooked and lightly breaded — just like those at Chick-fil-A. They come frozen and ready to be heated in an oven, air fryer, or microwave. A 22-ounce bag of these nuggets at Aldi sells for $7.69, though prices might vary based on location. And based on what we've read online, they are worth the price.

People are pretty pleased with how Aldi's nuggets compare to Chick-fil-A's. One Facebook user says, "These Aldi CRISPY chicken nuggets are a 10/10 and taste the closest to Chick-fil-A that I've tried!" Referring to the nuggets, a Redditor comments, "I heated them in the air fryer and dipped them in some left over Chick Fil A Sauces. I thought these tasted very close to the Chick Fil A nuggets. I would buy them again for sure!!!" On the same thread, another commenter adds, "Best frozen nuggets on the market I've tasted so far."

You've got plenty of options when it comes to cooking these frozen nuggets, whether it's in a conventional oven, microwave, or air fryer. While Aldi's recommended cooking style is in an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 23 to 25 minutes, other customers have found the air fryer works just as well. A reviewer for Parade Magazine suggested 15 minutes in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and said the nuggets "were every bit as juicy as a fresh-made batch of Chick-fil-A nugs. Hands down, these are the best frozen chicken nuggets I've ever had." You might get creative with the seasoning as well — maybe some Cajun spices, lemon pepper, or even an orange-based sauce to make orange chicken.

Aldi has a lot of fans and receives a lot of hype for good reason. While not all of its products are a hit, these crispy chicken nuggets from the Kirkwood brand seem to pass the flavor test with flying colors. At around $8 for a bag, you'll get a lot of more bang for your buck than ordering a 10 piece at Chick-fil-A, without sacrificing much quality or flavor.