I tried 5 brands of store-bought chicken nuggets, and 2 of them will become staples in my freezer

Trader Joe's describes the refrigerated nuggets as organic, breaded chicken-breast patties with rib meat on the bag, which was small compared to the other brands' packaging.Upon first glance, the nuggets looked quite pale despite being peppered with seasoning. According to the directions, they only need to be microwaved for 50 seconds and can be left uncovered.In a matter of seconds, their peppery smell filled my tiny kitchen.The chicken nuggets were sizzling when I took them out of the microwave, which was hard to believe considering they were cooking for under a minute. So, I gave them some time to cool.I found them to be incredibly soft with bursts of flavor from the seasoning. The bag lists garlic powder, celery seed, white pepper, and cane sugar as ingredients — and I could definitely taste all of them.However, the nuggets still looked a little too pale for my liking. They also got soggy very quickly, and I wondered if putting them in the oven would've given them a crispier texture.These nuggets came in a large bag. Even though they were breaded, their crumbs didn't spread everywhere.The nuggets were also dense, extremely round, and rich brown in color, making them the most aesthetically pleasing of the bunch. I placed five nuggets in the microwave for 90 seconds. They were piping hot, so I let them cool for a few minutes.Although I appreciated the golden breading covering these nuggets, they were a bit bland for my taste. I was surprised by the lack of flavor because the ingredient list includes pepper, caramelized sugar, paprika, and cream of tartar.I followed the cooking directions but worried I left them in the microwave for too long.Many Aldi shoppers know the Kirkwood nuggets for their red bag and flavor, with some superfans claiming these nuggets taste similar to Chick-fil-A sandwiches.The Kirkwood nuggets weren't nearly as easy to locate as the brands in Walmart and Trader Joe's, and I had to stop at several different Aldi stores before I found one with Kirkwood nuggets in stock.Similar to the Great Value nuggets, these chicken bites were golden brown and compact. I arranged them on a microwaveable plate and cooked them for one minute, per the instructions.The nuggets were sizzling hot and smelled amazing when I took them out of the microwave. I was a fan of the thick, golden breading, which turned out to be somewhat crunchy despite the steam from the microwave. According to the package, the ingredients include dried garlic, dried onion, paprika extract, and other spices. They all came together to make the outer layer taste flavorful (and similar to Chick-fil-A's seasoned chicken sandwiches).However, inside of the crust, the chicken was dry and a bit bland compared to the rest of the nugget.I purchased a 2-pound bag of Tyson nuggets from Walmart. According to the package, they're made with all-natural ingredients. The store had several different types of Tyson nuggets, from ones meant to be air-fried to spicy ones, but I opted for the standard option to match the rest of the brands. When I took them out of the package, they looked crispier and a bit larger than the other nuggets. The directions suggested putting the microwave heat on high for one to 1 1/2 minutes, but I capped the cooking time at a minute to avoid drying out the crispy outer layer.I was surprised by how spongy the nuggets' inner layers felt after I took them out of the microwave. They were quite bland on the inside.However, the breading was delicious. The package lists ingredients such as brown sugar, dried garlic, dried onion, and paprika extract. I think the sugar made this breading stand out from the rest, as it gave the nuggets a slightly sweeter taste. I can find Perdue nuggets in most of the grocery stores in my area, so it came as no surprise that I stumbled upon a bag of them at my local Walmart.These nuggets were more square-shaped than the others, and this brand is the only one that recommends flipping the chicken in the microwave halfway through its cook time.After letting the nuggets cool, I took a bite and was shocked by how juicy they were compared to the others. The breading — which contains onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder — was delicious too.Though the flavorful Kirkwood nuggets came in a close second, nothing could top Perdue's juicy chicken bites, which had high-quality meat and texture.I'll definitely keep a bag handy in my freezer to enjoy as a snack or easy-to-make party food. Next time, I'll try baking the nuggets in the oven to see if the cooking method affects their sogginess levels.

I tried 5 brands of store-bought chicken nuggets, and 2 of them will become staples in my freezer

Trader Joe's organic chicken nuggets looked lighter in color than I expected.

The nuggets were soft and full of flavor, but the color threw me off.

Great Value's nuggets looked the best even before I cooked them.

The breading was fantastic, but the inside of the nuggets didn't carry the same flavor.

After stopping at several Aldi locations that didn't have the Kirkwood nuggets in stock, I finally found them.

These nuggets had the best breading, but the meat inside tasted dry.

The Tyson nuggets were the largest in size and looked crispier than the others.

The breading had a deliciously sweet flavor, but I was let down by the meat's spongy texture.

Perdue's nuggets were shaped like small squares and made of white-meat chicken.

The nuggets were juicier than I expected, and the breading tasted wonderful too.

The Perdue nuggets were my favorite, but it was a close race, with Kirkwood's chicken bites coming in second.