How long should you cook chicken nibbles for?

The great thing about a bone-in cut like chicken nibbles is that the bone actually helps to conduct heat and cook the chicken without drying it out. They also tend to cost less and retain more flavour.

A kilo of chicken nibbles should take between 20 and 25 minutes in a 180°C oven. Ensure the nibbles are spread out in an even layer, and not piled on top of each other, so that each piece can cook evenly. Read our guide to how to cook the perfect chicken so i's juicy every time.

How long should you marinate chicken nibbles?

Ideally, you should marinate your chicken nibbles in the fridge overnight. If you want to leave them for longer, just make sure you cook them before the use by date of the chicken nibbles. It takes time for the marinade to enter the meat and impart all of that wonderful flavour, but if you don’t have time to let the meat sit, you can always reduce the marinade into a glaze instead. Simply bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for five minutes or until thick and sticky. Bake the nibbles with a little salt and pepper, then toss them in the glaze to serve. 

What are chicken nibbles?

Chicken nibbles are an affordable, succulent chicken cut. It's no wonder this chicken cut is a long-time favourite. Each nibble starts out as a whole chicken wing, and is broken down into smaller parts for optimal finger-food grazing.   

When you buy a pack of chicken nibbles, you’ll find two segments of a chicken wing. First, there’s the drumette. This looks like a little chicken drumstick with one bone thicker running through the middle. Then you’ve got the wingettes. These are what we often think of when we talk about chicken wings. They have two smaller bones running through them, connected by a piece of cartilage. Both types of chicken nibble are loaded with delicious, succulent dark meat that retains lots of moisture and falls off the bone when cooked to perfection.

All about the marinade

Pams Soft Brown Sugar does all the heavy lifting for any great marinade. Sugar helps to penetrate the surface of the meat, and bring all of that garlic and soy sauce in. So, when chow down you taste the marinade in every bite. The sugar also helps with caramelisation. It reduces in the oven and turns any marinade left on the surface of the meat into a sweet and sticky glaze. If you’re not keen on processed sugars, you can easily swap the brown sugar for a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup.

Easy and affordable

This recipe for juicy, tender chicken nibbles takes next to no time out of your day. With only four ingredients, it’s both cheap and easy to whip together. 

All it takes is garlic, soy sauce and brown sugar. Odds are, you already have most of these ingredients in your pantry, but the best news is you won’t have to break the bank for a trip to your nearest PAK’nSAVE. To save even more time, keep a jar of Pams Crushed Garlic in the fridge and replace the six cloves of garlic in the recipe for six teaspoons of crushed garlic. Or, if you’re feeling extra cheeky, slather on some Masterfoods Honey Soy Marinade instead — we won’t tell.

Meal prepping tips

If you’re big on your meal prepping, it’s easy to prepare this recipe in advance so all you have to do come dinner time is slap it in the oven. 

To prepare in advance, make the marinade and pour it over the chicken according to the recipe below, then allow to cool. Transfer the chicken and cooled marinade into a freezer-safe container or a 4U Large Freezer Bag and pop it in the freezer for up to two months. Then, when you’re ready to enjoy your chicken nibbles, simply defrost the chicken and continue to follow the recipe.

Amp up (or switch up) the flavour

Why not make these chicken nibbles your own? Experiment with flavours to see what you like. Try swapping out the brown sugar for honey, or grating in your own fresh ginger alongside the garlic.

Add a bit of pizazz by sprinkling over toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions. The nuttiness of sesame goes great with these sweet, sticky nibbles and the juicy spring onions add a pop of freshness.

For more inspiration, check out the rest of our delicious chicken recipes.