Poultry protein to improve the adherence of batter to chicken or turkey nuggets and schnitzel

Here’s why adding poultry protein to chicken and turkey nuggets and schnitzel yields a better end product.

Think of a chicken nugget or turkey schnitzel. The most delicious version of either comes with a tender center and crispy crust. But how does a poultry nugget or schnitzel producer achieve that combination of a perfectly crunchy and golden crust and juicy meat inside? They add chicken protein or turkey protein. Knowing that, here’s why using QBind Chicken FPP C or QBind Turkey FPP T is a must when manufacturing poultry meat nuggets and schnitzel.

Poultry protein makes nugget and schnitzel dough thicker and firmer

When you add chicken or turkey protein to your raw meat dough, the meat dough will be thicker and thicker means automatically that you can form the nugget or schnitzel into their shape better. This makes processing go faster and less dough is lost (e.g., waste). Thicker dough also means a firmer nugget is formed. When the body of the nugget is firmer, the crust adheres to the dough better. There are a few things happening that help the batter to adhere better: pre-dust (aka flour) around the body of the nugget is picked up better and covers the nugget more equally. Then, because the first layer is stuck to the dough better, the second and third layers (batter and breadcrumbs, respectively) also adhere better and the crust overall is less loose.

Poultry protein keeps moisture in the chicken nugget and turkey schnitzel

When you fry the chicken/turkey nugget or schnitzel, the moisture evaporates from the dough and the crust can explode if there is too much steam in the dough. Adding FPP C or FPP T helps to keep the moisture in, so there’s less steam, and thus less pressure on the crust.

Poultry protein improves batter stickiness

In sum, adding poultry protein in the form of FPP C to the dough of a chicken nugget or FPP T to a turkey schnitzel improves batter adherence in two ways: it makes the dough thicker and firmer; and it keeps the moisture in the poultry end product after cooking so that the batter coating doesn’t separate from the protein product.

That said, adding poultry protein to nuggets and schnitzel is not the most common choice. Producers instead often prefer soy protein, in part because it’s well-known. Poultry protein is a hidden gem in the industry and it is the highest quality choice. Read more about why soy protein is not the go-to solution here.

Read more about QBind Chicken FPP C here and QBind Turkey FPP T here. Or download our leaflets.

Request a sample and test the protein yourself

Would you like to request a sample and test these proteins? You can fill out a request here and a product specialist from Sonac will arrange for a sample to be sent.