British food gets a bad rap, and honestly, it’s not entirely undeserved—we’ve all had a sad, overcooked Sunday roast at a disappointing pub. But British Chicken Goujons? Made with care and proper technique? It’s some of the most satisfying comfort food in the world.

I spent years in London gastropubs where the “fryer snacks” were the heartbeat of the bar. These aren’t the soggy, frozen nuggets people wrongly associate with British food; they are a celebration of crisp breading and juicy chicken that I used to devour after a long shift. When done right, a Proper Chicken Goujon is a thing of beauty—shatteringly crisp on the outside and tender in the middle. If you are looking for that full pub experience, you might also like my Amber Ale Beer-Battered Chicken Tenders.

The Secret to Proper Chicken Goujons is in the Flour

Now, don’t let anyone tell you British food is bland. The secret to a proper Pub Style Chicken goujon is a cheeky bit of English mustard powder (Colman’s is the gold standard) mixed right into the flour. It doesn’t make the chicken “hot” in a spicy sense, but it adds a lovely nasal zing and a depth of flavor that cuts right through the richness of the fry.

My nan always said, “If you’re going to bother frying something, make sure the coating is worth the calories.” She wasn’t wrong. By seasoning the flour itself, we’re building layers of flavor from the very first step. These are a great addition to any collection of British Gastropub Recipes.

Nan’s Garlic Mayo Dip Recipe Trick

The garlic mayo is just as important as the chicken. Most people just mince garlic and stir it into mayo, which leaves you with “garlic breath” chunks that are frankly a bit rude.

In the gastropub, we learned a better way—which, funnily enough, was the same Garlic Mayo Dip Recipe trick my nan used. You take your garlic cloves, put a good pinch of sea salt on top, and use the side of your knife to mash it into a paste. The salt acts as an abrasive, breaking down the cell walls until you have a smooth, intense paste. When you stir that into your mayo, the flavor is everywhere, but the texture remains silky smooth.

The Art of the Shallow Fry

Right, now for the important bit: the fry. You don’t need a massive vat of oil to get a professional result. A simple shallow fry in a sturdy pan does the trick perfectly for the home cook. While pan-frying is traditional, for a lighter touch, you could also try my 30-Minute Air Fryer Buttermilk Tenders.

The biggest mistake you can make is “crowding the pan.” If you put too many goujons in at once, the oil temperature drops, and instead of frying, the chicken starts to soak up the oil. That’s how you get soggy, greasy breading. Do it in batches, keep the heat steady, and you’ll be rewarded with that glorious golden crunch.

Serve these up with a pile of thick-cut chips and maybe a cold pint of lager. This is comfort in a bowl, dead simple, and absolutely delicious.

Tuck in, you’ve earned it!