I’m always excited when I come up with meals that can be eaten for dinner straight out of the oven, are just as delicious eaten cold, and meals which can double up for lunch boxes the next day (and the day after that).
Chicken nuggets are a perfect solution for those nights when one child is starving at 6 pm and the other not home from training until after 8 pm. And let’s be honest, what kid doesn’t love them?!
My recipe is super easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. I make a big batch for our big eating family , and it makes enough for lunch boxes for the next day or two. I just throw the nuggets straight into the lunchbox as is, or wrap them up in some Mountain Bread with some mayo and lettuce.
I’m not one for batch frying anything, I just don’t have the patience for it and I can’t bear the mess. This baked version is just as good as the fried ones, but without the mess and they take a fraction of your time.
The seasoning can be left out of the breadcrumb mix if you prefer, or you can use any alternative combinations which your family prefers. I often do a version with a Tex-Mex flavour which the kids just love. For an Italian flavour you can add in some parmesan cheese and herbs, or make them lemon chicken flavoured with finely grated lemon rind.
I like to serve the nuggets with oven-baked potato or sweet potato fries alongside nice crispy garden salad and a squeeze of lemon over the lot.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups breadcrumbs I just popped 2-3 pieces sourdough bread into the food processor
- ½ cup ghee or butter or mix of both
- 8 chicken thighs approx. 900 gms
- 2 tsp dulse flakes
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Himalayan salt or Sea salt
- 1 cup white spelt flour
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°C.
- Spread breadcrumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes, stirring breadcrumbs a couple of times to ensure they turn golden evenly.
- Towards the end of the breadcrumbs cooking time, pop the ghee and/or butter into a ramekin and place in the oven to allow to melt.
- While the breadcrumbs are in the oven, cut chicken thighs into quarters.
- Once lightly golden place breadcrumbs on a dinner plate, allow to cool, then mix through the dulse flakes, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, basil, salt, and slightly cooled ghee or butter
- Place flour on a dinner plate.
- Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly brush some olive oil onto the rack. Or you can just line a couple of baking trays with baking paper.
- Set up an assembly line of chicken, flour, egg, breadcrumbs and proceed to dip the chicken into the flour (shake off excess), egg (allow excess to drip off) and finally the breadcrumbs and place on the wire rack.
- Drizzle chicken with olive oil and bake until the chicken is cooked through, approx. 15 – 20 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
Check out more fantastic recipes, online courses and wellness blogs on Brenda’s website.
Share your easy mid-week dinner creations with us on Instagram with #myTWC
Share This Recipe
About the Author: Brenda Janschek
