The Distilled Life

Chicken Nuggets

Posted on 22. Jul, 2010 by catherine in Main Dishes

When discussing a certain chicken McMenu item, my sister-in-law(also a registered dietician), lamented, “what part of a chicken looks like a boot?”  Excellent point.  Also, I heard of a recall earlier this week on chicken nuggets sold at a local WalStore.  Instead of buying premade nuggets, have you ever considered making these at home?

I invented this version that my kids love even better that the fast food version.  Okay, maybe that’s stretching the truth a little bit although I feel a little better feeding this to my kids.  While I would not put this on the “clean eating” list, it makes a nice substitute for whatever-the-heck they put in normal chicken nuggets.

Chicken Nuggets

makes around 30 pieces, depending on how they are chopped

• 1 pound chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Vegetable oil for frying, 4-ish cups

For the breading, in three separate bowls:

• 1/2 cup flour (toss in some salt and pepper if you’d like)
• 2 eggs and 1/4 cup milk mixed together
• 1 sleeve buttery crackers pounded into crumbs with 1 tsp. seasoning salt mixed in (or 2-ish cups seasoned breadcrumbs)

Process: dip bite-sized pieces first in flour mix, then egg/milk mix, then cracker mix.  Set aside until ready for frying.

Meanwhile, heat around 1 to 1-1/2 inches of oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Cook pieces in oil for a couple minutes each side, or until sides are a nice golden brown.  Place cooked pieces on a paper-toweled plate to absorb excess oil, then place on cookie sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes to give them a nice crisp.

Detailed description:

First, place a layer of plastic wrap over the chicken breasts.  This keeps the water from splattering all over creation as you pound them silly.  Using the flat end of a meat tenderizer, pound them flat.

 

There we go.  Yes, it looks lovely for sure, but you get the idea.  At this point they are ready for chopping.

 

 

I like to use a boning/utility knife, but whatever floats your boat will work.

 

 

 

My geologist friends can appreciate the spoon added for scale reference.  This gives you an idea of size.

 

 

 

The line-up: first dip pieces in the flour mix (left), then the egg/milk mix (center), then the cracker crumb mix (right).  I know the flour-before-egg mix seems counterintuitive, but trust me, this helps to keep the breading intact.  You will thank me later. 

I usually dip the entire batch at once and let them sit on a plate…while they await their fate…

In an awesome pink pan like this, preheat about an inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Okay, you can use a boring gray pan if you insist.

Place each nugget in preheated oil using tongs.  The germ freak in me says to only use the tongs for this first step.  Let them cook up about a minute or two each side.

 

The germ freak in me also says to use a separate spatula/turner to flip those babies and move them onto a paper-toweled plate when they’re all done.

 

 

At this point you could eat them up yum.  I won’t say anything if you sneak a few morsels in your mouth.  But to crisp those lovely nuggets of tastiness, I recommend putting them on a cookie sheet and tossing them into a 350 degree oven (not literally, silly).  Bake for about 15-20 minutes.

 

 

<—Definitely not shaped like a boot.

 

Happy non-McEating!

Tags: featured, Main Dishes