JenniferM | On 23, Mar 2012

Do your kids like chicken nuggets?  Mine sure do!  Until now, I’ve had a hard time finding chicken nuggets that pass muster.  My kids used to really love the ones from that restaurant that shall not be named because their chicken mcnuggets contain only 50 percent chicken and who knows what else and definitely do not fit into my idea of clean eating.  My oldest child, who is only 11, makes conscious food choices and so once I told her about the nastiness of the chicken nuggets sold at a certain restaurant (and in the supermarket), she was fine with never eating them again.  My youngest child, however, doesn’t really care where she gets her nuggets, as long as she gets some.  So I found a recipe yesterday for baked chicken nuggets in an old magazine, but I had to clean the recipe up just a bit.  I didn’t think my youngest would go for it, but what do you know, she really liked them and so did my oldest, Ms. Picky Eater!  So I thought I’d pass them on for those of you who have nugget lovers out there, but want to make sure what you’re giving them is a clean eating chicken nugget.

(I apologize for no original pic being used in this, but a stock photo of the chickenmcnasties.  My old camera is down and out until I get time to see what the problem is, and while I did recently purchase a Canon Rebel, embarrassingly, I don’t know how to use it exactly right just yet and so even Photoshop doesn’t help with the photos I am turning out with the new camera.)

The original recipe for these Clean Eating Chicken Nuggets calls for panko (Japanese breadcrumbs).  If you cannot find any whole-wheat panko, I have included a link to a recipe for clean eating breadcrumbs.  If you go with the clean eating breadcrumbs, these will take a little bit longer prep time since you’ll need to make your breadcrumbs first.

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
• 1 cup whole-wheat panko or clean eating breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten (preferably farm fresh eggs)
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut chicken breast into 2-inch pieces.  Spread the panko/clean eating breadcrumbs on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake approximately 7 minutes.  Put the baked crumbs in a shallow dish and add Parmesan and 1/2 tsp. sea salt.  Drizzle with the olive oil and stir until combined.
3. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow dishes.
4. Increase oven to 450 degrees.
5. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.  Lightly coat the wire rack with cooking spray.
6. A few pieces at a time, coat the chicken in flour, (shake off excess flour), dip in egg, and then coat with panko/clean eating breadcrumbs.  Press a bit to make sure the crumbs stick.
7. Place the chicken nuggets on the rack and bake for approximately 13 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Flip halfway through bake time.

Enjoy!