Recipe: Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Need a use for all those leftover holiday dinner rolls? Then read on.

My favorite “real food” (stuff you’d actually make) blogger, Iowa Girl Eats, posted this recipe last week and I wanted to try it. I’m always looking for new ways to snazz up boring old chicken (aren’t we all?) and this recipe totally fit the bill.

Tear up your rolls and pop them in a 350 degree oven to dry out for 20 minutes or so.

Grind them up in your food pro once they are cool.

Next, add 1 pinch chili powder, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper, and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and mix it all up.

Create a little breading assembly line to keep everything easy and sanitary. Dunk the chicken in the egg mixture and then coat with your homemade breading. Place all of your breaded nuggets on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet for full surface cooking. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

My biggest tip here for the breading is to use the Alton Brown method of using one dry hand and one wet hand.

Pre and post bake:

Delicious dinner! (served with steamed broccoli and garlicy spinach, we’re post-holiday detoxing)

Now let’s contemplate dipping sauces, shall we?

John opted for bleu cheese, go figure.

But I went with Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Sauce. It’s like sweet and sour nugget sauce but for adults. It’s sweet and spicy with a great kick. Not hot, just a great sweet flavor followed up by a zing.