I am back with another recipe to make your own chicken nuggets and ditch those nasty processed chicken nuggets.
This one was inspired by a recipe I saw at Taste.com.au.
What I am loving about this recipe:
* It’s so quick and easy! Get the cherubs to help you.
*It’s perfect finger food for babies and toddlers as it makes really soft nuggets that are easy to chew!
*It’s easy to make your own versions – use finely chopped leftover cooked veges, swap the veges to corn, pumpkin, broccoli – whatever! Got some leftover rice? Chuck that in too!
*It’s gluten-free and dairy-free.
*It sneaks in some veges!
*It tastes yummy!
Okay, so this is what you need:
500g organic or free range chicken mince (or make your own in the thermomix)
1 small organic carrot
1 small organic zucchini
1/2 small organic onion
1 small organic garlic clove
1 tablespoon homemade tomato sauce (or relish/chutney/mustard/pesto)
2 teaspoons organic Herbamare
1 organic, free-range egg
2 teaspoons dried parsley (or use one tablespoon of fresh)
3-4 large slices of wholegrain bread (I used gluten-free)
oil for spritzing
Okay, so this is how you do it:
Put your oven on to 200 degrees celsius. Whack some baking paper on a large baking tray.
Whizz the bread in your thermomix or food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs and set aside on a plate.
Grate the zucchini, carrot, onion and garlic very finely (or chop really finely in your thermomix/food processor).
Squeeze out all of the moisture of the vege mix – if you don’t the mix will be too sloppy! Keep the juice to chuck into soups/stews/stock.
Mix all ingredients, except the crumbs, with your hands – this bit is fun and a little therapeutic!
Roll small balls of the chicken mixture and then roll in the breadcrumbs. They are a little soft, but they will firm up when you cook them.
Place on the tray and spritz with oil (I use macadamia oil in a glass oil spritzer – cooking spray has lots of nasties!).
Fling your bombs into the oven and cook for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how big you made them. Serve them with whatever you like – my kids enjoyed the leftovers cold the next day in a salad wrap with mayo!
Make up a double batch and freeze the chicken and vege bombs uncooked. You will always have a quick, healthy option for the kids on standby!
You might also want to check out the other recipes in my campaign to ‘just say NO to nuggets’.
Make it. Come back. Tell me what you think!
Absolutely loving all your yummy recipes and natural living suggestions! Thank you for sharing! Definitely my favourite blog at present! Heidi x
Awww thanks Heidi ! 🙂
Thanks for this. I tried the taste one and found them quite bland. I will definitely be testing out this recipe.
I think you need the onion, garlic, parsley and sauce for a bit of flavour ! Let me know how you go Karen 🙂
Looks great. Thank you. Bookmarking. We are GFCF so this recipe looks exciting.
Hope you like them Moonbeams! 😉
do I have to use the Herbamare? Can I use almond meal instead of breadcrumbs?
Hi Rhi – you can just use some salt and pepper instead of the Herbamare! And of course you can use almond meal ! 🙂
Awesome recipe…very like the one I use which I will get around to posting one of these days, lol.
the more the merrier!
Just made these tonight for my fussy 2 year old… she loved them!
great to hear 🙂
Just made these tonight for my very fussy 2 year old.. She loved them! Great way to get in sneaky veggies 🙂
that’s fab ! 🙂
I might attempt a vegetarian version of this and use quinoa maybe!
sounds good
Thanks so much lovely – I have been looking for a good recipe for homemade nuggets as my kids love them, but I cant stand the idea of giving them rubber ones. These look delicious. xx
hope the kids like them 🙂
Sounds really delicious – love all the healthy veggies you’ve managed to sneak in 🙂
it makes it taste better too! 🙂
Wow these bombs were such a hit with the grand children and my son says they are “The best” My husband and I fully agree, they are wonderfully yummy and very more ish.. Thankyou so much.
you are so welcome Janet !! so glad the kids loved them 🙂
Thankyou these were really yummy & easy to make. My 3 year old loved them too. Love your blog, thanks for sharing!
thanks for the feedback Catherine – so good to hear your 3 year old loved them!
Oooh I’m getting hungry just thinking of these. I bought some chicken mince yesterday so guess what I’ll be making tomorrow?! Might turn them into nuggets on a stick- like a nugget lollipop 🙂
Oh wow! That is an awesome idea Louise! Please take a photo for me if you do!!!!
My 9 month old just wants to feed herself so finding healthy finger foods is just great! Thank you so much- I’ll be trying these this week 🙂
Let me know how you go Kim x
Hi Sonia,
The chicken and vege bombs were a massive success with my daughter Winter! I just left out the breadcrumbs and Herbamare so they were more suitable for a 9 month old and she wolfed them down.
Thank you so much again for sharing x
Thanks so much for the feedback!! 🙂
Yum!!! Thanks for a brilliant recipe 🙂 Mr 3 is scoffing them down after helping me make them.
Brilliant!!
Do you think these would freeze ok for school lunches ?
Hi Terri, yes they should definitely. 🙂