Just say no to nuggets!
I am back with another easy recipe in our ‘just so no to nuggets’ campaign!
There are so many ways to make a healthy chicken ‘nugget’ very quickly and easily. I am going to keep giving you recipes until I run out of ideas. I’m pretty sure I don’t have to tell you that processed chicken nuggets are not a healthy option for kids to be eating regularly. Even saying the word nugget makes me cringe…. so I am calling mine ‘bites’!
Polenta Chicken Bites
Vital Stats: gluten free, egg free
Okay, so this is what you need:
4 large free range, organic chicken thigh fillets
3/4 cup organic polenta (cornmeal)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons organic Herbamare
2 tablespoons organic greek yoghurt or sour cream
macadamia oil or your choose of fat
Okay, so this is how you do it:
Cut the chicken into big chunks. Chuck the chicken into a bowl, fling in the yoghurt and stir it around. If you want, you can leave this mixture in the fridge all day as it tenderises the chicken nicely.
Put the polenta, garlic powder, paprika and Herbamare in a shallow bowl and mix well. Throw in the chicken chunks one at a time and coat with the polenta. I use one hand for chicken and the other for polenta so it doesn’t get too messy!
Place the chicken on a large tray with sheet of baking paper underneath. Spritz the chicken all over with some macadamia oil. Don’t buy the nasty spray oils in a can as they contain sugar and chemicals. I put my oils into a pump oil sprayer (get them from a kitchen store) and use it like that. This is the one I have here. Much healthier!
** Of course you can always cook these in a pan with some macadamia oil or ghee/tallow but I find it really messy!
Fling into a hot oven (200 degrees celsius) for about 10 minutes or until just cooked. You want the chicken to be nice and juicy. Serve them up with some salad and a dipping sauce. Homemade mayo with mango chutney is really nice or some homemade tomato sauce.
These polenta chicken bites are gluten-free. If you need them dairy free too, you could use homemade mayonnaise instead of the yoghurt. Find my recipe here. They will feed a family of four. I often make up a double batch and the kids enjoy them on a wrap with salad the next day for lunch.
I love it when you chat to me! Come back and tell me how you went and if the kids liked them.
These look delicious…I have a chicken nugget recipe too…I might blog it soon so we can add it to your list!
I love this idea – my kids LOVE chicken nuggets and I seriously did not know the oil spray was unhealthy!! I though i was being healthy using it, definitely will be trying this one xx
Awesome! let me know if the boys like it! Have a read of the ingredients on the back…. at the kitchen shop, we don’t recommend anyone use them on any cookware as the sugar caramelizes and leaves a brown mark that is hard to get rid of
Love it! Will be trying this for sure. So the polenta is used uncooked, like breacrumbs? I’ve made this with couscous, but we cooked it first.
Yes, uncooked. I have never tried couscous as a crumb! How did you stick it on Natalie?
It works best if you toss the chicken in flour, then in lightly beaten egg, then the cooked couscous – you kind of pat it on with your hands if it’s not sticking well. I made it for my aunt who can’t have eggs though, skipping the flour and egg stage, and it worked okay, but they did fall off a bit when shallow frying.
This recipe was my starting point when we began making it a few years ago. http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/food/cookbooks/786553/crunchy-couscous-coated-chicken
That sounds really interesting Natalie… thanks for the link too 🙂
This is just my kind of recipe (I recently posted dijon and parmesan panko chicken strips). These look so delicious and simple too! 🙂
that sounds lovely… parmesan makes everything taste good ! 😉
Sonia, these sound wonderful! What a healthy, delicious and I’m sure even more flavourful, alternative! I think I’ll have to try these out on my little nephews! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Let me know if he likes them! 🙂
Fantastic recipe – thank you!. Will be sure to try them out. Alex
Let me know what you think Alex ! Sonia 🙂
organic polenta (cornmeal), organic Herbamare, grape seed oil to spritz,
None o this is available in my area.
Hi Darlene, you are able to substitute with regular polenta and instead of Herbamare, use salt/pepper and what ever herbs you like and the grape seed oil can be any oil. I just give you what I use as I think they are the healthiest options ! 🙂
I look forward to trying your recipe… we too are saying NO to nuggets. Our favorite chicken dish is really easy…. try this: chicken breast cut into larger stir-fry size pieces. In a bag, mix 2tbsp each of wholemeal spelt flour & coconut flour. Throw chicken in bag to coat adding extra ‘crumb’ mixture if needed. Heat coconut oil in a saucepan & cook in batches if necessary. It will not brown as much, but the result is simply yum & so easy.
that is fantastic Fiona – I have not tried it with those flours together! I bet it is really good.
Hi Sonia,
I made these tonight and they were a huge hit. With homemade chips and a simple salad everyone was happy 🙂
Thank you
thanks Sue ! good to hear – they are my fave 🙂