You know those days where you just want to come home, sit in front of the TV and eat comfort food? Nuggets are my comfort food. They remind me of being a kid, having play dates with my primary school friends during the school holidays and mum letting us eat nuggets and oven-bake chips.
I've never been the type of person who can just give up particular foods because they're 'bad', so when I made the switch to a paleo lifestyle I was determined not to give up the comfort foods that I love, but make paleo variations instead. When I made these nuggets for the first time I was sure they were better than regular nuggets. Perhaps my many months as a caveman had brainwashed me, or I had just forgotten what processed food tastes like?! But last night, after a particularly full on week at work resulting in a desperate need for comfort food, I made them again and my boyfriend declared 'These are seriously good. Like, the best nuggets ever'. I'm pretty sure I could serve these to people and they wouldn't even realise they were paleo!
Paleo Chicken Nuggets (serves 4)
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs (or breast meat)
1 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons mixed Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, etc etc..)
Salt & pepper
1 egg, lightly whisked
Olive oil
1. Remove fat from chicken and dice into nugget size pieces
2. On a large, flat plate combine your dry ingredients (almond meal, herbs, salt & pepper)
3. Dip your chicken pieces into egg, then coat with the almond mix until well covered. Lay out chicken nuggets on a plate covered with baking paper and pop in the fridge for 1/2 hour before baking.
4. While chicken is in the fridge, cover your baking tray with enough oil to grease the entire tray. Pop the tray in the oven and pre heat to 200 degrees fan forced.
5. Pop your nuggets on the pre heated tray (this helps the almond coating from sticking) and baking for 30 minutes (turing once) or until golden brown on both sides.
