I recently did a Google search to figure out what kinds of spices tend to be used in commercial chicken nuggets (to satisfy a little bit of curiosity over ways that kids get acclimated to flavors). I was horrified at what it turned up. Yech. Gross.
Traditionally, to make “chicken nuggets” I’ve just cubed up some white meat chicken and breaded it and sauteed it in a little olive oil. It generally goes over well, but every once in a while you find a kid (like my son) who’s a stickler for texture… and whole meat chicken isn’t the same as the pressed meat found in commercial chicken nuggets. This seemed like an easy problem for the Food Processor
But then a friend told me that her son was recently diagnosed with allergies to wheat, cow milk, and eggs. Worse, he’s a bit of a picky eater who likes chicken nuggets. Now, here was a challenge (that I took on myself without request; what a busy-body I am!): find a way to recreate chicken nuggets without the egg or wheat. Homemade breadcrumbs were an easy hurdle (if you search long enough you can find wheat-free egg-free bread) but making the nuggets bind together without egg was going to be tough. Egg is practically the universal binder. Unless you are vegan, egg is a easy and accessible source of protein which is what makes it a good binder: it’s liquid protein.
I’ve found an egg replacement online but I’ve never cooked with it and I didn’t want to wait for it to be delivered to try this recipe. So, I wandered around Whole Foods Market for a while musing over what I could substitute for the egg. Inspiration struck when my mind started thinking along the lines of “liquid protein”: silken tofu. Now, generally speaking I’m not a big fan of using lots and lots of soy. There are a bunch of ways that it is actually disruptive to the body and I try to use it in very small amounts. (If you’re interested in reading more check this out.) But a little bit wouldn’t be a problem here and it proved to be the perfect binder in place of the eggs.
These may seem labor intensive, but they aren’t. You can fry up a large batch and refrigerate them to warm up later in the week which makes them super convenient. They are nutritionally packed, no fillers, no scary fats, and nothing in them you can’t be happy about serving your little one. And of course they passed the toughest test in my house: Andy ate them and asked for more!
Breadcrumbs
These look great! Of course I have the opposite problem (Maddie is allergic to soy and not eggs), so I’d probably switch that in the recipe. I love the idea!
I am actually a little choked up this morning, reading this entry! (I am said friend, the one with the kid allergic to everything).
Elizabeth, thank you so much for this recipe. Oh, how I wish we were next-door neighbors!!! (And not just because you’d probably have these homemade nuggets in your fridge if I ran out…)
Could a person substitute like … crushed corn flakes, or wheat-free bread crumbs, for the homemade bread crumbs? The site you recommended, http://www.ener-g.com, has some wheat/dairy/egg free bread crumbs! I’m guessing that those would work too.
Now….. the food processor. I recognize (as a not-yet-fully-formed foodie) that I really should have one. My mother had a Cuisinart when I was a kid, and it mostly collected dust. Then again, most of her recipes call for some kind of Campbell’s condensed soup! Is the Cuisinart still the gold standard, or are there better ones out there? (I smell Mother’s Day present….)
Again, thank you SO MUCH for this post!!!! Love ya,
Cara
If you have wheat-free egg-free breadcrumbs on hand you can definitely use them in place of the homemade ones. It’s just nice to know how easy they are to make if you don’t have any other ones around.
I personally think that a food processor is a kitchen essential. That and a stand mixer are about as essential as a blender and I rank them higher on the list than the coffee maker! Once you have it you will use it for so many things it will surprise you.
I like the Cuisinart that I have so I’m partial to the brand, but I understand that there are other brands that are just fine. I like mine because the controls are easy to navigate, it’s easy to clean (dishwasher safe), it has great attachments, and after using it multiple times a week for 10 years it’s still in perfect condition.
I’ve embedded a link into the post that will take you to a listing on Amazon for a good Cuisinart food processor that’s not crazy expensive.
I’ve wished we were neighbors many times myself. Yes, I’d have the chicken nuggets on hand and it would be awesome to have our boys play together. Love you!
-Elizabeth