Savory Chicken Nuggets

I have been looking for a recipe for chicken nuggets that are egg-free and yet moist and flavorful.

This recipe is all of those!

I've made a few adjustments, but here it is:
(I have also included a gluten-free and/or dairy-free option at the bottom of this post!)

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (I use Trader Joe's bread crumbs and add my own Italian seasonings)

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 tsp salt

1/3 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup butter, melted

Cut up chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces. Soak in milk or buttermilk overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme, and basil. Put melted butter in a separate bowl for dipping.

Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway during baking time.

These go great with a side of fries, like these.  Enjoy!

* For an dairy-free option, soak the chicken pieces overnight in coconut milk instead of milk, and leave out the butter and parmesan cheese. They still taste great! 

* For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free bread crumbs, such as Glutino.
I have made these nuggets in a gluten-free and dairy-free form, using gluten-free bread crumbs, coconut milk, spices, and salt. They were still delicious!

French Fries Craze!

I love french fries, and so do my kids....I mean, who doesn't??

During the past couple of months, I have been looking for recipes for homemade, healthier options for fries to serve to my family.
Here are three of my favorite recipes.
(These are all gluten-free recipes, and I have also included dairy-free/vegan options for each recipe.)

Baked French Fries
(I only made slight changes to the original recipe.)

Ingredients:

3 large baking potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut potato into thin wedges and place in large mixing bowl. Coat potatoes with oil and spices. 

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown.

Enjoy! 

Herbed Potato Wedges

(Again, I didn't make many changes to the original recipe.)

2 potatoes

2 tsp of olive oil

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/4 tsp of black pepper

1/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup of parmesan cheese (Omit this for a dairy-free/vegan option.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut potato into thin wedges and place in large mixing bowl. Coat potatoes with oil and spices.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown.

Sweet Potato Fries

A good friend of mine passed this recipe along to me. I made the fries without the dip and loved it! You can also add some spices like salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper if you wish.

Since I didn't make any changes to the original recipe, you can check out the recipe here.