Chicken nuggets
=============== 2024-02-16


Comment: one can make chicken nuggets from whole or chopped chicken breasts. It seems a pity to chop some good meat, although this would allow to add some taste (spices) inside the meat. I have decided to not chop the meat. The next choice is to fry or oven cook the nuggets. I am afraid that in the oven they might dry, so oil frying is the choice. Now since the chicken will be fried, the chunks should not be too thick to allow them to cook throughout; ~15 mm turned out OK. I fried the nuggets in a fry pan with ~1 cm of frying oil. To help with the cooking, use a thermometer for the oil and a kitchen timer. Buttermilk: use regular milk mixed with some white vinegar as shown below. Breadcrumbs: tried commercial breadcrumbs, then tried homemade, will not go back to the commercial (if possible): cut (almost) stale bread in small chunks, zap them in the food processor, not too fine is OK. Warning some chicken spice mixes contain a lot of salt, so if using, do not add any salt in the flour.

7 servings

Marinade:
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120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk or milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar.
4 to 5 garlic cloves smashed.
3 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
1 heap teaspoon of paprika


Ingredients:
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1.4 kg chicken breasts cut in chunks not thicker than ~15 mm
350 g breadcrumbs (preferably homemade)
35 g chicken spice mix
3 or 4 eggs
flour
S + P
oil for frying


Preparation:
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Mix all the elements of the marinade and marinate the chicken chunks for 3 to 6 hours, mixing every now and then.
Throw away the marinade and carefully dry the chicken bits (for exemple, place them in a stra
iner and dry them with a kitchen towel of absorbant paper).

Prepare 2 dishes.
A first one with a mix of flour and S + P, the second one with eggs and EVOO mix lightly beaten (1 tablespoon EVOO per egg).

Prepare a plastic bag with a mix of the breadcrumbs and the chicken spice mix.

Dip the chunks of chicken in the flour mix, then the egg mix, then the breadcrumbs by batches of ~10 pieces and fry them for 2 mn on each side at 150 to 160C. Verify the doneness by cutting open a piece of the first batch.

Once cooked, keep them warm (in the oven for instance) on a piece of absorbant paper.

Serve with fries and sauces (Ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, curry sauce).