Grown Up Kid Food

TheRoomDad was reminiscing about the days when I used to prepare delicious meals most evenings. That was before we had children, and I was trying to impress him. Fast forward to today. I only get excited about preparing food for parties and school snacks. If it is bite sized food, snack food, or party dips, I am all about it. Otherwise, I don’t want to be bothered.

One recipe that I have not used in awhile is something from my childhood– a recipe for homemade chicken nuggets. They may seem like kid food at first glance, but they actually have a slightly more sophisticated taste than your average chicken nugget, and I used to make them for TheRoomDad. It is a recipe adults and kids enjoy. I was gracious enough to dust off the family cookbook and make the chicken nuggets last night. I was going to say how much healthier they are than a box of nuggets from the freezer section of the grocery store, but then I remembered that the chicken is dredged in melted butter before being coated in seasoned bread crumbs. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2-3 boneless chicken breasts (or 1 pkg of chicken tenderloins, ~1 lb.)
• 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 t. dried basil
• 1 t. paprika
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 1/2 c. melted butter

Directions

• Cut chicken into 1 1/2″ squares. If you are using the chicken tenderloins, cut each piece into 2 or 3 nugget-y pieces. The tenderloin can also be left as is to make a chicken strip.

• Mix dry ingredients in a shallow dish.

• Pour melted butter in a separate shallow dish.

• Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter and then into the dry mixture to coat.

• Arrange coated chicken pieces on a jelly roll pan (baking pan with a lip).

• Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes or until browned and chicken is cooked through. If you are using larger chicken pieces, you may need to turn once while baking.