Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets
BY MEAGHAN DAWSON FROM BEAUTYFROMBURNTTOAST
I don’t like to brag, but last Easter my family went viral.
No, not with COVID.
We went viral on TikTok with what started as a funny video of our dear Aunt Sally hunting for the lone lost Easter egg, long after the actual hunt had ended and an impromptu game of tackle football had broken out all around her, all set to popular music. Innocent enough, we were just entertaining ourselves really, but in the end, we somehow had 100k views (and counting).
We’re sort of kind of famous. Which is cool.
Since then, my niece and I have tried to recreate this viral success at every subsequent family gathering. We have tried multiple #challenges and #trends with varying degrees of success, though in the end, dear Aunt Sally has thus far been our only certifiable viral hit.
One of these attempted challenges, in particular, hit close to home. It was Christmas Day and after a few failed dances (rhythm is not in our genes), we settled on the #toxictrait challenge, where the camera pans across the room and as it settles on different family members, their #toxictrait (according to us) pops up.
Ever the eclectic bunch, our family’s toxic traits went a little like this:
*reads Plato for fun
*would rather be in his woodshed sawing things
*secretly sleeps on piles of cash
*only bring sarcastic comments and viral TikToks to family gatherings
And, finally, mine was:
*is a food blogger whose kids only eat chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. TOUCHE!
More than a little hurtful because of its truthfulness, this one hits close to home because I am a food blogger and my kids, more often than not, do eat chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese for dinner. This is not due to lack of trying or laziness on my part. I am not just a food blogger for show, I love to cook for my family. It’s because they are tweens and teens. They are in a mildly rebellious stage (collectively), and they just so happen to really like these things.
Honestly, I don’t blame them. They’re tasty and comforting.
If it’s Nuggets they want…
So, in the interest of “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” I created this easy homemade chicken nugget recipe that all of my children, even the pickiest one, agrees is better than Chick Fil A. As a bonus, it’s also Gluten-Free and easy to make.
The great thing about this recipe is its flexibility. If you’re short on time or cutting nuggets isn’t your jam, make chicken tenders with store-bought tenderloins instead. If you would rather bake them, you can do so in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, flipping once about halfway through. For easy clean-up, use parchment paper under a broiler rack and you’ve got yourself an all-around weeknight #winnerwinnerchickendinner.
I have had multiple requests to make this recipe air fryer friendly, however, in full disclosure, every attempt has been a massive fail. I will keep trying, though, because my second #toxictrait is that I never give up on anything. So I’ll keep you posted if that changes.
In the meantime, Pretties. Here’s to toxic traits, TikTok’s, and funny family stories!
Gluten-free Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp salt
- dash fresh cracked pepper
- 2 lbs. chicken breast cut into nugget size
- vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp flour (OPTIONAL if GF)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine corn starch, spices, and flour (if not GF).
- Stir gently with a fork.
- Add chicken and toss to coat, making sure there is a dusting on all sides of each piece.
- Transfer chicken to a mesh strainer to get rid of the excess flour. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Heat until a drop of water sizzles in the pan.
- Working in batches, add chicken pieces, giving a quick shake before dropping in.
- Try to make sure the pieces are in a single layer and NOT touching each other.
- Once cooked through and brown remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel-lined plate.
- IMMEDIATELY sprinkle with salt.
- Repeat in batches until done.
- *If you prefer to bake the nuggets instead, spread out dusted chicken on a sheet pan and bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, flipping once about halfway.
About Meaghan
Meaghan is a wife, mom of three, dog lover, coffee freak, and book nerd. When she’s not wrangling her family and driving them around town in her Mom Taxi, she is a writer, blogger, and recipe creator over at BeautyfromBurntToast. Her biggest passion is helping people feel confident in the kitchen by making cooking accessible with quick and easy recipes that the whole family will love. In a roundabout way, this makes her a wanna be GYPO for the kitchen and explains why she loves the outfit formulas so much. They’re easy and accessible and make life better for everyone.
