Buttermilk Bathed Chicken Nuggets
Scramble member Eileen Wali asked if we could lighten up her family's favorite chicken nugget recipe, which was drenched in butter. My whole family loved my healthy homemade version (which bolsters the theory that we're never too old to enjoy kid-food).
Ingredients
- ½ cup reduced fat buttermilk
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 cup bread crumbs use wheat/gluten-free, if needed
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup Barbecue sauce and/or ketchup for dipping, for serving, optional, see link below for homemade barbecue sauce recipe
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and garlic powder. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper.
- Cut the chicken into nugget size pieces, the dip each piece in the buttermilk mixture, then coat it well in the bread crumb mixture, and put it on the baking sheet.
- Bake the nuggets for 15 – 20 minutes until they are just cooked through and very lightly browned, flipping once after about 10 minutes.
- Serve them immediately, or refrigerate them for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Grate the cheese if necessary and refrigerate, make the bread crumb mixture, cut the chicken and refrigerate, prepare the barbecue sauce if using homemade, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the nuggets.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use seasoned bread crumbs (or season them yourself with Italian spices) and/or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the buttermilk mixture.
Tip: Buttermilk is a great component of this recipe as, due to its combination of acids, enzymes and calcium, it helps to tenderize the chicken and adds an additional layer of flavor. If you're looking for a way to use the remainder of your buttermilk, give these delicious whole wheat buttermilk biscuits a try.
Like this recipe? Check out The Scramble's family-friendly meal plans to see just how simple getting dinner on the table can be!
Nutrition
Calories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 29gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 691mgPotassium: 552mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 133IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 107mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!