GF Chicken Nuggets: Buy & Cook

It's funny to say this, but one of the things I miss most since adopting a gluten-free diet are chicken nuggets. My friends always laughed at me, but whenever I went to any kind of fast food place, I always ordered chicken nuggets. McDonald's, Wendy's, Arby's, Jack-In-The-Box, Carl's Junior, Sonic, you name it- chicken nuggets were my standby.

Gluten aside, these surely were not the healthiest thing for me to eat, as they are all laden with sodium, MSG, preservatives, you name it. Nonetheless, when my cravings for gluten hit, what I want to reach for and scarf down is not a bowl of pasta, but chicken nuggets.

Luckily, I discovered these beauties while shopping at Target the other day: Applegate Naturals Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders. I wasn't expecting too much, since the other frozen GF chicken nuggets I had tried have been subpar at best- dry and grainy, with a mushy crust and no flavor.

Applegate Naturals Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets (they also come in tenders)

What can I say? Amazing! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of flavor. Delicious! They are pricey, yes, at $5.99 for a box of chicken nuggets and $6.99 for a box of tenders. Most gluten-free items, however, are priced a bit higher that their gluten-filled counterparts, and these babies are worth every penny!

My other go-to solution when I'm having a massive chicken nugget craving is to make them myself. I have developed a wonderful recipe based off this recipe from the The GFCF Lady. Not only are these chicken tenders gluten-free, but they are low-carb and paleo-friendly. Their coating is almond meal, which not only cuts out grains and flours, but helps the chicken nuggets keep their crispy coating. I bake mine, since I'm always trying to cut out fried foods, but I'm sure they would be tasty fried too, if that's what you prefer.

Sarah's Baked Chicken Tenders

Ingredients
2 to 2 1/2 lb. chicken tenders (I use the 40 ounce bag of Market Pantry frozen boneless, skinless  chicken breasts, defrosted overnight)
1 olive oil spray
1 cup almond meal flour (I buy it in the bulk section of Sprouts for about $4.99 lb., which is much cheaper than any of the pre-bagged brands I have found)
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt or smoked red Hawaiian sea salt (can substitute regular salt; I like the extra dimension of flavor gourmet salts add)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 tablespoons smoked paprika (can substitute regular paprika)

Directions
1. Cut chicken breasts into strips (I like to use poultry shears), cutting with the grain of the meat.
2. Mix together almond meal and seasonings in a large bowl. Use a fork to break up any clumps.
3. Spray tenders with olive oil. A few at a time, toss the tenders in the almond meal mixture to coat.
4. Place tenders on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

These can also be prepared the same way with fish (I've been successful with tilapia), reducing cooking time by about 5 minutes.

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce (I'm a ranch girl myself) and enjoy!