Chicken Nuggets and Truffle Aioli
Baked spicy chicken nuggets with fries and a homemade truffle aioli.
Ingredients
Chicken Nuggets
1 - 1.5 pound chicken breast
1.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
Non-stick spray
Truffle Aioli
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (divided)
1 tbsp water
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup tasting olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 tbsp truffle oil
1 garlic clove minced
More salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic to taste
Instructions
Chicken
Preheat oven to 400F, the center rack will be used
Chop chicken breast into 1-2 inch cubes (nugget size,) trim as much fat as possible
Get a large cookie sheet and spray with non-stick spray. Measure out the breadcrumbs and pour it onto the cookie sheet. Toast them for 2-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven to cool
Mix all the spices together in a bowl. In another bowl make the egg wash by combining the two eggs and milk, stir well to combine
Remove the breadcrumbs from the cookie sheet and combine with the spices. Once combined, pour them out onto a shallow dish or a big plate. Re-spray the cookie sheet with non-stick spray or put a wire rack on it and spray that with non-stick spray.
In an assembly line type deal, get some tongs and dip the chicken nuggets into the egg wash, and then bread crumbs. Once the chicken is coated - you can use your hands to pick it out the breadcrumbs and put it on the cookie sheet/ wire rack.
Once all the chicken is coated and placed, spray the tops with non-stick spray and bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes, then serve with the aioli or sauce of your choice and any side.
Truffle Aioli
This can be done ahead of time or while the chicken is baking.
In a tall jar or medium size bowl, crack in the egg yolk and add in the: water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and Dijon mustard
With a whisk, slowly start adding in the oil. Be careful to not add too much at once or it will not emulsify properly. Whisk until it becomes the consistency of mayo - an automatic mixer on low is highly recommended
Once mayo consistency is reached, add in the truffle oil slowly, 1 garlic clove, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Add more garlic, lemon, salt, or pepper to taste
About This dish
Chicken nuggets are such a common snack food so many of us have had. It’s been shown fast food takes on it are often an amalgamation of chicken and fillers. That may not sound good, but it tastes good! My take allows you to take whole chicken pieces and coat them to your preference! This recipe includes a mild-medium mix of spices in the coating. You have the ability to dial it back or turn up the heat based on how much spice you use in the mix. Baking the chicken is even better than deep frying to keep the calories down a bit, but also ensures the meat stays moist.
Naturally this is a more grown up version of typical chicken nuggets - so I thought a grown up sauce was needed! I went with a truffle aioli. Truffle is often used in higher end dishes, but this uses the more budget friendly form of truffle - oil. You get some of that flavor without breaking the bank or imparting an overpowered flavor. Making your own mayo is a lot faster than you think if you have an electric mixer. As soon as you bring that mayo together you can add any sort of flavor onto it as long as there is some garlic in the mix - it’s technically an aioli! You can save some time by using pre-made mayo or electing to use an entirely different sauce.
In terms of sides - there is no other classic companion to chicken nuggets, than fries. I don’t cover how to make them in this recipe since it is simply a side and I have made them before. But I am considering making quick recipes on sides just like that some time in the future. You can keep the baking trend going with some baked fries as well or some fresh carrots/ celery. Just remember to bake the fries separately from the chicken or you will have to adjust cooking time to accommodate the extra stuff in the oven!
