My Daughter’s Ingenious “Chicken Nugget Meatballs” Are Our New Go-To Weeknight Meal
A bag of frozen chicken nuggets is almost always on my weekly grocery list. Basic, unassuming bites of fried chicken don’t sound super special, but if you know them like I do, then you’re aware of their magic. If time is tight, I can serve them with a bunch of sauces and a bagged salad or, if I’m feeling creative, I can turn them into one of my favorite recipes: chicken nugget meatballs! Stick with me while I explain.
When my kid was a toddler, I didn’t have the time or desire to create Pinterest-worthy lunches. She didn’t seem to care about trees made of peas or pepperoni smiley faces, so I didn’t bother. We both loved chicken nuggets, though, so I’d often open a bag of our favorite frozen variety, Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks (snag them in bulk at Costco), and cook enough for us both to enjoy (we also like Bell & Evans and Pilgrim’s).
We tried several brands of chicken nuggets before landing on Just Bare; we liked the flavorful, crispy exterior and juicy, meaty interior. Unlike other brands, whose uniformly pressed nuggets have an odd spongy interior, Just Bare’s nuggets are made with actual pieces of chicken. They taste like small pieces of fried chicken, which we liked. I’d have mine wrapped up in a tortilla with lettuce and hot sauce, and she’d enjoy hers with carrots and a variety of dipping sauces, which she used mostly for creating condiment art on her plate.
My daughter is 12 now, and even though we both like a gorgeous plate of food, we still love chicken nuggets. She can eat them “nugget-style” with dips, but I get bored serving them this way, so we’ve gotten creative, using nuggets as a way to jump-start a meal. One of our favorite inventions has been chicken nugget meatballs.
What’s So Great About Chicken Nugget Meatballs?
If it sounds unusual, well, that’s what happens when you let your kid experiment in the kitchen. Experimentation is a beautiful thing, and I’m never one to discourage creativity in the kitchen, so I let my daughter take the reins. “How about we cook some chicken nuggets and then cover them with marinara and cheese?” she asked. “Interesting,” I answered, as I assembled the ingredients for her.
The nuggets are small and ball-like, about the same size as meatballs. After a quick bake in the oven, we drizzled the marinara over the nuggets and then topped them with a blend of marinara and Parmesan cheese. We sent them back to the oven for a short trip under the broiler to melt the cheese, and the result was a delicious, tiny version of chicken Parmesan — if it were a meatball.
Just Bare Chicken Breast Bites, Lightly Breaded
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My kid was a genius! We didn’t admire our work for long; we barely let it cool off before adding spoonfuls to our plates and topping with fresh basil. We agreed it was delicious, and we’ve been enjoying it ever since.
What’s the Best Way to Enjoy Chicken Nugget Meatballs?
This dish leans Italian, so I almost always serve it with crusty Italian bread and a big salad, but we’ve also enjoyed it on top of pasta, like spaghetti or even orzo, as I would most any other meatballs.
Another delicious option is serving it on top of big slabs of garlic-butter toast, which I make on the stovetop. When I do that, I’ll often serve it with a spinach salad or roasted red chili broccoli, with a little extra marinara on the side.
Buy: Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks, $14.99 for 24 ounces at Instacart
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: I’ll Never Bake Another Frozen Chicken Nugget Without My Daughter’s “Ingenious” Trick (We Eat It Every Week)
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