Chicken Nuggets with Nutty Granola Crumb

Serves 4

Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 cup nutty granola 

⅓ cup almond flour

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

Extra virgin olive oil spray

Avocado Lime Dip

1 ripe avocado

Juice of ½ lime

1 tbsp Greek yoghurt or water (for creaminess)

Salt, to taste

Method

Place the nutty granola in a food processor and pulse a few times until it reaches a coarse crumb consistency. Be careful not to over-process; you want small chunks of nuts and seeds for texture, not a fine powder.

In a shallow bowl, combine the granola crumbs with the almond flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.

Place the beaten egg in a separate shallow bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Then, coat each piece in the granola crumb mixture, pressing gently to make sure the crumbs stick well to the chicken.

Place the coated chicken nuggets on a plate and let them sit for a few minutes in the fridge to help the crumb set (this helps it stick better when cooking).

Air Fryer Method: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Place the chicken nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they don’t overlap. Lightly spray with extra virgin olive oil. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.

Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Arrange the chicken nuggets on a lined baking sheet and lightly spray with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and cooked through.

Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for avocado lime dip in a small bowl.

Serve the nutty chicken nuggets hot with the dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or chives.