Crispy Macadamia Chicken Nuggets
For a tropical themed dinner, try these crispy chicken nuggets breaded in Panko, shredded coconut, and crushed macadamia nuts. They marinate over night to make them tender and flavorful on the inside. Served with my Mango Berry Salad, this meal will have you feeling like you are vacationing on a tropical island.
My 4-year-old had a good time helping me with the breading assembly, AND everyone at the table gave these nuggets two thumbs-up, so that makes this one a winner-winner-chicken-dinner! Enjoy!
Crispy Macadamia Chicken Nuggets
Crispy Macadamia and Coconut Chicken Nuggets
Servings 6 people
Equipment
- sheet pans
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1/3 Cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
- 2 pounds boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
Macadamia Breading
- 1/3 Cup Macadamia Nuts
- 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 1/2 Cup Coconut shredded, unsweetened
- 3 large Eggs
- 1/3 Cup Flour
Instructions
Marinade
- With kitchen shears, cut thawed chicken breasts into nugget-size pieces and place in a 9 x 13 pan.
- Combine marinade ingredients into a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, and shake well. Pour marinade over chicken pieces and cover with foil. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or over night.
Macadamia Breading
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. You will need two cookie sheet pans and three shallow bowls for the chicken nugget assembly.
- In the first bowl, gently whisk the eggs. In the second bowl, add the flour.
- In the third bowl, combine crushed macadamia nuts, Panko, and shredded coconut. To crush the nuts, you may either pulse them a few times in a food processor, or use the flat side of a knife on a cutting board.
- Drain and discard marinade from chicken pieces. Using a fork, dip chicken pieces into eggwash. Dust with flour and then heavily coat with macademia crumb mixture.
- Place assembled chicken pieces on a greased cookie sheet without letting them overlap. Bake at 400 degrees, uncovered for 10 minutes. Use a metal spatula to turn each nugget over and bake for another 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Notes
Serve with my Mango Berry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing to make this a complete meal.
