Dan Mikesell, aka DrDan, writes a great online newsletter, 101 Cooking For Two: Everyday Cooking for Smaller Households. I've been reading his articles for a long time now, and appreciate his expertise in making cooking simpler in this area.

He just shared something I thought would be good to pass on to our Cook'n readers. He's figured out a tasty and easy way to make homemade chicken nuggets. I love that they're healthier than the store-bought or fast food versions, and I like how handy they are for lunch or weeknight meals. Done in 25 minutes. Dan says to avoid the stuff with mystery ingredients, because "You and yours deserve better!"

I agree-we do deserve better. AND since summer is such a busy season, we want it easy. DrDan's chicken nuggets fill the bill for both requirements.

He starts with skinless and boneless chicken breasts, although he says you can use thighs as well. His crispy coating is made mainly from bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. While most recipes recommend the coating consist of just Panko breadcrumbs, Dan feels that's a bit "rough" for nuggets. I agree. I don't like biting into a nugget that screams "NOTICE THE COATING!" And yet straight bread crumbs is simply too smooth. So he uses a mixture of regular and Panko to fix both those issues. He suggests about 1/3 Panko and 2/3 regular flavored crumbs.

When it comes to seasoning the crumbs, Parmesan cheese adds most of the taste you need when your pair it with flavored breadcrumbs. Usually, Italian or cheese flavors work well. But other seasonings such as basil and garlic work well also. A little freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt added to it all and you're good to go.

Cut your chicken into nugget-sized pieces and then preheat your oven to 400 degrees (375 if yours is a convection oven).

Then, prep a baking tray by first lining it foil or parchment paper (for easy clean-up). Place a cooling rack in to the tray; baking the nuggets on a rack will make the nuggets crispy all around. Coat the rack with a good spray of PAM. If you don't have the rack, you will need to flip the nuggets after 8-10 minutes.

Next, you'll whip two egg whites or one whole egg in a shallow pan or bowl.

In a second shallow pan, mix 8 tablespoons total of bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dan says he uses 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip the chicken in the whipped egg and coat all sides well. Pick up the nuggets with a fork and shake off excess egg. Move the nuggets individually to the bread crumb mixture and coat well and place on the rack. You could use a large baggie here and shake them in the bread crumbs instead.

Give the coated nuggets a light spray of PAM to prevent them from drying too much in the oven. If you have time, let them sit for 5 minutes before placing them in the oven. This will help the coating adhere to the chicken better. Bake until they're golden brown, about 15 minutes.

I'll close with DrDan's family- and friends-tested recipe. See what you think:

DrDAN'S Healthy Chicken Nuggets

Prep time:
Cook time:
Yield:

Serving size: 1
Calories per serving: 423.369

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinbless chicken breasts trimmed
2 egg whites or 1 whole egg
8 tablespoons bread crumbs any combination of Panko or regular - flavored or not
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 convection (400 regular).
2. Prep a baking tray. Line with foil for clean-up. A rack will make the nuggets crispy all around. And then a good spray of PAM. If you don't have the rack, you will need to flip the nuggets after 8-10 minutes.
3. Pat dry and trim two medium skinless boneless chicken breast (about 1 pound). Cut the breasts into nuggets of 1 to 1 1/2 inches, 6-7 nuggets out of each breast. Pat dry again.
4. Whip two egg whites or one whole egg in a shallow pan or bowl. In a second shallow pan, mix 8 tablespoons total of bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. I used 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
5. Breadcrumb note: use what you have but 1/4 to 1/2 being Panko will add some texture and crispy taste. Also, I like some Italian flavoring but your choice.
6. Put the chicken in the egg mixture and stir to coat. Pick up the nuggets with a fork and shake off excess egg. Move the nuggets individually to the bread crumb mixture and coat well and place on the rack. You could use a large baggie here and shake them in the bread crumbs instead.
7. Give the coated nuggets a light spray of PAM to prevent them from drying too much in the oven. If you have time, let sit for 5 minutes before place in oven. It will help the coating adhere better.
8. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
PRO TIPS:
S If using skinless chicken thighs, they'll need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 185 degrees (for texture) and will take a few minutes longer.
If not using a rack, flip the nuggets at 8-10 minutes into cooking.
These keep refrigerated for 3-4 days after cooking and in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.