FOOL’S GOLD (CHICKEN NUGGETS)

Serves 4 One of the things our boys always want and miss is chicken nuggets. We went into our kitchen laboratory and came up with this fun way to make chicken nuggets with healthy ingredients so that their daydreams about nuggets could come true. We like to keep a cooked batch in the freezer so that Uncle Andrew has something easy to heat up for the boys when he babysits. We love these with our Southwestern Pineapple Sauce. INGREDIENTS • 3 chicken breasts, deboned and skinned • 2 C (35°F) almond flour • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) arrowroot powder • 2 tsp (10 ml) salt • 1 tsp (5 ml) paprika • 1 tsp (5 ml) onion powder • ½ tsp dry mustard • 1/8 tsp (40 ml) black pepper • ¾ C olive oil INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2. Cut chicken into 1-inch by 1-inch chunks. 3. Mix flour, arrowroot powder, and spices together in bowl with a fork or whisk. 4. Pour olive oil into a separate bowl. 5. Dip each chicken piece in the oil and then roll in the flour mixture. 6. Place nuggets on baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through. 7. When done, the crust will be golden brown and juices will run clear.

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Fool's Gold chicken nuggets are the nuggets our boys thought they'd given up forever: one-inch chunks of real chicken breast, dipped in olive oil, rolled in almond flour with arrowroot, paprika, and onion powder, and oven-baked until the crust really does turn golden. No breading station of flour-and-egg, no frying — just a bowl of oil, a bowl of seasoned almond flour, and fifteen to twenty minutes at 400°F.

Pro Tips

• Cut the chicken into even 1-inch by 1-inch chunks so every nugget finishes at the same moment — the difference between juicy and dry here is small.
• The dip-then-roll order matters: the olive oil coating is what makes the almond-flour mixture cling, so press each piece gently into the flour mix to fully cover it.
• Flip the nuggets halfway through the bake so both faces of the crust get contact with the sheet pan and turn golden instead of pale on the underside.
• Done is golden brown with juices running clear; if you cut one open and it's still pink at the center, give the tray a few more minutes rather than raising the heat.
• Bake a double batch and freeze the extras — they reheat straight from the freezer for an easy dinner, which is exactly how we keep them on hand for babysitter nights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Fool's Gold chicken nuggets baked or fried?

Baked — 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F on a sheet pan, flipped halfway through. The olive oil dip gives you a fried-style crust without a pot of oil.

Why are they called Fool's Gold?

Because the almond flour-and-arrowroot crust bakes up so convincingly golden that they look like the fast-food version — but it's just chicken, almond flour, and spices.

What do you serve with these chicken nuggets?

Southwestern Pineapple Sauce is the house pairing — the smoky-sweet dip was practically made for them. They're also good with simple steamed vegetables.

Can I freeze baked nuggets?

Yes, and you should. Freeze the cooled batch in a container and reheat portions straight from frozen so the crust stays crisp instead of going soft.

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