FOOD, My recipes HOMECOOKED RITZ & CHEESE CRUSTED CHICKEN 22 July 2012

I’d heard that Ritz crackers made a particularly yummy crumbed topping when cooking, and could be baked to be a healthier alternative to deep-fried dishes. So, I decided to make my own version of chicken nuggets!

I ended up using small chicken fillets instead because they’re way smaller than chicken breast (don’t want too large a piece of chicken or you’ll have too much chicken and too little yummy crust), yet they’re big enough to work with easily and quickly. I could’ve cut them each in half to make more realistic-sized ‘nuggets’, but it’s just a bit more effort so I didn’t bother.

It’s a very very easy dish to make, and I think it’ll be great fun to make with young children.. because they get to dip and roll their chicken into the mixes. Then afterwards, they can enjoy the dish and you won’t feel guilty because it’s baked not fried!

So here’s what I did….

 

Whirred 2 packets of Ritz crackers in my Magic Bullet blender

 

A bowl of fresh milk, a bowl of cheddar + parmesan cheeses, a bowl of blended Ritz crackers  with parsley, salt and pepper mixed in.

 

First I dip the chicken into the milk to coat it, then press it into the cheese, then press it into the Ritz crackers. Yes, it gets messy!

 

I pop it into a greased baking pan, and press on more cheese and Ritz crackers for good measure 😛 The more the better!

 

Cover it all with foil and bake at 220 celcius for 20 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 10 mins til brown.

 

Piping hot out of the oven

 

Your place is gonna smell pretty DIVINE by now.. and these babies are heaps yummier than McDonalds chicken nuggets, that’s for sure! Plus, the chicken turns out super-moist and tender. It’s ultra yummy and fab served with a fresh salad and/or some creamy mash potato.

I also did a simple Mushroom sauce to go with it.. but stirring a can of mushroom soup, 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of sour cream in a sauce pan. You can do this in about 2 mins flat, when the chicken has almost finished baking.

 

Ritz & cheese crusted chicken, served with a creamy mushroom sauce

 

And there you have it! A fuss-free, super tasty meal that feels like you’re eating naughty food.. but is so much healthier than fast food. I am definitely breaking out this dish when our kids are older and can join in the fun of cooking with me, and they can indulge their ‘junk food’ craving whilst I smirk at how sneaky I’ve been 😉

 

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OMG that just looks amazing! I recently found a recipe for homemade chicken nuggets and they’re totally yum!

Just marinate your minced chicken meat as you like, line it onto a try or deep plate, steam for 15mins then cut into pieces, coat with egg then breadcrumbs and fry or bake (I air-fry).

I divided my post-steamed meat into portions and froze them so I just need to defrost what I want when I want! 🙂

Yep! My friend added tofu to her minced meat to make it healthier and did it with beef instead of chicken. Its a staple recipe in her home now 🙂

This looks delicious and so easy to make. Will try soon.

Tried your quiche yesterday and it was very good. 🙂

Looks really good. I’m going to make this very soon for my 5 year old.I love your recipes because they are always easy and super quick 🙂

It does look yummy! It’s also great that you are sharing your healthy and smart ideas for other moms 🙂 Good on ya Beverly 😉