GFCF Chicken Nuggets (two ways)

The battered chicken nuggets are shown in the photo.  It is nice to make up a big batch of these to freeze for busy nights.

GFCF Battered Chicken Nuggets

This makes a lot of nuggets!  I make enough for dinner then freeze the rest or send them for lunch the next day.

44 oz family sized package of boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 1/3 cups gluten free bean flour based flour blend (see below)

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground black pepper

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t papricka

1/4 t xanthan gum

1 1/2 cups gluten and dairy free milk substitute (rice, almond, etc.)

1 egg

Oil for frying

Heat oil in deep fryer if you have one or a deep pot.  Cut the chicken into 1/2” or thinner strips.  Each chicken breast should yield 6-8 strips.  Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Mix the egg and milk substitute in another bowl.  While mixing dry ingredients with a whisk, slowly drizzle wet into dry, whisking the entire time, making as smooth of a batter as you can.  Dip chicken into batter letting excess drip off before placing chicken carefully into hot oil.  This will splatter, so be careful!  Do not crowd chicken.  Cook a test piece of chicken to check how long the chicken will cook through with the sized chicken pieces you cut.  Mine takes 4 1/2 to 5 minutes in my deep fryer.  Be sure to flip chicken part way through cooking time so that chicken browns evenly.

If you are cooking the chicken on your stovetop in a deep pot, I believe the oil should be around 300-350 degrees so less oil absorbs into the batter.  I don’t remember the temp off the top of my head, so you might want to look that up on a conventional recipe.

GFCF Crispy Chicken Nuggets

You will need 3 bowls.

Use the same dry ingredients, except do not add xanthan gum.  Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl.  Put half of dry mix into the first bowl and half into the third bowl.  Sometimes I will mix 3/4 cup of corn meal into the third bowl.

In the second bowl put milk substitute and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.  You do not need the egg.

After you cut up the chicken and the oil is hot, coat chicken pieces in first bowl (seasoned gluten free flour mix), then into the second bowl (milk substitute mix) then finally into the third bowl (seasoned gluten free flour mix-maybe with corn meal).

Cook in hot oil as above.  This recipe you can also bake on a baking sheet sprayed with oil.  Place nuggets on baking sheet, spray nuggets with oil and bake in a 350 degree oven until cooked through.

Bean Flour Blend (from the “Gluten Free Gourmet,” Bette Hagman)

Mix ahead and use in recipes calling for Gluten-Free Flour Mix:

2 cups Garfava Bean Flour
1 cup Sorghum Flour
3 cups Tapioca Flour
3 cups Cornstarch

I find that many recipes which call for a gluten-free flour mix work better using a blend of bean flours combined with other gluten-free flours.   These blends are higher in fiber, protein, and other nutrients, have a great smooth texture, and are more filling and satisfying than blends higher in rice flours.  Bean flours work best with flavorful recipes that compliment and mellow the nut-like, slightly bitter flavor of ground beans.  I have had wonderful results using bean flour blends in cookies, chocolate and spice cake, brownies, quick breads and muffins.

If you would like to purchase Bean Flour Blend premixed, look for:

•Bette’s Four Flour Blend by www.authenticfoods.com

•Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour from www.bobsredmill.com

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