Lesser of Two Evils .....

Ok so I have two boys who are extremely picky eaters ........EXTREMELY. I have tried all the tricks. hiding the veggies - nothing has worked.
I'm thinking rather than buying those disgusting god knows what's in them chicken nuggets, that I'd buy a deep fryer and do it myself.
I KNOW this is not healthy - Don't suggest baking them b/c I've done it 100 times and it goes in the garbage b/c they won't eat them that way .......
So, I'm thinking, while not GOOD, me, using real chicken breasts, and real bread crumbs and real olive oil to fry these bad boys .....is BETTER, than those things in the freezer bag ......

or am I crazy?

Lesser of Two Evils .....

not crazy. this is what I do.

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Lesser of Two Evils .....

I loathe those prepared chicken nuggets. i just don't understand why they look they way they do inside.. all gloopy and chunky.
I say, make them yourself. I do that all the time.

we don't eat a lot of fried foods , so I really don't care if they eat fried chicken nuggets that are homemade. i make them about once a week or every other week at least.

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Posted by MarisaK

Posted by ThreeforTea

not crazy. this is what I do.

And your kids eat them with no argument?
You'd thnk I was feeding them poison when I breaded/baked myself

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

awesoem - thanks ladies.
I don't fry anything besides breaded chicken cutlets for DH ......
So I don't have a deep fryer. I'm going to buy an inexpensive one and see how it goes.

You use breadcrumbs? Or corn flakes? Panko ? What gives you the best result?

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

If it works go for it! I know how hard it is having a picky eater. The extent of my DS eating vegetables is V8 fusion lol.

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

I have a deep fryer and my kids looooooove my homemade chicken tenders..................so do DH and I!!! They are delicious and I know it's all fresh chichen and nothing else. I make huge batches so I can freeze them and always have some on hand. I have one of the small Fry Daddy fryers, it's great!

ETA - No breadcrumbs, dredge in egg and seasoned flour. Makes the BEST breading. I can post a recipe if you want, they come out better than restaurant chicken tenders.

Message edited 5/1/2015 1:42:55 PM.

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by MarisaK

Posted by Hofstra26

ETA - No breadcrumbs, dredge in egg and seasoned flour. Makes the BEST breading. I can post a recipe if you want, they come out better than restaurant chicken tenders.

I'd love the recipe, Thank you!

Sure!! I'll post it!

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Check out one of these Air Fryers

Also I have seen these at BJs. We used to buy them all the time and they are good.

I just found these when I did a search online.

Message edited 5/1/2015 2:00:06 PM.

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Chicken Tenders

oil for frying
1 cup unbleached AP flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into tenders/nuggets


1) Set fryer to 375 degrees

2) Combine flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl. Whisk together the egg and milk in a bowl. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg/milk mixture and then dredge in the flour mixture. Repeat so that each piece of chicken is double coated. Refrigerate the chicken for 20 minutes.

3) Fry the chicken in hot oil in batches until the exterior is nice and browned and the juices run clear, usually between 5-6 minutes.

***The tenders have a little bit of heat/spice to them but my kids LOVE them.........and my DD is crazy picky. They have awesome flavor but you can adjust the seasonings to your liking if you find it's a little too spicy/flavorful for you kids.***

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

THANK YOIU !!

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Have you tried frying in a skillet/cast iron on the stove. If you cover the bottom of pan with oil, you can get that fried taste and crunch. Just an idea so you don't have to buy a separate appliance.

FYI. You can use a Dutch oven or deep cast iron to deep fry also, just get an oil thermometer and a splash screen to limit mess

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

Lesser of Two Evils .....

It's definitely a million times better. Anything you make at home is generally going to be better than a restaurant. Good luck hopefully they eat it!

Lesser of Two Evils .....

Have you tried bell and Evans nuggets? Real chicken that looks like chicken lol

Re: Lesser of Two Evils .....

I fry chicken cutlets on the stove top every other week or so....I know it's a meal we all love and it's REAL