Just the other day, my co-worker was telling me about her venture to Publix and how much her little grandson was enjoying the trip.
After leaving the bakery, with a freshly baked sugar cookie, they headed over to the deli where they were able to sample some of the items on special that day. Her grandson took a slice of mozzarella cheese, wrapped it around his cookie, and continued right on munching.
If that’s not a contender for #strangebutgood, then
I don’t know what is!
Yep, when it comes to food, kids can be strange…they can also be pretty picky.
Unless of course, we’re talking peanut butter and jelly.
Raise your hand if you practically LIVED off this combo as a child. I remember one particular summer break where I had a PB&J for nearly every meal for a week straight!
But then, as my little childhood tastes evolved, I got to the point where all I ever wanted was chicken nuggets and I have a feeling I’m not alone. Whether it’s honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or sweet and sour sauce from a certain pair of golden arches, there’s just something about this dippable food that draws kids in.
Do you SEE where I’m going with this?
How about now?
But wait…it gets better stranger! 😉
Oh yeah, I went there.
Crunchy peanut butter-coated nuggets with warm sticky jam dip…
Bring on the childhood nostalgia!
PB Chicken Nuggets with Jam Dip
By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Keywords: bake entrée high protein kid-friendly peanut butter chicken
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (7-8 ounces, each)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup cereal, crushed (I used Kashi GoLean)
- 1/8 cup peanuts, chopped
- 1/8 cup peanut flour (optional)
- 1/4 cup of your favorite jam
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
3. Place chicken breasts on a clean, dry cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and pound to about 2 inch thickness using the heel of your palm or a small skillet.
4. Cut chicken into nugget-sized pieces (about 8 per breast) and set aside.
5. In a shallow bowl, combine egg whites, peanut butter, and honey and whisk until smooth.
6. In a separate shallow bowl combine crushed cereal, flour, and peanuts and stir to mix.
7. Dip each chicken nugget into the peanut butter mixture and then roll around in cereal mixture before placing on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Arrange pieces 2-3 inches apart and bake for 15-20 minutes or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork or knife.
9. Transfer immediately to a wire rack to cool.
10. Heat jam in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-20 seconds until thin, serve as a dip for nuggets.
Note: If you have an oven-safe wire rack, I recommend using that on top of the baking sheet…then there’s no need flip!
Mmm, crunchy!
And if you have yourself one or two miniature humans around the house, how about enlisting their help in your build-a-nugget assembly line?
Dip. Coat. Repeat.
Just be sure to watch them closely so they don’t spread raw chicken germs all over themselves or your kitchen! 🙂
Nutritional info per 4 nugget serving:
Fun fact, this PB&J is protein-PACKED!
To complete the meal, serve it up with some FUN fresh veggies!
Sliced carrot + dollop of pb + half a peanut = CARROT FINGERS!
Like I said, I had a little too much fun with this! 😉
What food could you (or DID you) eat every day as a kid?
AHHHHH! I need the nuggets nowwwww! *pitching a child-like fit*
I love that kid being Strange But Good. I bet he’s eat these nuggets up… then use the carrot finger to pick his nose.
Oh dear Lord, don’t say that too loud…the x-ray techs at hospitals everywhere will be looking to kill me…Now just HOW did that peanut get stuck up your nose?!
Love the carrot fingers, Heather. I’ve never heard of the jelly but I need some!
Thanks Fran! And the jam is one of my all time favorites…I pick it up from my local farmer’s market!
this may be the best combo i’ve ever seen! I LOVE pb&j so much and that just looks so good… another combo that brings me back is grilled cheese and tomato soup, a few weeks ago I made a tomato basil soup with grilled cheese croutons, it was fabulous!
Aww, thanks Simone! And hello! Grilled cheese CROUTONS?! Yum! 😀
Love this! Peanut butter + chicken go so great together…as do cinnamon and chicken. Perhaps a Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chicken Nugget next? [Not for this girl, but you know, one who eats meat. :)]
Haha, that’s SO funny…I was just responding to Gina’s comment about cocoa/cinnamon chicken and told her that I’d totally dip that in peanut butter! Get out of my head woman!
OMG girl! You’re totally right!! We’re so on the same wavelength. It’s like a PB&J Chicken festival this week 🙂 Hooray!
When I was a kid, I used to sneak raw hotdogs from the fridge, and my mom would always scold me for it. :/
Oh my gosh, ME TOO! Haha!
you’re awesome! i’ve had pb bacon wings before at randy’s wooster st pizza in CT. but these are a GREAT idea with the jam!
Aww, thank you so much Caitlin! Mmm, I LOVE peanut butter and bacon together! I bet those wings were amazing!
and the carrot fingers would make a great healthy halloween snack!
I love PB&J but as a non-chicken eater, I would like to challenge you to make some pb tofu nuggets with jam dip. 😉
You know, I totally thought of that as I was typing up this post! I’m on it! 😀
you’re adorable. that is all.
(actually – I’d totally love a veg version of these as well. for those of us who don’t like to handle raw chicken)
I’m on it girl! *sticks chest out* You can count on me! 😀
I was actually just thinking about how much I used to eat PB and J and decided I need to create a “grown-up” version soon. I love the combination of chicken with sweeter flavors though. I haven’t tried nut butters (I obviously need to give this recipe a try) but I have tried cocoa and cinnamon paired with chicken and the is to die for!
Oh my gosh girl, if you like sweet/savory when it comes to chicken, you’ll LOVE these! Laura has a recipe for cinnamon-flax coated chicken that I keep meaning to try…now I’m gonna have to throw in some cocoa as well…and then dip it in peanut butter! 😉
Okay, I’m officially drooling!
Ooo, I want to try that peanut crust on tofu–I bet it would be amazing! PB&J tofu fingers! …And then I just scrolled up, and realized it had already been mentioned. Well, there’s goes my opportunity to feel special and creative for the day. I’ll just have to find something else weird to put PB on. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it 😉
And I ate CHEERIOS every day as a kid! Just plain with milk in a giant ol’ bowl. Could have eaten that for every meal, but for some reason my parents limited me to just breakfast. Something about “vitamins” and “vegetables” and all that…
Hahaha! Have you tried peanut butter mixed with tuna yet? I was really skeptical but turns out it’s pretty flippin tasty!
I used to get so mad at my mom for not letting me eat cereal for dinner…probably the reason why I practically lived off the stuff once I got to college! Lol
I love peanut butter chicken.. so peanut butter chicken nuggets just sound even better!!!!!!
This idea is AWESOME! I like nut butter in tofu stir fries, so why not with chicken too?
I never got to have nut butter & jam sandwiches as a kid because I don’t think almond butter or soy nut butter even existed until I got older. 😛 But I ate cinnamon toast for breakfast a LOT. Also I went through a phase where I ate tomato + mayo sandwiches every day after I read Harriet the Spy because that’s what she ate haha.
Aww, well that just means you have to make up for lost time now, doesn’t it? 😉 I never read that book as a kid, but one of my favorite sandwiches was cheese, tomato, and mayo…guess I was born to be a [cheesy] spy! Haha!
Oh my goodness. This looks amazeballs. I must try this imediately! Send some to the UK? 😀
OMG – I am now a kid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 LOVE!
I love this combo – chicken and pb go together perfectly and then jam would add the perfect sweetness.
xo Emily @ Hungry Delights
Mom made my brother and I pb&j sandwiches with kool-aid every day for when we got home from school! Sooooo good. When I was younger I would eat the middle part of the sandwich first and then dip the crust in the kool-aid.
Everyone says that was weird but it was sooo good!
Hmm, can’t say I’ve ever tried that combo before, but being a recovering Kool-aid addict, I can totally see how it could be tasty! Did you ever take a packet of Kool-aid, mix it with sugar and then eat it as is? Like homemade Fun-Dip! I used to do that all the time!
Moment of truth: Peanut butter…creamy or crunchy? and what flavor jelly/jam?
There was totally a name for the delicious combo you speak of..it was called booger sugar! 🙂 And yes I brought that stuff with me to school some days!
Smuckers grape jelly and creamy peanut butter! I am not a fan of the crunchy peanut butter!
You’re brilliant!!! I’ve made chicken with a jam sauce and loved it and I’ve made chicken in a peanut sauce and loved it. Can’t wait to try combining both of them and I’m sure my kids will love it too.
Aww, thank you so much Lindsay! Like you, I am a huge fan of jam glaze and peanut sauce…just can’t believe it took me this long to combine the two! I’d love to know what you (and the kiddos) think when you try it!
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