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These veggie chicken nuggets are the perfect protein and veggie packed recipe for your little one!
I had no idea if these were going to be a winner for my son but luckily they are. huge win!! Protein and veggies? I never knew a recipe like that could be a hit with him lol. The secret is definitely ketchup 😂 I got an unsweetened one from Primal Kitchen and he looooves it.
BABY LED WEANING
This would be a great recipe to serve babies starting at 6 months, once they’ve been safely introduced to the allergens in the recipe. For younger babies, typically it’s best to serve bigger pieces since those are easier for them to hold. Once they develop the pincer grasp (pointer and thumb pinching together), then you can start to give them smaller pieces. It has diced onion in it and I would be sure to dice finely for younger babies.
For information on how to safely serve foods to babies depending on their age (plus so much more), I recommend Solid Starts. The app is free and has tons of information!
ALLERGENS
This recipe has eggs, dairy, and wheat.
If you’d like to try it with an egg replacer, this one available online at Target. This post highlights other ideas for egg substitutes in recipes. GF breadcrumbs should work fine! DF parm should also work fine, or the parm can be omitted.
STORAGE
I stored these in the fridge for 4 days, then transferred to the freezer. They can stay in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To freeze I would line a baking sheet with foil or parchment then lay in a single layer and place in the freezer. Once frozen (give it a few hours) you can transfer to another container. This way they are individually frozen rather than all stuck together in one huge block!
To reheat I would either thaw in the fridge overnight then toast for a few mins, or just toast from frozen.
SUBSTITUTES & ADD INS
You can definitely play around with the veggies included, same with the spices!
TOOLS USED/RECOMMENDED
Parchment paper – I buy precut online because I find dealing with a roll of parchment to be the most annoying thing and it’s just so much easier to have it cut for you! Comes in a variety of sizes.
Box grater – I use this often to grate apple, zucchini, cheese, and more!
More easy and delicious recipes for your little one found here!
Veggie Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken 93% lean
- 1 medium zucchini grated with excess moisture squeezed out
- 1 medium carrot grated with excess moisture squeezed out
- 1/2 small onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I used 2 baking sheets).
- Grate your zucchini and carrot then place them in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out any excess moisture.
- Finely chop the onion (I wish I had diced more finely, I might grate next time so it's better incorporated).
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, grated zucchini, grated carrot, finely chopped onion, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese (if using), egg, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Use your hands to shape the mixture into small nugget shapes, do whatever size you like. I did around 2 tsp of mixture and rolled it into a ball then flattened it. They were around about 1 inch in diameter.
- Arrange the nuggets on the baking sheet, making sure they’re not touching.
- Lightly spray or brush the tops with olive oil to help them crisp up.
- Bake the nuggets for 10-20 minutes, depending on size. Mine took 10 minutes. Check the temp using a meat thermometer.
- Broil on low for a few mins to get them crispy on top (optional)
- Allow the nuggets to cool slightly.
- Serve and enjoy!
I hope these are a hit with your little one too! Thank you for reading 🩵
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