I wasn’t very adventurous with food as a child, even in the fanciest restaurants chicken fingers were my go to choice. Now, as an adult, I still love them but I want them to be as good for my insides as they are for my palate. Using almonds instead of white flour as the crust makes it more stabilizing for blood sugar levels, and consequently mood and hunger levels. Plus baking instead of frying cuts out the oxidants that harm cells and the high levels of trans fats that do absolutely nothing beneficial for us. Just to be clear, only the chicken fingers and salad are paleo, the curly fries do not count unless they are made with yams instead of regular potatoes.
- 4 chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise
- 2 eggs
- 1¼ cup almond meal
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Preheat the oven to 425º. Put the almond meal and spices in a shallow and wide dish and mix thoroughly. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Now dip each piece of chicken in the eggs then coat in the almond mixture, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and flip. Continue baking for 8-15 minutes, depending on thickness, until crispy on the outside and cooked through. I recommend cutting into one of the biggest pieces just to ensure there is no pink left.
Served over a kale and avocado salad is my current favorite way of eating these. The warm crunchy and slightly spicy chicken contrasts nicely with the über healthy base of this dish.
- 3-4 chicken strips, sliced
- 2 cups kale, destemmed and ripped into small pieces
- 1 small avocado, or ½ of 1 large
- 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons green onion, sliced
- A dash of sea salt
- Place the kale, avocado, apple cider vinegar and sea salt in a medium sized bowl and massage until avocado is mashed and evenly distributed and the kale is softened up. Add in the green onion then place with the chicken strips.
Served with curly fries and dijon aioli (equal parts regular mayonnaise and dijon mustard), this plate is more reminiscent of my childhood.
- Fries
- 8 small yellow potatoes (around 2" diameter- or 4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 425º. You will need a spiralizer to get the curly effect, if you do not have one cut the potatoes into matchstick think strips. Toss with the olive oil and spices and then lay them out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, keeping a close eye on them and flipping half way through. They can burn quickly when they are so thin so don't leave them in the oven too long.