In a bid to create more savoury and ‘macro friendly’ recipes, I wanted to have a go a creating a childhood classic: chicken nuggets and chips! Admittedly, I didn’t really eat very many nuggets and chips as a child, as my mums always been pretty into healthy food however, that’s not to say I didn’t love the stuff and I know it’s a firm favourite amongst many.
The nuggets themselves are probably what I’m most impressed with here, as they actually do taste kind of like the real thing. I say ‘kind of’, because obviously they haven’t been coated in batter and deep fried, so are never going to taste exactly the same.. but I still think they’re pretty delicious! My brother; a reeeaally fussy eater and fast food lover, even ate AND enjoyed them, which for me is a real victory! The chips might be slightly more of an acquired taste as they’re made from celeriac, which I now really quite like, but you could always replace this with sweet or regular potatoes if you wish. Something else that I’m loving about this recipe, is the chunky tomato ketchup! I always loved ketchup as a child and feel that it’s pretty much an essential with chips! This version is a little bit like a grown ups tomato sauce, and has an amazing sweet and smokey flavour from the caramelised red onions and smoked paprika!
For me, this dish makes for a great Friday night or weekend dinner, when I really fancy some good old comfort food, but still want to pack in something nutritious! It really doesn’t take that long to throw together, and only requires pretty everyday, simple ingredients; which can sometimes be the best kind of cooking I think! It could also work well for a meal prep option, as you could cook up a large batch of it ready for your meals the following day.. and it does make a nice change from just plain grilled chicken and rice!