DIY Freezer Friendly Chicken Nuggets

Chicken Nuggets have the rep for one of the worst foods that kids can eat.  This Chicken Nugget thing is in its second generation.  As an 80-90’s child, I have an obsession with chicken nuggets myself.   Since I was married in 2006, my husband and I have always been serious about saving for our ” nest egg.”  I could never bring myself to buy the expensive frozen chicken nuggets.  I still have made them homemade.  They are so much better!  And so much healthier!

Making Homemade Chicken nuggets isn’t hard, but they do take more time then the store-bought ones.   Sometimes I find that when I am trying to put together the homemade nuggets, that a toddler is tugging at my leg, or throwing all the Tupperware on the floor, or demanding dinner NOW 🙂

Since I have another baby due in December, I am attempting to get some freezer meals done.  I am spending nap time a few days a week doubling and tripling recipes and freezing the excess food.  I think this will be nice.  It is not that much work, and I feel that my family will waste less food if we freeze what we don’t eat.

Since we have decided to put away some freezer meals in the freezer to save for the winter, my husband purchased a whole bunch of chicken for less than $2.00 per pound.  Today, I decided to make 4 lbs of chicken nuggets.  My family will eat 1 lb per meal.  That means I am making tonight’s dinner plus putting away three batches of nuggets for additional dinners.

Freezer Friendly Chicken Nuggets 

4 lbs of Chicken, cut into nugget pieces

Five eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cup of flour

Two cups of blended Cornflakes cereal. With paprika added.

1) Set up your dipping station Instead of using breadcrumbs, I pulverize Cornflake cereal in the blender.  I find them to be crispier than breadcrumbs.  I also have five eggs in a bowl and flour.

2) Cut your chicken into sized nugget pieces.  AND NO they will not look like McDonald’s nuggets:) 

I dipped and cooked my nuggets in 2 lb batches.  You never know how long nap time will last in my house.

3) Coat each piece of chicken in flour.  Followed by the Egg.  Followed by the Cornflake Breadcrumbs. 

4) Bake at 350 f for 20-25 minutes 

5) Let the nuggets cool. It is essential to let the nuggets cool before putting them in your freezer bag.

6) Once the nuggets have cooled.  Portion them out based on how many your family would eat at a meal and place them in freezer bags.  Freezing foods will save foods for an extended period; however, it is best to use freezer foods within three months to prevent freezer burn and to keep the taste of the food.

DO NOT FREEZE FOOD THAT IS STILL HOT. – this can contaminate the food you are freezing.   Make sure it has been cooled before freezing.

These are easy to heat back up.  You can heat them in the microwave, or thaw them out in the oven for just a few minutes when you are ready to eat them.

I snuck a taste of one today!  I must say, Homemade is soooo better!  I wish everyone realized it!   A little extra time today is going to make my life easier come December when I have TWO boys to take care of!

And for the record,  I don’t mean to complain when I say that a toddler is always ” Tugging” at my leg.  I am soooo lucky that have a little man who ” Tugs at my leg,” bangs on the bathroom door, and throws Tupperware all over the floor:)  I couldn’t imagine life without it!