Super Easy Falafel style – Chicken Nugget Recipe
Do you have children who are very picky about what they eat?
It can get difficult when you have children of variable ages and none of them are interested in the same thing. We have a favourite afterschool snack that our big kid, toddler and baby all enjoy together. It is a yummy, filling snack for the grown ups too! We call it Chicken Falafel. It is our perfect answer to boxed Chicken Nuggets!
I love Lebanese cuisine. Being Asian means that we are so used to our Garam Masala and spicy, hot food. Our kids however stay away from it. Lebanese food is so healthy and so easy to make. Since they use very few spices, I don’t mind serving them to the kids too.
This homemade chicken nuggets recipe idea came to me while I was making falafel for our family. Falafel are chickpea patties with potatoes, onions, garlic and herbs added to it. They are fried and served either as it is with a salad or in a sandwich as a falafel wrap.
My son comes home from school at 3pm. Since he has snacked on the bus, he is least interested in a full meal. Snacking again means that his only meal of the day is his dinner! I want him to have some rice and some vegies along with his protein but it is always a fight. The recipe that has become our favourite, has all this and more! Also, it is so versatile that you can just freeze the leftovers (if any!) to be used for packing in the lunch as a sandwich or a burrito. You can also make larger patties to be used in burgers.
Chicken Falafel tastes something between a chicken nugget and a cutlet. Dip it in ketchup or a some tangy sauce and it tastes really yum. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee on a rainy day too.
So what do you need for this Chicken Falafel Recipe? Read on…
Falafel Style Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- Chicken – 4 Boneless thigh
- Onion – 1 small
- Potato- 1 small
- Cooked or leftover rice- half a cup
- Cilantro- 1 cup
- Lemon Juice- 1teaspoon
- Salt- to taste
- Garam masala (optional) – just a hint
- Cumin powder – half teaspoon
- Baking Powder – half teaspoon
- Oil- for frying
Method:
- Cut the chicken into small pieces. Cut the onion into small cubes. Mix chicken and onion with two tablespoon of rice and put it in a mixer and grind it up till it is all smooth. Remove this mixture and keep aside in a large bowl.
- Peel and cube the potato. Remove the stems from the cilantro and wash. Grind the potato and cilantro with the remaining rice. Don’t add water. It will become a smooth but a little watery paste. Remove and add to the chicken mixture.
- Add salt, Garam Masala (if you are using), cumin powder and baking powder to the chicken-potato mix. Mix it well with your hand. (Wear a glove. Your hands will smell!) Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. The oil should be such that your chicken nuggets will be half dipped in it. When the oil is hot. Pick up a small amount of the mixture in your hand, flatten them between your fingers and drop them into the oil. Keep on dropping till your pan has just enough space to turn them and no more. Let them cook on medium flame. When one side is golden brown, turn them over and let them cook till the other side is golden too. Remove them on a paper towel and allow to cool. You can repeat with another batch.
- Serve your falafel-style chicken nuggets with Ketchup or a sauce of your choice. You can serve these placed in buns with ketchup and some lettuce too. Or you can make a burrito out of these. If you have leftovers, keep them air tight in the freezer. They should last about two weeks.
Enjoy!
This Falafel style – Chicken Nugget recipe can be served to little children and toddlers too. They are perfect as finger foods and children love them.
Falafel style Home made Chicken Nuggets Recipe
This lebanese inspired Falafel style home made chicken nugget recipe is great as a finger food for kids and adults. You can even use leftover rice and potatoes to quickly make this.
Ingredients
- Chicken - 4 Boneless thigh
- Onion - 1 small
- Potato- 1 small
- Cooked or leftover rice- half a cup
- Cilantro- 1 cup
- Lemon Juice- 1teaspoon
- Salt- to taste
- Garam masala (optional) - just a hint
- Cumin powder - half teaspoon
- Baking Powder - half teaspoon
- Oil- for frying
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into small pieces. Cut the onion into small cubes. Mix chicken and onion with two tablespoon of rice and put it in a mixer and grind it up till it is all smooth. Remove this mixture and keep aside in a large bowl.
- Peel and cube the potato. Remove the stems from the cilantro and wash. Grind the potato and cilantro with the remaining rice. Don't add water. It will become a smooth but a little watery paste. Remove and add to the chicken mixture.
- Add salt, Garam Masala (if you are using), cumin powder and baking powder to the chicken-potato mix. Mix it well with your hand. (Wear a glove. Your hands will smell!) Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. The oil should be such that your chicken nuggets will be half dipped in it (meaning to say you are shallow frying the nuggets).
- While the oil is hot, pick up a small amount of the mixture in your hand, flatten them between your fingers and drop them into the oil. Keep on dropping until your pan has just enough space to turn them and no more. Let them cook on medium flame. When one side is golden brown, turn them over and let them cook till the other side is golden too. Remove them on a paper towel and allow to cool. You can repeat with another batch.
- Serve your homemade chicken nuggets with Ketchup or a sauce of your choice. You can serve these placed in buns with ketchup and some lettuce too. Or you can make a burrito out of these. If you have leftovers, keep them air tight in the freezer. They should last about two weeks.
Notes
This recipe can be served to little children and toddlers too. They are perfect as finger foods as children love them. Make sure to cut them into bitesize for very little children.
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out more:
- Happy Happy Breakfast
- Corn and Avocado Salad
- How to make and use Home made Chicken strips recipe
- 4 Easy Peazy Quick Lunch Box recipes
These look yummy! I'm going to try them soon 🙂
My children all want to eat different things, too. I'll have to try this!