cassava flour Archives - Perry's Plate

Fiesta Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets (Paleo)

Natalie Perry — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 02:44:56 +0000

These tasty gluten free chicken nuggets are also grain free and have a tex-mex twist! They're a perfect pairing with my Chipotle Vegan Queso dip!

Homemade chicken nuggets are one of those things we never get tired of.

I try to make extra so I can have some leftovers to heat up for lunch, but the little buggers almost always eat everything.

Luckily homemade gluten free chicken nuggets are super easy to make, so I'll just keep making bigger batches until I have a respectable amount left for a meal later in the week.

This particular gluten free chicken nuggets recipe has my Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning in the marinade AND the breading to give it have a boost of Tex-Mex flavor. (You can use any taco seasoning you like. I'm just partial to that one at the moment.)

And it goes beautifully with my Chipotle Vegan Queso recipe.

Let's make some!

These healthy gluten free chicken nuggets start off with a simple marinade. You can marinate the chicken pieces at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes or you can prep it several hours ahead or the night before.

Did I mention these are egg free chicken nuggets? No eggs needed, so if you avoid them, you're in luck.

Simple Chicken Marinade Ingredients

Lime juice
Salt
Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning (or any taco/mex inspired seasoning blend)

Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets Breading Ingredients

The breading is easy, too!

I love the addition of nutritional yeast to give it a boost of flavor. And the mixture of cassava & tapioca (or arrowroot) flours is the perfect grain-free breading ratio.

Using all cassava flour makes the coating a little chalky.

Using all tapioca flour makes it gummy when the chicken cools off.

Using a little of each gives you a light, crispy coating that keeps its texture.

I buy my cassava flour and nutritional yeast on Amazon. I really like the brand Anthony's.

Can I make them plain instead?

I added a tex-mex spin on these gluten free nuggets, but if you'd rather make them plain that's fine, too!

Omit the taco seasoning. Maybe use some all-purpose seasoning or an herb-garlic seasoning instead.

You can omit the nutritional yeast, too, but keeping it in would give it a nice flavor.

How to make the best gluten free chicken nuggets

I use the shake & bake method by combining the breading ingredients into a gallon-sized bag.

I used to think this method would make a big mess and the breading would be clumpy.

It surprises me every time how well it works!

Tips for Pan-Frying Breaded Chicken

Cover the pan with ¼" of oil and let it get really hot before you add the chicken. Not smoking, but pretty close.
Shake off the excess flour before putting the chicken pieces in the pan. If you have too much "sediment" in the pan it'll end up burning after the 2nd or 3rd batch.
Don't overcrowd the pan.
Once you put the chicken in the pan, DON'T TOUCH IT FOR AT LEAST 3-4 MINUTES. Especially if you aren't using a non-stick pan. It'll stick and then you'll be sad.
Once the chicken has formed a crust on the bottom it should be easy to flip them over.
Don't over cook them! They should be firm to the touch, with the slightest amount of give. And the crust should be golden brown.
Transfer them to a wire rack on top of a sheet pan instead of a plate with papertowels. This will allow them to cool without getting soggy on the bottom. I like to keep the pan in a warm oven while I cook the rest of the chicken.

Can I bake these nuggets in the oven?

Yes, but make sure you line your baking sheet with parchment so they don't stick. You'll also want to spray them with some kind of oil-based spray to help them get a nice, browned coating.

I'd bake them at about 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

Can I put them in an air fryer?

Sure! These nuggets can be made in an air fryer, but make sure you grease that tray really well.

Try cooking them at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Don't these gluten free chicken bites look delicious??

Steve and I loved them with my Chipotle Vegan Queso. Make sure to soak your cashews the morning before you make these. Or pour boiling water over them and let them sit for 20 min if you forget to soak.

You could also serve them with another kind of dip -- like Roasted Jalapeño Ranch, enchilada sauce, guacamole or a drizzle of Hot Honey Cilantro Glaze.

More Ideas for Serving gluten-free chicken nuggets

Popcorn chicken is usually an appetizer, but we eat it as a main dish! Here are a few ideas of how you can make this into a meal:

CRISPY CHICKEN SALAD -- Add them to a bed of lettuce or some Southwest Cabbage Slaw and drizzle them with some paleo ranch and a side of avocado. And your favorite taco salad fixings.
CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS -- Since this chicken has Tex-Mex/Latin flavors, it would be totally delicious in a taco. You can even chop them up to make them easier to put into tacos. A drizzle of my Citrus Crema would be delicious with this!
CRISPY CHICKEN SNACK PLATTER -- Serve this alongside some fresh veg crudites or sweet potato fries with a couple of dips and you won't even need utensils! My kids love meals like that.

If you like this recipe, try my delicious Paleo Fish Nuggets! My kids are just as wild about those as they are about paleo chicken nuggets.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Paleo Fiesta Popcorn Chicken with Vegan Queso

Yield: Serves 6

This tasty paleo friendly popcorn chicken has a tex-mex twist! They're a perfect pairing with my Chipotle Vegan Queso dip!

Ingredients

1 ½ - 2 pounds of chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1 - 1/12 inch pieces
2 juicy limes
5 teaspoons taco seasoning, divided
½ teaspoon + pinch of sea salt
⅓ cup cassava flour
⅓ cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour)
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
Coconut oil or avocado oil, for pan-frying
1 batch Chipotle Vegan Queso

Instructions

Be sure to soak the cashews for the queso dip either the morning before you eat or an hour or two before by pouring boiling water over them. (See queso recipe for details.)
Put the chicken pieces in a shallow dish. Squirt the juice from one of the limes over the chicken. Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of taco seasoning and ½ teaspoon of salt on top and mix everything around until the chicken is evenly coated. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes at room temperature to marinate or up to 24 hours chilled.
While the chicken is marinating, make the Chipotle Vegan Queso dip and set it aside while you make the chicken.
When you're ready to cook the chicken, put the cassava flour, tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, a pinch of salt and the remaining 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning into a large gallon-sized zip-top bag. Shake it around to mix it well.
Add the chicken pieces to the bag and shake it around really well to coat all of the chicken in the breading. Let it rest inside the bag while you get the oil ready.
Put enough oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom in about ¼" of oil. Bring it to high heat. The oil should "shimmer" on the bottom and a drop of water should sizzle loudly.
Fry the chicken in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your pan. When you put a batch of chicken in the pan, don't touch it for at least 3-4 minutes to allow it to form a crust. Otherwise it's going to stick.
Flip the chicken pieces over and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side until the chicken is cooked through and mostly firm when you poke it with a pair of tongs.
Transfer the chicken to a wire rack sitting on a rimmed sheet pan to cool. (I put it in a warm oven to keep the chicken warm.)
Cook the remaining batches of chicken, cut the remaining lime into wedges, and serve with the queso dip and lime slices. A shake or two of hot sauce is good on these, too!

Notes

Nat's Note:

I highly recommend using my Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning for this! My Chorizo Seasoning would be great as well. And if you're a purist, try my Homemade Taco Seasoning!

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The post Fiesta Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets (Paleo) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Paleo Chocolate Banana Protein Waffles

Natalie Perry — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 06:32:13 +0000

These protein waffles are paleo-friendly and make a large batch! Whip up a bunch and freeze them so your future self (and kids) will thank you!

Before I talk about these chocolate protein waffles, can we talk about how weird 2-year-olds are?

This morning I was sitting on the floor after a sweaty workout and here comes #babylukedanes.

(That's what he's known as on Instagram. No, his name isn't Luke Danes. Please watch Gilmore Girls. It'll be one of the best decision of your life.)

He walked up behind me, grabbed me around the neck, and climbed on me, piggy-back style. Then I feel a *lick lick* on my shoulder.

Oh, he did NOT just lick me.

*lick lick lick*

Seriously? I'm covered in sweat. And completely grossed out. I try to pull him off my back, but he's got his squishy little arms locked around my neck, all the while, licking the sweat off my shoulders. And giggling.

He's in a licking phase anyway, so it probably fascinated him that Mom suddenly tasted differently.

And honestly? There are far worse things that have been in his mouth. SOOOO, I let him. #fourthkid

It amazes me the things kids put in their mouths that they claim to love.

My 8-year-old (still!) chews on random stuff -- water bottle caps, rubber bands,.. she's a very tactile person. And snuggly. She gives the best hugs.

She'll eat grass, too, but she won't eat eggs, deli meat, breakfast sausage, sweet potato hash, granola, anything with the slightest amount of heat (pepper jack cheese! Ack!) which doesn't leave a lot of options for breakfast that isn't bread-based.

She would eat pancakes or waffles every single morning, though.

My other girls are this fickle, too, but with other parts of their lives. Luckily not everyone's particular preferences surround food or I'd lose my ever-loving mind.

In an attempt to get some protein in my picky breakfast eater, I tossed some Rootz Protein Powder into some chocolate-banana waffles one morning.

By the way, it doesn't taste like bananas and there are no tree nuts in there -- just coconut, which is technically a tree nut, but we all just pretend it isn't.

She has an internal radar that senses when I'm trying to feed her something healthy without telling her.

Skeptical at first, she decided chocolate protein waffles weren't bad...after drizzling a bunch of honey on top. (She's also my most enthusiastic sweet-toothed child.)

I think that was a win? The other kids inhaled them.

As far as protein powders go, Rootz is squeaky clean, so I felt good about feeding it to my kids.

It's ALL paleo-friendly, and it's the first protein/superfood powder I've eaten that didn't give me a stomach ache.

I've tried at least a half dozen, too. Cheaper ones, expensive ones, vegan ones, chocolate, vanilla -- they all hurt my stomach. Except Rootz.

AND it tastes good. That's a huge plus for me.

Oh, and let's talk about the elephant in the room, shall we?

If you know me even a little bit, you might be shocked that I actually put bananas on those waffles.

I REALLY hate bananas. It was a labor of love to feed them to my babies because my hands would be all banana-y and smell weird. *shudder* (I didn't eat that waffle, btw.)

BUT. I don't mind them baked into things. I love banana bread, banana muffins.... that kind of thing. I put bananas in these waffles which I don't regret. It makes them a little heartier and acts as a natural sweetener.

I put some coconut sugar in these because we were planning to just drizzle a little honey on top.

If you're going to go all out and float them in maple syrup (My fave. Mmm.) then you can hold back on the coconut sugar.

P.S. This also makes a REALLY big batch of waffles -- about 20 standard sized waffles. You can half the recipe if you like! Or just make all of them and freeze them for later. If you've got picky breakfast eaters or kids who like to like sweaty shoulders, I bet they'd like these, too.

P.P.S. This recipe calls for cassava flour. I really love cassava flour -- it's a grain-free alternative flour, and works really well in non-yeasted recipes like these. You may be able to find it in some health food stores, but I just buy it on Amazon. I really like Anthony's Cassava Flour.

P.P.P.S. You should probably make some Paleo Protein Brownie Bites while you've got your Rootz sitting out. Just sayin'. SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Paleo Chocolate Banana Protein Waffles

Yield: Makes 20 standard sized round waffles

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These protein waffles are paleo-friendly and make a large batch! Whip up a bunch and freeze them so your future self (and kids) will thank you!

Ingredients

2 cups cassava flour
1 cup almond flour
½ cup Rootz protein powder (or your favorite chocolate protein powder)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
4 large bananas, extra ripe and spotty
6 eggs, separated
3 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
perfectly ripe bananas, dark chocolate shavings, and honey/maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cassava flour, almond flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt.
In a blender or food processor (or another medium sized mixing bowl, if you'd rather), combine the ripe bananas, egg yolks, almond/coconut milk, and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
In a medium sized mixing bowl whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Pour the liquid contents from the blender into the dry mixture. Whisk until blended well. Fold the egg whites in gently. The mixture should be pretty fluffy.
Cook the waffles, according to your waffle iron's instructions.
Serve with banana slices, dark chocolate shavings, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. Whipping the egg whites isn't ABSOLUTELY necessary, but I highly recommend it. It makes the batter fluffier and the waffles less dense.

2. You can omit the protein powder if you don't have one you can use. Just replace it with extra almond flour.

3. I used a standard waffle iron -- not a Belgian.

4. You can use tapioca flour in place of cassava flour if you like.

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The post Paleo Chocolate Banana Protein Waffles appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles with Orange-Maple Syrup

Natalie Perry — Mon, 08 May 2017 03:31:42 +0000

My firstborn turns 10 next week. She's such a gem -- creative, responsible, smart. She's also a little OCD like her mother so we "get" each other in that way. She loves to bake, too, and has recently started experimenting with recipes from my cookbooks. It's fun to watch.

It's also fun to sit back on the couch and have her excitedly bring me bites of what she's making -- like some magical stage of parenthood you arrive at after years of cleaning up bodily fluids and being mauled by toddler hands.

I'm still cleaning up bodily fluids (this week was particularly gruesome) and being mauled by toddler hands, but eating brownies I didn't make was a nice little perk.

Sophie has been making crepes on her own since she was eight, but she really loves making waffles. I do whip the egg whites for her sometimes.

And by the way, I know whipping egg whites is kind of a pain, but it makes the waffles so much fluffier! Worth the extra 5 minutes and a dirty bowl.

She's a purist, though, and doesn't usually add things to them or change the flavor much. When I told her I wanted to make sweet potato waffles she made a face.

But, I made them anyway.

I have a sixth sense for knowing what my kids are going to like -- even before they know it. I'm not always correct (especially with my 8-year-old -- I have to assume she's going to hate everything because she usually does) but more often than not, that scrunched up face of disgust turns around really quickly and they're asking for seconds.

That syrup is what makes these waffles extra good. I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me before to simmer some orange juice and zest with maple syrup.

You HAVE to make the syrup with these. Seriously. Sweet potatoes and oranges are such a stellar combination.

We ate these for brinner twice in about two weeks and didn't have leftovers either time.

I also wanted to mention that I used cassava flour in these. Have you ever used it? I had heard so many good things about it -- it's a grain-free, nut-free flour that you can use cup-for-cup for regular flour in most recipes. I grabbed some cassava flour on Amazon and gave it a whirl.

I tested it out in these waffles and -- wow. They were tender and held together well. They weren't gummy or dense or grainy either. I'm sold.

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles with Orange-Maple Syrup

Yield: Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These grain-free waffles use cassava flour, which is a light, grain-free flour that you can use cup-for-cup in most non-yeasted baking recipes!

Ingredients

For the waffles

2 cups cassava flour
1 cup blanched almond flour
½ cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 eggs
2 13-ounce cans of full-fat coconut milk
½ cup melted coconut oil
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes, warm or cold

For the syrup:

1 cup pure maple syrup
1 orange, zested and juiced
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Separate the eggs, putting the yolks into the bowl with the dry ingredients (don't stir yet) and the whites into a separate, smaller bowl.
Add the coconut milk and melted coconut oil to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Stir in the mashed potatoes.
Whip the egg whites with a hand-held mixer until soft peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the batter, very gently as to not deflate the mixture.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease, as needed.
Cook the waffles in the waffle iron according to the manufacturers instructions.
Make the syrup by combining the syrup, orange zest & juice, lemon juice, and salt in a medium saucepan. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until reduced a bit.

Notes

Nat's Note:

1. You can substitute canned pumpkin for the sweet potatoes if you like.

2. I'd recommend substituting 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for ground cardamom for a more interesting flavor!

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