Recipe from Cindy Sexton and her new book ‘Paleo Takes 5 –or- Fewer*’
From the grocer: bacon + almond flour + chicken breasts + eggs
Bacon-crusted chicken strips
As a former fast food eater who loved chicken nuggets, this main makes me smile with such pride and accomplishment. Relish the fact that this homemade version of crunchy, crispy pleasures has been created with healthier ingredients. Feel free to cut them into long strips or into smaller chunks for the kiddos. Served up as a yummy treat, this dish is a phenomenal option if you are hosting a party or making a big platter of goodies while watching sports. For extra bliss, dip these chicken chunks into your favorite BBQ sauce. We found a super clean, store-bought one at our local farmers market with pure ingredients. No added sugaror extra “junk.” Have a look around or make your own!
1 lb (454 g) bacon, crumbled (NOTE: there will be extra bacon for you to just eat or don’t cook as much!)
1 cup (90 g) almond flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1?2 tsp sea salt
1?2 tsp ground pepper
2 (11?2 lbs [680 g]) chicken breasts, flattened and sliced into strips
2 eggs whisked
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
Start by lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange bacon strips by laying them out flat on the sheet. Put in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until bacon is crispy. Reserve the fat.
Using tongs, remove the slices of bacon from pan and set aside on a plate to cool. Once slightly cooled, put bacon slices into a small food processor and pulse until you reach a granular consistency. Pour ground bacon into a separate glass bowl and add in almond flour and desired spices to create the complete “crust” mixture.
Meanwhile, cover chicken breast in plastic wrap and flatten using a metal meat mallet. Cut them into 1 inch (21?2 cm) strips. Whisk eggs in a small glass bowl. In a large cast-iron skillet, add in some leftover bacon fat and heat on medium to high. Take each chicken strip and dip gently in egg wash and then roll in the “crust” mixture to coat evenly while pressing it in and covering with your hands. When cooking oil is hot, arrange “breaded” strips in the frying pan and cook for about 3 minutes or so on each side. Using tongs, flip when side looks crispy and repeat on other side. Do not turn too early, be patient. Keep a close eye, as you do not want to overcook! When cooked, allow them to cool and continue crisping on wire rack.
+ Nutrient Density Fact: Bacon is an excellent source of phosphorus and has over 1x the RDA for selenium. Bacon is also a very good source of vitamins
Love it! I’m such a big fan of chicken nuggets but It sucks they’re just horrible for you. Makes me think back of the days when I was a kid and used to eat Mcdonalds nuggets like they were nothing! How I regret those days.
Definitely going to give this recipe a try! Thanks!
I am laid up with a broken ankle so an ideal time to look at new recipes. This appeals as my husband and I both love bacon!
Oh my goodness, I just made this dish. It is my new favourite. Can’t believe something so tasty is so healthy!! I will be sending this recipe to all my family and friends, thank you!! (perfect with a green salad)
I noticed a dipping sauce on the side. Was this just for the effect of the picture or is there something you would suggest that would go well with these delicious-looking strips?
It’s barbecue sauce, one they found at their local farmer’s market with clean ingredients. You can make your own (tons of recipes online for paleo barbecue sauce) or find a good store bought one with good ingredients.
I love bacon and fresh side as well. For all of you who don’t know what fresh side is, it’s simply bacon that hasn’t been smoked. It has a different taste as well as texture to it when fried. I’m 50, and trying to shed some poundage. Have a nice day!!!
Rob I forgot to tell you that I am type one diabetes I do insulin for breakfast lunch and dinner and bedtime would like to get rid of the insolent I was just diagnosed in February 2017
Can you recommend an egg replacement as my 6 year old is allergic to egg but would love these!
Save your bacon (and your time!). Although bacon gives these a wonderful taste, it’s time consuming to cookup all that bacon.
What we do is grind Pork Rinds instead. Everything else in the recipe stays the same. And, it’s tasty as well.
I use the pork rinds mixed with nutritional yeast then bake on a rake rather than fry and my family loves it! I’ll definitely be trying the bacon though!
Sounds delicious, but I’m always concerned when I see recipes that use aluminum foil since I’m not sure that aluminum is good for humans and other living things. Why not cook the bacon on a rack in the oven using a cookie tray lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup? I do it all the time. Works a treat!
You could definitely do that. I don’t think aluminum is probably the best thing to cook on/in, especially a lot regularly, but for a once in a while thing on occasion I’m not super worried about it.
I love this recipe but I’m going to try and use an air fryer.