Grain Free Chicken Strips

When I started a healing protocol a couple years ago, I put my oldest daughter on it with me. The first few days were fun (not really). She cried. Ok, we both cried. The healing has been miraculous for both of us, but I give her SO much credit for even agreeing to this in the first place. At 9 years old she persevered through all the changes and was so good about not having her favorites (bye bye, PB&J sandwiches).

After the first few days she just put her head down and did what she had to do. I’m so proud of her! Sometimes her rule-following gene makes me nuts because it can cause her a lot of anxiety if she thinks she’s breaking ANY rule, but when it came to this it was a blessing. I hope she clings to that genetic defect throughout teenage years and college. But my youngest…that poor girl has had to follow right along. She’s not been happy at times.

As a parent I’ve always striven to feed them well. I’ve limited treats, and when they did have them I made them myself. I went heavy on whole foods, and rarely have we had any that are processed. At 5 years old, my daughter had no idea what the yellow arches were. She’s welcome.

That said, they were DYING for chicken nuggets and I just couldn’t say no one more time, because I was kinda tired of hearing about how pathetic their lives were without the hallowed chicken nuggets. You’d think they were going without shoes or shelter – first world problems, and I’m grateful for them. I was fully prepared to lie to all of you and tell you they ate the whole batch, but I was right there in there with them.

Print Recipe

Grain Free Chicken Strips

Grain free, dairy free and delicious chicken strips your kids will love!

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Kids

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Servings

strips

Ingredients

Chicken prep

• 2 large boneless, skinless pastured chicken breasts tenderized with a mallet
• 3/4 tsp real, unrefined salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder *

Batter

• 1 c organic sprouted chickpea flour I use the one from Thrive Market, but in a pinch it’s easy to make into a flour in your blender from the dried, unsprouted chickpeas
• 1/4 c arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp real, unrefined salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder *
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• pinch cayenne
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c sparkling water, unflavored, lemon or lime

Course Main Dish Cuisine Kids Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Servings strips Ingredients Chicken prep 2 large boneless, skinless pastured chicken breasts tenderized with a mallet 3/4 tsp real, unrefined salt 1/4 tsp ground pepper 1/4 tsp garlic powder * Batter 1 c organic sprouted chickpea flour I use the one from Thrive Market, but in a pinch it’s easy to make into a flour in your blender from the dried, unsprouted chickpeas 1/4 c arrowroot powder 1 tsp real, unrefined salt 1 tsp ground pepper 1 tsp garlic powder * 1/2 tsp ground mustard pinch cayenne 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 egg, beaten 1 c sparkling water, unflavored, lemon or lime

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine all dry batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Add liquids and let the batter rest while you’re preparing chicken.
2. Cut breast meat into small 1/2" thick x 1 ½ - 2” small slices. Tenderize each piece slightly with a mallet to flatten. Mix together salt, pepper, and garlic and sprinkle on chicken pieces. Heat oil to 375° in a pan,enough to make it ¼ - ½” deep, and have extra oil at hand to add as needed while frying.
3. Dredge chicken pieces through the batter and place them in the hot oil kept at 350-375°. Work in small batches so that the oil temperature doesn’t drop below 350, and do not allow pieces to touch each other. Fry each side to golden brown, then move pieces to a cookie sheet with paper towels to remove excess oil. When all pieces are fried, remove the paper towel, arrange strips in a single layer, and bake 5 minutes to finish cooking chicken through. Or you can finish them in the pan, your choice.

   
4. Honey mustard made with organic mustard and raw local honey is a great dip. Just add the measurements of each to taste and amount desired, but you can start with 1 T. mustard, and 1/2 t. raw honey. Slightly warm to combine.

Recipe Notes

About this recipe…

Two breasts makes a surprisingly large batch - I usually get at least 20 smaller strips at least 3 inches long.  Can you say ‘leftovers’?  You’re welcome.  As you can see from the photo, I’m also not opposed to using the forbidden textured end of the mallet on the smooth flesh side of the chicken - the batter will stick better.  This is also a fantastic batter for fish tacos or sticks!

Hope you love them!

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