Dino Nuggets also called Dino Nuggies need a serious revisit. Today we're taking on the challenge of making them completely from scratch, and unbelievably better.
SUPPLIES USED:
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
Ground Chicken:
4 chicken breasts with their skin, finely chopped and ground
1 Tbsp duck fat
2.5 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp miso paste
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
Fry oil
Spicy Chili Crisp Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (what kind?)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp sriracha
1 grated sweet onion
2.5 Tbsp finely pulverized spicy chili crisp
Dredge:
2 eggs whisked with 1 tablespoon water
1 cup flour
1.25 cups Panko breadcrumbs
INSTRUCTIONS:
Nugget Method:
Remove the skin from chicken breasts, and cut the breasts into ½-inch strips. Rough chop the skins and add to a bowl.
To the chicken, add kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, miso paste, and duck fat. Mix all together until combined.
Run chicken through a meat grinder. Mix/knead together by hand once all the chicken has been ground.
Using a ¼ sheet tray, lightly spray with cooking spray and line with wax paper. Give the wax paper a light spray, add the chicken, and press evenly into the tray. Press firmly so the chicken is tight.
Place another baking sheet on top and place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes, or until firm.
Fill up a 5qt heavy bottom pot with vegetable oil and heat to 350F.
Remove the firm block of chicken from the freezer, invert onto a cutting board, remove the wax paper, and cut into dinosaur shapes using a dinosaur-shaped cutter. May need to freeze intermittently for crisp cuts.
Place dinosaur-shaped nuggets onto a tray, cover, and place back into the freezer for 10 more minutes.
For katsu style dredge station, to one bowl add all-purpose flour, to the second panko breadcrumbs, and to the third eggs whisked together with a splash of water.
Remove dino’s from the freezer, gently toss into the all-purpose flour, followed by the egg wash and panko breadcrumbs. Place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining nuggets.
Fry 3-4 dino nuggets in the oil for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to drain and repeat with remaining nuggets.
Sauce Method:
In a medium saucepan, add a grated sweet onion along with granulated sugar, ketchup, tomato paste, sriracha, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar. Stir to combine.
Place on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, immediately reduce to low heat and simmer for 12 minutes or until reduced by 25%.
Strain through a mesh strainer and let cool and mix in fully pulverized spicy chili crisp.