sweet potato chicken nuggets Maria Provenzano

Chicken nuggets are such a childhood favorite. Unfortunately these days chicken nuggets are filled with a number of bad ingredients and I just can't justify giving them to my baby. Grant is 15 months now (I can't believe it) and he has a HUGE appetite! I can't believe how much this kid can eat. I wanted to make something that is similar to a chicken nugget, but filled with more than just the fried meat. I always have sweet potatoes around, not just for Grant, but because I make them for a number of things for my husband and I as well. I wanted to see if I could make something portable, finger food friendly, healthy, and flavorful that Grant would like and I would approve of. I make these all of the time for him now!! Baked Sweet Potato Chicken Nuggets will be a new favorite!

The sweet potatoes will lure your child in because they are sweet and bright, then they will get the protein of the chicken, and if you have time to add in a veggie you have everything covered! It's a way to hide the protein and veggies if they aren't your child's favorite things to eat. This is a sticky mixture, but if you simply scoop it into the breadcrumbs and coat it evenly you will be able to then handle them. I found that baking the nuggets with a drizzle of olive oil creates that slight crunch on the outside. Grant still only has 5 teeth so I don't give him anything that requires tons of chewing, even though I'm surprised the foods he is able to somehow chew. Maybe babies just have strong gums! The size of the chopped chicken is completely at your discretion depending on the age of your child. Once they are baked I will either break these nuggets up into small pieces for Grant, or hand him one and let him see if he can take small bites himself. He loves it! If you have any questions about these I recommend asking your doctor, but I would think you could start giving these to your child around the 12 month mark depending on how they are doing with eating and how many teeth they have.

Sweet Potato Chicken Nuggets

*makes about 18 nuggets depending on the size you choose*

2 cups cooked sweet potato; skins removed

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken breast (without skins)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley; finely chopped

optional additions: cooked and chopped spinach, cooked and finely chopped broccoli, cooked and chopped peas; about 1/2 a cup or so

1 egg; room temperature

2 cups breadcrumbs; I like whole wheat

Instructions

*Cook the sweet potato by preheating your oven to 425 degrees

*Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork or knife in multiple places

*Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil

*Bake until the center is soft when pricked with a knife

*Allow to cool

*Peel the skins off of the potatoes and place in a large bowl

*Chop the chicken into small enough pieces for your child to chew; this will vary based on their age

*Add the chicken into same bowl as the sweet potatoes

*Finely chop the parsley and add in as well; if your child doesn't like herbs you can leave this out

*Add in other vegetables if using

*Crack the egg in a small bowl and then add into the large bowl with the other ingredients

*Sprinkle in a small amount of salt

*Use a fork to mash and stir everything together until it is well incorporated

*Place the breadcrumbs into a large shallow bowl

*Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil so that it is evenly covered

*Use a scoop or spoons to scoop out a small ball of the mixture (roughly 3 tablespoons)

*Place the scoop directly in the breadcrumbs; this mixture will be too sticky to scoop with your hands

*Once it is placed in the breadcrumbs you can use your hands to cover the sweet potato mixture until it is evenly coated

*Once the mixture is covered with breadcrumbs you will be able to handle it

*Place onto the oiled baking sheet

*Repeat with the rest of the sweet potato mixture

*Drizzle the tops of the nuggets with a little olive oil

*Bake at 415 for 15 minutes, take the sheet out of the oven and flip each nugget and bake for about 15 more minutes or until golden and cooked through (about 30 minutes altogether)

*Allow to cool enough so that it won't burn your child's mouth

*Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

*These will be good for a couple of days depending on when you cooked the chicken