Chicken Nuggets

It’s crunch time.

It’s 5:30 in the evening and dance class just let out. The dance studio is swarming with people just like me– parents on a mission to get home and eat dinner.

By the time I heave two small bodies into the car and navigate traffic, we aren’t home until nearly six.

Both children are tired. I am tired. We are all hungry.

Now I have to make dinner.

This is when I normally give-in to the cravings of a three and six year-old and drive my way through dinner. It’s turned into a weekly ritual and I’m ready for that to stop.

I’m trying to limit these occurrences by making sure my freezer is stocked with homemade food that will meet our food needs when the days are long.

Since chicken nuggets tend to be the go-to meal of choice for my little ones, it had to be the first item to begin the freezer stocking process.

I’ve been making chicken tenders (and occasionally storing in the freezer) for years now, however, it no longer seemed to satisfy their chicken nugget craving.

I knew what needed to be done. The chicken tenders needed to be revamped and resized– I needed to add one step.

Cut the chicken into nugget pieces. Ugh.

Nothing about that excited me.

I had a plan though.

“Do you mind cutting these chicken tenders into nugget-sized pieces for me?”

The Market Street butcher happily obliged.

This is going to be so much easier.

With a pip in my step, now that my one hold-up has been removed, I bee-bopped my way to the cashier. These nuggets are going to be a cinch after all, thanks to Market Street’s grocery services.

Walking out of the store I chatted up the high-school student who bagged my groceries AND took my groceries out to the car. We talked about the weather and then he asked what I was cooking.

“Cool. I wish my mom would have made me homemade chicken nuggets.”

Mother.Of.The.Year. I win!

Thanks to a meat department and butcher who will cut the chicken to size, the nuggets were easily prepared with three ingredients: salt, pickle juice and buttermilk.

For 24 hours these chicken nuggets marinate and soak in all that salty flavorful goodness. Once ready to cook, all they need is a quick pat-dry and then a coat of cornbread mix.

A quick fry in canola oil and these beauties are ready to eat, freeze or pack into lunch boxes.

Two weeks ago, my anti-drive-thru-dinner resolution was tested after another long day.

Did I cave? I wanted to. However, I stayed true to my heart’s desire to feed my children food that I have prepared.

There was some wailing, but once I got them home and popped those beauties into the oven there was only one issue.

“But mama, we want French fries too.”

Here we go again.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Market Street. All opinions are my own and I appreciate your support of the brands/companies that I love.