Almond-Crusted Chicken Nuggets

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  6 oz Almonds
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  1 tsp 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
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  1 tsp Paprika, Smoked
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  0.5 tsp Garlic powder
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  0.3 tsp ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
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  1 Egg, Whole, Large(44g)
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  0.3 cup ¼ cup water or milk
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  0.5 cup Flour, All-Purpose, White
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  1.5 lbs Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless

  Boneless skinless. Buy in bulk and freeze — Costco rotisserie packs work too.

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  Cooking spray (per 1-second spray)

  Non-stick spray (PAM or store brand). Saves calories vs. pouring oil.

Instructions

1. 1Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized nugget pieces (roughly 1.5–2 inches each).
2. 2Add the raw almonds to a food processor and pulse until finely ground into a flour-like texture, about 1–2 minutes. Transfer the ground almonds to a small bowl, add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and freshly-cracked black pepper, then whisk to combine.
3. 3In a second shallow bowl, crack the large eggs and whisk together with the water until fully combined. Place the all-purpose flour in a third shallow bowl.
4. 4Set up your breading station in order: flour bowl, egg bowl, almond mixture bowl. Working with one nugget at a time, coat completely in flour (shake off excess), then dip in egg until covered, then press into the almond mixture until fully coated; set on a clean plate.
5. 5Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat the bottom with cooking spray for about 30 seconds until shimmer appears. Working in batches to avoid crowding, place the breaded nuggets in the skillet in a single layer.
6. 6Cook for 4–5 minutes over medium-high heat until the almond crust turns golden brown and crispy, then gently flip each nugget and cook the other side for 3–4 minutes until no longer pink inside and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
7. 7Transfer the cooked nuggets to a paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil, then divide evenly into 6 airtight containers while still warm.
8. 8Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes until warmed through.