apple-spinach chicken nuggets

I know, I know. Some of you are thinking, "seriously?!" Apple-spinach "chicken nuggets" sounds pretty funky to me! Don't worry, I thought the same thing when I found this recipe. So did my husband when he looked at them and then gave me a funny look and I said, "Always try something once, right?" to which he responded, "Yep, and if I don't like it, I'll tell you!" :) I appreciate his honesty about my cooking. Sure, I've cooked some duds in the past year, the kind that were okay to eat but the kind meal you don't really want again soon, but thankfully there has only been one meal that we threw in the trash and went to Chick-fil-a! Ha, that was a fun night!

As you probably know by now, I'm always up for trying something new! And this recipe sure fits the bill. If any of you are looking to spice up to packed-lunch routine, I suggest you try these. I don't think you'll be sorry.

what you'll need:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• ½ cup onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup apple, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 cups frozen spinach
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 2 cups canola oil (for frying)

how you'll do it:

Combine first seven ingredients in a bowl

Mix together with your hand

Put bread crumbs in a shallow dish 

Shape into small patties and press into the coating

Heat enough oil for shallow frying in a large frying pan. 

Add nuggets and cook about six minutes, three minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.

Dry on a paper towel and let cool

* TO BAKE: Bake at 425 for about 15-20 minutes until firm to the touch. 

I ate mine with Ranch dressing, and Ryan requested meatloaf sauce (aka bbq and ketchup). So good!

Freezer Directions: Put 4-5 nuggets into small freezer bags for individual servings and freeze. To Serve: Microwave for about 30-60 seconds if thawed, 60-90 seconds if frozen.

recipe adapted from onceamonthmom