Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets

Nuggets have a funny reputation. Most of us picture them as something from a freezer bag and a hot fryer, but the idea is very old and very simple: a small piece of meat, a light coat, and a bit of heat to finish. Breaded chicken shows up in plenty of home kitchens, from Italian cutlets pounded thin and fried in olive oil to the Southern habit of dredging in seasoned flour. This version borrows the same three-step coating you would use for any of those, flour first so the egg has something to grip, then egg, then crumbs. It just swaps the deep fat for a hot oven. If you want a smaller bite-sized treat to finish the night, try Little Summer Fruit Bread Puddings.

The one food fact worth knowing here is about the chicken itself. Breast meat is very lean, which is why it dries out so quickly when it is cooked too long. Cutting it into pieces of similar size matters more than people think, because a big chunk next to a small one means the small piece is dry before the big one is cooked through. Aim for pieces roughly the same size as a walnut and you will get tender middles and a crust that actually crisps.

A couple of small tips that make a real difference. Keep your dusting hand separate from your egg hand, or you will end up with a clumpy mess on the breadcrumbs. Shake off the extra flour before dipping, since a thick layer just turns gummy in the oven. And do not crowd the tray. If the nuggets touch, they steam each other and the coating goes soft. Give them a little room and they will brown evenly. If you have a wire rack that fits over the baking sheet, use it, because the air gets under the nuggets and the bottoms crisp too.

These keep well in the fridge for a day or two in a sealed tub. To bring back the crunch, put them on a tray in a hot oven for five minutes rather than microwaving them, which softens the coating. You can also freeze the uncooked, coated pieces on a tray, then bake them straight from frozen and add a few extra minutes.

For serving, I like them with a big green salad and something sharp to dip into. A bowl of plain yoghurt with lemon zest and chopped mint makes a fresh alternative to ketchup. If you want something more filling, a spoonful of Silky Celeriac and Potato Mash on the side soaks up any dip nicely. A simple Silky chicken and mushroom soup also makes a good starter if you are feeding a crowd and want something warm to begin.