How to Make Homemade Dino Nuggets

homemade dino nuggets mashed potato volcano broccoli trees family meal

Discover how to make homemade Dino nuggets! View the recipe and creative plating idea for a family meal the kids will never forget.

Homemade Dino Nuggets: A Fun and Tasty Family Meal

Welcome to an exciting and creative way to enjoy dinner with your family! In this post, we’ll guide you through making homemade Dino nuggets that are sure to be a favorite with the kids. These nuggets offer a healthier alternative to store-bought options and you can have extra fun with a super exciting presentation: a mashed potato volcano with broccoli trees and gravy for lava!

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Why Make Homemade Dino Nuggets?

Healthier and Customizable: Homemade Dino nuggets provide a healthier alternative to store-bought versions. By making them at home, you can control the quality of the ingredients, ensuring they’re free from preservatives and unnecessary additives. This means you can use fresh, high-quality chicken and whole-grain breadcrumbs, adjust the seasoning, experiment with different coatings, or even add finely chopped vegetables to the chicken mixture for an extra nutritional boost!

Fun and Interactive: Creating Dino nuggets at home isn’t just about the end result—it’s about the process too. This recipe offers a great opportunity to involve your kids in the kitchen. They can help with tasks like mixing ingredients, shaping the nuggets with a dinosaur cutter, and even breading them. It’s a fun and educational activity that can help children develop cooking skills and a love for healthy eating.

Cost-Effective: Making Dino nuggets at home can also be more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made versions. By buying ingredients in bulk and using them for multiple meals, you can save money while still providing a high-quality, enjoyable meal for your family. Plus, homemade meals often have fewer hidden costs, such as the environmental impact of packaging and transportation associated with store-bought items.

Why Make Homemade Dino Nuggets?

Healthier and Customizable: Homemade Dino nuggets provide a healthier alternative to store-bought versions. By making them at home, you can control the quality of the ingredients, ensuring they’re free from preservatives and unnecessary additives. This means you can use fresh, high-quality chicken and whole-grain breadcrumbs, adjust the seasoning, experiment with different coatings, or even add finely chopped vegetables to the chicken mixture for an extra nutritional boost!

Fun and Interactive: Creating Dino nuggets at home isn’t just about the end result—it’s about the process too. This recipe offers a great opportunity to involve your kids in the kitchen. They can help with tasks like mixing ingredients, shaping the nuggets with a dinosaur cutter, and even breading them. It’s a fun and educational activity that can help children develop cooking skills and a love for healthy eating.

Cost-Effective: Making Dino nuggets at home can also be more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made versions. By buying ingredients in bulk and using them for multiple meals, you can save money while still providing a high-quality, enjoyable meal for your family. Plus, homemade meals often have fewer hidden costs, such as the environmental impact of packaging and transportation associated with store-bought items.

The Perfect Cutter for Homemade Dino Nuggets

To make your homemade Dino nuggets truly special, you’ll need the perfect dinosaur cutter. I found an excellent set, the shapes are the perfect size — not too big and not too small! They resemble the size of the store bought ones! The set includes 12 different dinosaur-themed shapes. They can also be used for making cookies or when playing with play dough!

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Materials

1 lb chicken
1 cup breadcrumbs plus extra for coating prior to cooking
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
3 tablespoons cooking oil (or more as needed)
Dino-shaped cookie cutters
Pan Set

1 lb chicken
1 cup breadcrumbs plus extra for coating prior to cooking
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
3 tablespoons cooking oil (or more as needed)
Dino-shaped cookie cutters
Pan Set

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C) if you want to keep the nuggets warm after cooking.

Step 2

In a food processor, combine the chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper, and egg. Process well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Step 3

On a clean surface, press the chicken mixture into a flat layer about 1/2 inch thick. Use dino-shaped cookie cutters to cut out the nuggets. Re-roll and press the mixture as needed to make more nuggets.

Step 4

In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the shaped chicken nuggets in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the nuggets for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and fully cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Step 5

If needed, transfer the skillet with the cooked nuggets to the preheated oven to keep them warm until ready to serve.

Step 6

If you’d like, serve the dino chicken nuggets alongside a mashed potato volcano with gravy lava and broccoli trees for a fun and nutritious meal that kids will love!

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C) if you want to keep the nuggets warm after cooking.

Step 2

In a food processor, combine the chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper, and egg. Process well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Step 3

On a clean surface, press the chicken mixture into a flat layer about 1/2 inch thick. Use dino-shaped cookie cutters to cut out the nuggets. Re-roll and press the mixture as needed to make more nuggets.

Step 4

In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the shaped chicken nuggets in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the nuggets for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and fully cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Step 5

If needed, transfer the skillet with the cooked nuggets to the preheated oven to keep them warm until ready to serve.

Step 6

If you’d like, serve the dino chicken nuggets alongside a mashed potato volcano with gravy lava and broccoli trees for a fun and nutritious meal that kids will love!

Creating a Fun Family Meal with the Homemade Dino Nuggets

Now comes the fun part—plating your homemade Dino nuggets! Arrange the nuggets around a mashed potato volcano, carefully placing broccoli trees on its slopes. Create a path down the volcano for a stream of savory gravy. This interactive presentation not only makes mealtime exciting but also encourages kids to engage with their food in a playful way – a great technique for picky eaters! Gather around the table and enjoy the smiles as your family digs into this delicious and creative feast together.

Creating a Fun Family Meal with the Homemade Dino Nuggets

Now comes the fun part—plating your homemade Dino nuggets! Arrange the nuggets around a mashed potato volcano, carefully placing broccoli trees on its slopes. Create a path down the volcano for a stream of savory gravy. This interactive presentation not only makes mealtime exciting but also encourages kids to engage with their food in a playful way – a great technique for picky eaters! Gather around the table and enjoy the smiles as your family digs into this delicious and creative feast together.

More Fun Family Friendly Recipes and Meals!

Check out these totally do-able recipes. Making your own food from scratch doesn’t need to be complicated. Like this bread machine brioche recipe, you’ll be shocked at how easy each of these are to make!