Oven Baked, Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Fried chicken is the best, but definitely not the best for you.  I was trying to come up with a chicken recipe that was still crispy and full of flavor, like fried chicken, but with a ton less fat.  I was inspired by, believe it or not, Paula Dean, who is not entirely know for keeping it on the lighter side, but does with this one!  I have made a few changes to make it a tad lighter, but this is a recipe you will come back to time and time again!

I have actually been making this recipe for a while now, just using whole chicken breasts, but decided to cut them into smaller, bite size chunks, which makes it more toddler friendly.  Plus, lets face it, my favorite part is the breading, so with more of it around the sides (since the pieces are smaller), it's more crunchy and I get more of the delicious breading!  Cut the chicken into stripes if you are wanting bigger pieces.  You can also replace the chicken with fish, and get super yummy and crispy fish sticks!  The mustard and thyme would be awesome with salmon, and something different!  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1.5 - 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 - 1.5 inch pieces (try to be uniform so they all cook the same)
2 cups Panko bread crumbs (if you can find whole wheat Panko, even better!)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp water
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚.  Line a baking sheet with foil, and place a cooling rack on baking sheet.  Spray cooling rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray.  In 1 shallow bowl, mix panko, parmesan, thyme, olive oil, and a little pinch of salt and pepper till combined.  In another shallow bowl, mix dijon, water, and a little pinch of salt and pepper.

Coat chicken in mustard mixture first, then in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to press the breadcrumbs on the chicken.  Then place on rack on baking sheet.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden and the chicken is cooked through.   Serves 4 - 6.