Warming Up

Even though it’s still August and summer isn’t officially over, the days are becoming noticeably shorter and the mornings a little cooler. With some of the rain cooling us off quite a bit, the days seem unseasonably cool. Where’s summer going? It’s too soon!

With cooler temperatures (it’s still in the 20s so one can’t complain too much) I can turn on the oven guilt-free. It’s not super hot so I don’t have to worry about making the house even hotter and with a cool breeze the oven takes the chill out of the house.

One thing I love is gluten-free chicken fingers. This recipe appeared in Metro sometime last year and I’ve made it a few times. I don’t have anything else to compare to since I haven’t had a ‘real chicken finger’ in 15 years, but I think these are pretty good. One can change the spice/herbs in it and make a Cajun or Thai version, which sounds delicious.

Almond Crusted Chicken
1 egg white
1 tbs cold water
1/3 cup ground almonds
¾ cups gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 tbs fresh parsley
2 tbs lemon zest
Salt and pepper
¼ tsp fennel seed (ground)
1 ½ skinless chicken breasts (1 ½ lbs)
In a small bowl combine the almonds, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper, lemon zest, and fennel. Transfer to a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk egg white with water until frothy. Cut chicken lengthwise into strips. Dip strips into egg and allow extra to drip off then dredge in almond mixture until well coated. Lay on baking sheet and bake in oven until cooked through and browned, about 12-15 minutes. If you wish, you can spray the tops with cooking spray to add an extra crispness and browning.