Reach For One Canned Ingredient For Quick And Easy Chicken Fries
Chicken fries first rose to popularity after Burger King debuted the blend of fast food french fries and chicken nuggets way back in 2005. They were only a temporary menu item at first, but they were so adored that they became a permanent addition to the burger giant's menu in 2015. However, chicken fries are simple to make at home, and you can prepare them with healthier ingredients to create a more balanced meal. For the easiest version of this tasty dish, reach for canned chicken.
Canned chicken comes fully cooked and shredded, which is a great option if you're looking to save money and time in the kitchen. It's popular in dips and salads, and perfect for chicken fries, too. The canned chicken binds easily with simple ingredients like raw eggs and shredded cheese, so all you have to do is shape and cook them. This easy snack is ready in minutes and cooks in a fraction of the time it would take if you started with raw chicken.
Chicken fries are made better with canned chicken
The ease of canned chicken makes it perfect for homemade chicken fries. Plus, the chicken is usually already seasoned with salt, meaning it's flavorful and doesn't need much to complement it. Just watch how much salt you add to the chicken fries because you don't want to overdo it with the sodium. To help remove some of the salt water the chicken has been sitting in, rinse the canned chicken before cooking with it.
To make the fries, add canned chicken, egg, and shredded cheese to a bowl; the ratios are up to you, but the egg serves as a binder here, so make sure it can coat the canned chicken well. Then, shape the mixture into fries and air fry them until the egg is cooked through. You can take the recipe a step further by coating the mixture in breadcrumbs before frying, which ensures an extra crunch. You can also add seasonings to the chicken mixture before shaping it, such as crushed red pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder. Serve the chicken fries on their own, or pair them with barbecue sauce, buffalo ranch, or classic ketchup.