Gluten-Free Spicy Chicken Nuggets

(This is the batch without egg wash)

My love affair with sriracha is well documented, and it was directly caused by my husband.  When we met, I could eat the odd jalapeno slice... maybe.  Now, I automatically add heat and ask for 5-star heat levels when we eat Thai (except at Cozy Thai, a FABULOUS little joint close to our house with true Thai-level heat).  It's little surprise, then, that I choose to marinate my chicken breasts in Sriracha.  What did I ever DO before I found this sauce?  Add it to mayo for some zing, add it to soups, use it to marinate, eat it straight.

I did once try it on ice cream, but I do not recommend it. Vanilla+garlic... No.

I will also point out that right now, you can get those yummy Spicy Chicken Bites at McDonalds.  I confess, I have a certain weakness for them.  Yet, mine win.  They are more tender, less greasy, more delicious (yes, I went there), and paleo-friendly.  And they're cheap.

Chickens go cheep-cheep, so their relative cheapness is actually quite fitting, no?

The first time I tried this recipe, I forewent the egg wash.  That was a mistake.  The coating was a little gloppy. The wash might be an oooey goooey in an ewwy way, it's still worth it.  But then, you know, I'm lazy, and I found a method that I think works just as well in this case as an actual dredge.  Simply drop the egg into the ziploc and squish around.  Then dredge through almond flour and proceed!

Formally:
1 lb chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/3 c srirach
1 egg
1/2 c almond meal or flour

1) Put chicken and sriracha in ziploc bag and squish it around til the sauce is well distributed.
2) Place in fridge and let mellow out for up to 12 hours (that's how long we went).
3) Preheat oven to 350
4) Pull out of fridge, toss in egg, squish around.
5) Pull out piece by piece, dredge in almond flour, and put on cookie sheet.
6) Bake 10 minutes, flip pieces over, bake 10 minutes more.

Cost:
1 lb chicken: $1.67
1/3 c sriracha: .30
1/4 c almond flour: .60
1 egg .08

3 ample servings: 2.85.   That's .95 per serving.

For a dipping sauce, blend a scant 1/4 c almond butter, 1 tsp coconut butter (2 T coconut milk if possible, but I had none), 1 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp tamari, 1 tsp red curry paste, 1 tsp lime juice and enough chicken stock to thin it out.