Ah, this is a classic comfort meal in our house. Mashed potatoes fill a part of my soul at any point in the year. This is a quick meal that we often put together on a weeknight, although it does go much faster if you have an Instant Pot. I highly recommend adding this delicious and easy meal to your Whole30 or Paleo diet if you’re looking for something filling and delicious. Also, it’s easy to pair with any green food you might want – asparagus, broccoli, or even peas.
The instructions for this recipe are so simple that I bet you add it into your weeknight meals, too!
How to Make Easy Spicy Chicken Nuggets with Mashed Potatoes
If you do not have an Instant Pot or Air Fryer, this recipe will take considerably longer to make, but it is doable. I recommend peeling the potatoes first and putting them in some water to boil before beginning anything else in this recipe, since boiling potatoes can take some time.
For the ingredients in this recipe, you will need the following ingredients.
For the potatoes:
- potatoes (I love using Yukon Gold potatoes, although russets are fine)
- almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
- salt
- ghee
For the chicken:
- chicken (I prefer breast, but you can certainly use chicken thighs)
- almond flour
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt and pepper
- chili powder
- red cayenne pepper
- green veggie of your choice (I often eat steamed broccoli with this recipe)
If you do have an Instant Pot, peel the potatoes and put them in some water in the Instant Pot. Depending on what type of Instant Pot you have (I have an off brand, so sometimes I’m unsure of what features the brand name has), you can set the potatoes to “soup/stew” or any other boiling option. Cook the potatoes for about 20-25 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, cut up some chicken into small “chicken nugget” sized pieces. I usually make them a little smaller than what you would traditionally think of as chicken nuggets. Once the chicken has been cut up, set it aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, chili powder, and red cayenne pepper. Mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Take the small chicken pieces and dip them in the almond flour mixture. There’s no need for the chicken to be coated in anything – you can just toss it in the almond flour mixture. After the pieces are evenly coated, place them in the Air Fryer. Cook at 370°F for about 15 minutes until cooked through.
Once your potatoes are done boiling (on the stove or in the Instant Pot), drain the water and place them in a blender. This is the easiest way to make mashed potatoes in my opinion! Just throw in the potatoes, the salt, ghee, and almond milk. Blend the potatoes and other ingredients until they are all blended together. I love using Yukon Gold potatoes for mashed potatoes, but often find they are very sticky when being mashed. Using a blender makes the process easier, and gives your mashed potatoes a gooey texture.
Serve in a bowl with you favorite green veggies and even some hot sauce! That’s really all there is to it. Enjoy this incredibly easy paleo and Whole30 meal that is perfect for any weeknight!
Easy Spicy Chicken Nuggets with Mashed Potatoes (Whole30, Paleo)
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- grill or George Foreman
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Mashed potatoes
- 8 yukon gold potatoes
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup ghee
For the chicken
- 1.5 lbs chicken (can be breast or thigh)
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp red cayenne
Instructions
For the mashed potatoes
- Peel your potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into quarters and add them to your Instant Pot.
- Add water to your Instant Pot until the potatoes are covered.
- Set your Instant Pot to "Soup" and cook for about 25 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are done, remove them from the water and place them in a blender.
- Add the salt, ghee, and almond milk to the blender. Blend them on high until everything is well blended.
For the chicken
- Cut the chicken into about 1 in. pieces. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, red cayenne powder, and chili powder. Mix well.
- Dip the chicken into the almond flour mixture and coat well.
- Add coated chicken to the Air Fryer. Cook at 370°F for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, steamed green veggies, and your favorite hot sauce!