By Robin Gagnon | Updated on
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Cauliflower bread crumbs make this chicken finger recipe low carb, gluten-free and paleo friendly. Yes, I show you how to make the cauliflower bread crumbs. As far as I know, they are not available in stores I came up with them long before keto was a thing, but they can work for that diet as well, in moderation. The crumbs are great for low carb meatballs too.
Paleo Chicken Fingers in Cauliflower Bread Crumbs (Origin)
Cauliflower bread crumbs are my solution to "breading" Paleo chicken fingers. Commonly, those following a Paleo diet dredge tenders in ground nuts or coconut, to avoid grains. Many people are allergic to nuts, and they are high in fat & calories. I know that under this diet, practitioners are rarely calorie counters, but I wanted something that was nut free and low in fat & calories. With the current popularity of cauliflower pizza, I figured, why not try making cauliflower breading, after all I adore roasted cauliflower.
I considered a few different ways of drying out the cauliflower, but in the end I decided that low temperature oven roasting would provide the most flavor, and not require any equipment which my readers may not have on hand. The only drawback is that the roasting takes about an hour this way. The flavor it imparts is well worth the wait though.
Paleo Chicken Fingers in Cauliflower Bread Crumbs (Results)
These Paleo Chicken Fingers coated in Cauliflower Bread Crumbs, while a bit time consuming to make, require only a few readily available ingredients. The crust was not particularly crunchy, but I did find the umami flavor it added to be quite pleasant.
The recipe is gluten, grain, nut & soy free, as well as being low fat and low calorie. Making a double batch of the crumbs, and putting some aside would make weeknight preparation more feasible.
I ate the cauliflower crumb crusted chicken fingers over a simple salad, and topped with a small amount of dressing and some crumbled blue cheese. While the chicken is Paleo, the commercial dressing I topped it in definitely is not. There are also varying schools of thought in the Paleo community, when it comes to dairy & produce from the nightshade family (tomatoes), so don't use this last image as a template for a Paleo meal. I actually do not follow the Paleo diet, but do agree with it's focus on obtaining daily calories through nutrient rich foods.
While I used an oven, a dehydrator would have made my life a whole lot easier.
Paleo Chicken Fingers in Cauliflower Bread Crumbs Recipe
4.71 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 180kcal
Author: Robin Gagnon
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk or milk of choice
- 1 lb. chicken tenders
- oil for misting or melted solid fat for light basting
Instructions
Cauliflower Crumbs
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (300 if using convection).
Rice the florets of the cauliflower, using a grater or in food processor.
Spread out on a non-stick baking sheet. Do not apply thickly, the cauliflower needs plenty of room to breathe.
Bake for approximately 1 hour, turning about every ten minutes, so the tiny bits don't burn. The cauliflower should just lightly brown and dry out considerably (end volume will be about ⅓ what you started with)
Chicken Fingers
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Beat egg and buttermilk together.
Dredge the chicken tenders in the egg wash, then in the cauliflower crumbs. Pat lightly to ensure sticking, and lay out on a baking sheet.
Mist the cauliflower coated chicken fingers with a Paleo friendly oil, or lightly baste with a melted solid fat.
Bake for 15-16 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tenders | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 3g | Fiber: 4g
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Donna says
I'm amazed... I just would never have thought to use cauliflower as bread crumbs! Never. This sounds so delicious, too!
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rachel @runningrachel says
This looks SO good and yet super easy too! 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Nichol says
Like I've said before not a fan of cauliflower, but I would definitely give this a try. I have a weakness for chicken fingers, haven't had them in a long time due to calories. This may be my answer!!
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Nicole Robinson says
I’m skeptical about the cauliflower, but those pictures are making my mouth water. I have to try it.
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Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
This looks delicious! I never would have thought to use cauliflower as breading!
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Jenn says
Cauliflower is so versatile. I want to try this and cauliflower rice too.
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Philip Williams says
Cauliflower rice is delicious and doesn't cause stomach issues like regular rice does for me
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Maryann says
What a brilliant idea.
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Chris @ Low Fat Recipes says
Oooh, definitely going to try this. I might try substituting the chicken with turkey and see how that turns out.
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Mel {MamaBuzz} says
That looks absolutely delicious! Thanks so much for linking up to Inspire Me Wednesday.
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Toni says
I need to try this sometime. It's a great way to add a little extra veggies to the kids food.
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HilLesha @To the Motherhood says
This looks so good!
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Suz says
What a great idea using cauliflower! Can't wait to try this!
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erin says
So can you make the "breadcrumbs" and store them in the freezer or do you have to use them right away?
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Robin Gagnon says
I have not tried freezing them yet, but if you put them in a sealed baggy that you squished the air out of I'd think they would handle it well. The crumbs aren't really crispy anyway, but you want them to stay as dry as possible so they maintain the other properties of crumb. Next time I make a batch I will freeze some and report the results, since you are not the 1st person who has asked about this. Please let us know how it works out for you.
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Femke says
This looks great. I love making cauliflowerrice so I'm def going to try this. But I would not use (butter-)milk in a Paleo recipe. Dairy is not Paleo. Bet you can use only eggs as well.
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Robin Gagnon says
I actually prefer them over breadcrumbs in recipes such as meatloaf. Better flavor and only adds to the moistness.
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Lisa says
Can the prepared chicken be cooked in an air fryer?
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Robin Gagnon says
Sure, I personally would give the cauliflower breaded tenders a light mist of oil before putting them in an air fryer (mine has a stainless steel wire rack. it is not non-stick}
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