Chick-Pea Nuggets

Vegan Chick-Pea Nuggets (From Alissa)

Chickpeas and artichoke hearts are shaped into nuggets, coated in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and cornmeal, and pan-fried up until golden to create these crispy, delicious and satisfying vegan chicken nuggets.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 584 kcal

Ingredients

For the Nuggets

• 1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. liquid smoke, to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Batter

• 1 cup unflavored soy or almond milk
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour

For the Coating

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• black pepper to taste

For Frying

• olive oil, or any high smoke point oil

Instructions

1. Place artichoke hearts into food processor bowl and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add remaining nugget ingredients and pulse again until chickpeas are finely chopped and ingredients are well blended, being careful not to overdo it or the mixture will get mushy. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a container with a lid. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to a day).
2. Stir batter ingredients together in a small bowl and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.
3. While the batter sits, stir coating ingredients together in a separate bowl. Season with pepper to taste, and add some extra salt if you like.
4. Remove mixture from refrigerator and shape into 20-24 nuggets.
5. Coat the bottom of a large flat-bottomed skillet with oil, at least 1/8 inch deep. Place over medium heat. Dip a nugget into batter and gently flip to coat both sides. Transfer to coating mixture and coat both sides. When oil is hot, transfer nugget to oil. Repeat for as many nuggets as you can fit into the skillet, cooking about 4 minutes, until browned on bottoms. Flip and cook until browned on opposite sides. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat until all nuggets are cooked, adding oil to the skillet as needed between batches.
6. Serve with dipping sauce of choice.