Almond Baked Chicken

Image source: Flickr user preppybyday

This is a great dish to make with children. Younger kids love dipping the chicken pieces in egg and the flour mix, while older kids can practice their knife skills with the vegetables. Feel free to substitute veggies that your family enjoys. Generally, roasting is a wonderful way to introduce new veggies, as roasting intensifies the natural sweetness of many vegetables. Almond flour is lovely in this dish, in addition to the many health benefits of almonds; it creates a satisfying crunchy crust for the baked chicken. Almonds are excellent sources of biotin, vitamin E, manganese and copper. These vitamins and minerals help your body to lower LDL cholesterol. Coconut milk makes a fine substitute for eggs if you so desire.

Prep
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 eggs
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 carrots
1 shallot
4 cloves garlic
handful fresh green beans or asparagus
3 tablespoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare the baking dish for the chicken by lining it with aluminum foil and placing a rack in the dish, set aside.
 
Slice shallot and carrots, peel garlic cloves. Toss carrots, shallot, garlic and green beans or asparagus with coconut oil and place in another baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
 
Slice chicken breast into strips. Pluck leaves from thyme.
 
Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl.

Coat
1½ cup almond flour
1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix thyme leaves along with almond flour, sea salt, pepper, sage, turmeric and garlic powder in a small bowl.
 
Dip the chicken pieces individually into the eggs, and then coat them with the almond flour mixture. Place on baking rack.

Bake
Once all the pieces are coated, place the chicken in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°, turning midway through. When the chicken has been baking for 15 minutes or so, add the veggies to the oven, continue baking along with the chicken, stirring occasionally.
 
Serve
Serve roasted veggies along with the chicken strips.
 
Preparation: 60 minutes
Serves: 4