{Gluten Free} Chicken Nuggets with Pumpkin Seed Pesto | NatureRaised Farms®

I have a few requirements for the dishes that make it to our dinner table:

1. Must taste good.

2. Must be nutritious.

3. Must try to be as natural as possible -- no funky ingredients, excessive processing, hormones & antibiotics --  and ethically produced.

4. Must not take forever to prepare.

5. But really... must taste good.

Sounds pretty basic, right?

You'd be surprised how limiting these rules can be when you're looking for quick meal solutions. Some things taste great but have an alarming amount of questionable ingredients. Or maybe they follow the rules, but the taste leaves something to be desired. If you'll notice, that rule is a non-negotiable!

The good news is there are options that can facilitate making the right choices for your family if your checklist looks anything like mine. And that means that throwing in the towel and making a beeline for the drive-thru will be a distant memory!

I'm going to be honest, I typically don't think to buy my chicken in the frozen section of the grocery store because most of the products in those freezers don't make the cut for me. But when I learned about NatureRaised Farms® working with farmers who care about how their animals are raised and treated so that they can provide a product that meet the list of "musts", I wanted to give them a hug. They get me! 

Because I set high standards in my own home, I appreciate it all the more when companies do the same. Give me something with recognizable ingredients, responsible practices, that taste good, and I'll be your BFFL. {Doesn't take much.}

Since NatureRaised Farms® covered a lot of the bases on my checklist as far as quality, safety and convenience, I was happy to spend my time focusing on my favorite part: Flavor!

Did you know that you don't have to limit your nugget-dipping to barbecue sauce and honey mustard?! I know: mind. blown. You can actually add flavor AND a little extra nutritious boost to your meal by making a dipper like this fabulous Pumpkin Seed Pesto! Served alongside some of my cinnamon-spiced sweet potato mash, this makes a meal that would pass inspection around here.

In my house, you would be more likely to find grilled chicken breast like this as the protein in this dish -- we're not in the "chicken nugget" phase of life just yet with our kiddo. But since I know a lot of you out there are, I just wanted to show that you can still add a little color and freshness to quick family favorites, which is good news for all!{Plus, I couldn't find the grilled chicken breasts in my local Target. Rats!}

I used NatureRaised Farms® Gluten Free Breast Nuggets, which I was able to toss into my cart on a Target run {woot!}. They're fully cooked chicken breast nuggets that bake in under 15 minutes and are breaded in a crunchy gluten free rice flour crust. The best part about this meal is that you can get the Pumpkin Seed Pesto and sweet potato mash made in the time it takes for the nuggets to bake, which means less time from kitchen to table. {See rule #4!}

So, go ahead and have your rules... and eat them, too!

Check out more easy weeknight recipes using NatureRaised Farms® products over on their Pinterest page!

Bonus: You can save 15% on any NatureRaised Farms Purchase from October 25 to November 7 with this Cartwheel app offer! As if you needed any other excuses to visit Target...

Chicken Nuggets with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
and Cinnamon-Spiced Sweet Potato Mash

4 NatureRaised Farms® Gluten Free Breast Nuggets, prepared as directed
1/2 cup roasted, lightly salted hulled pumpkin seeds
Handful of fresh basil -- about 1 cup loose leaves
1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil

For Chicken: Bake as directed.

For Pesto:

1. Place pumpkin seeds, basil, garlic, pumpkin puree in a food processor or blender jar. Pulse a few times to combine, then stream in olive oil while pulsing to reach desired consistency. {If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out.}

2. Taste and season with salt if necessary -- just be careful not to over-season if you used salted pumpkin seeds.

Serve alongside nuggets.

Social post & recipe is sponsored by NatureRaised Farms® Chicken but all comments and opinions are organically my own.

For Sweet Potato Mash:

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add in chopped sweet potato and boil until fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes. {While these boil, make your pesto!}

2. Drain and return to pat. Mash {or use a hand mixer} to achieve desired consistency.

3. Add butter and cinnamon, and mix to distribute evenly.

Serve hot.