Whole30 Chicken Ranch Poppers
Whole30 Chicken Ranch Poppers are the perfect bite sized, full of flavor, made for dipping Popper. Just a few ingredients and you’ll have a kid-favorite lunch made in under 30 minutes.
Originally posted on Whole Kitchen Sink
We could have named these little Chicken Ranch Poppers ‘chicken nuggets’, but that would imply a breading, and believe me when I say they don’t need to hide behind a breading. A naked chicken nugget sporting hidden veggies that is just asking to be dunked in Homemade Ranch dressing is more our style. We make them bite size as it makes a quick and easy lunch for adults and even better for little kids and their little hands. I have four little boys (aged 9-2) and they are my taste testers. They’ve had to try so many new creations coming from my kitchen, they really should be called “professional” taste testers by now! I do have to admit they were a little skeptical to try these Chicken Ranch Poppers at first. No breading, little bits of green from the zucchini poking out, but it only took one bite and the boys said the recipe was a keeper! And they ate a double batch for that day’s lunch!
They’re soft in the inside and a little crisp on the outside from being baked. Full of flavor from onion and garlic powder, a pinch of sea salt, and my favorite…dill weed! Basically all the spices I add to my Whole30 Ranch Dressing! I make a batch of my ranch dressing (completely dairy free!) and have it waiting in the fridge, just waiting for the Whole30 Chicken Ranch Poppers to come out of the oven. As soon as they’re done, we start dipping them!
They’re quick & easy to make plus very freezer friendly. Quick and easy with only using one mixing bowl and mixing all the ingredients together with your hands. (Unless that weirds you out, then you can use a big spoon!) Now there are two ways to make the Poppers, use a cookie-dough scoop or roll and shape the Poppers using your hands. I prefer just using my hands as they have already been in the mixture mixing it all together! But your choice. Place all the Poppers on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. When they’re all lined up and ready for the oven, pop them in for 20-25 minutes. Bake time might need to be adjusted a little depending on how big or small you make them, just make sure they’re cooked all the way through.
Serve them right from the oven with a side of Ranch or put them in the fridge as a meal prep item or into the freezer for a busy night and oh-I-forgot-to-make-dinner kind of occasion! Whichever way is more “you”! Enjoy <3
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini, water squeezed out
- 1 tsp dill weed
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Mix together using hands or a large spoon.
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Using a medium cookie-dough scoop or your hands, to scoop out a golf-ball size of mixture and shape into a round slightly flattened ball. Place on the baking sheet.
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Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked all the way through.
- Store leftovers in a covered glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Store in a freezer approved container for freezer friendly option.
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More Whole30 meals for you to try:
Cranberry-Apple Pork Chops
Paleo Sloppy Joe’s with Pumpkin
Creamy Dill Potato Salad
