Don’t Starve: Honey Nuggets

After years of not playing Don’t Starve Together, my friends, husband, and I have jumped back into the game. The last time I really played the game was while it was in early access and a lot has changed since then. There are many new characters, food items, and very difficult events. Our current attempt has us on day 59. We are in summer and I don’t know how much longer we are going to last. Jeff has been carrying our team to victory because he is capable of fighting without taking much damage. I, on the other hand, sabotage the team by accidentally extinguishing our light while we are fighting the Deerclops in the dark. If you are interested in watching us attempt to make it through the game, I stream Don’t Starve Together each week on Tuesday at 7pm CST, check us out on Twitch.

A game with the title Don’t Starve is going to include food. Sure, it can be a bit difficult to keep supplies steady but food is an extremely vital resource in this game. My main role in the game is the keeper of the base and food. I’m constantly going around and making sure our group has enough food to survive. One of the recipes we all get extremely excited about is the honey nuggets. Growing up, I did not like chicken nuggets. They were typically my last choice if they were on a menu. These are completely different from what you will get at any fast food chain. I found that the first batch of chicken nuggets can be a bit shaggy looking compared to the next few sets. As the oil gets used per batch, they will look a bit nicer but each batch is equally delicious!

Ingredients:
Honey Sauce
⅓ cup (105 g) honey
¼ cup (60 g) mayo
¼ cup (75 g) dijon mustard
2 tbsp (30 g) rice vinegar
1 tsp (4 g) garlic powder

Chicken Nuggets
2 (490 g) chicken breast
6 (655 g) chicken thighs
3 tsp (8 g) panko
2 tsp (5 g) onion powder
3 tsp (12 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (4 g) celery salt
½ tsp (1 g) salt
1 tsp black pepper
¼ cup (80 g) honey

2 eggs
½ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup potato starch

Combine all the ingredients for the honey sauce in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator until you are going to serve the chicken nuggets. This sauce can stay in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Place the chicken breast and thighs in a food processor. Process until it just starts to resemble ground meat. Add the panko, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, black pepper, and honey. Pulse the food processor until it all combines together.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Split the ground chicken into 32-35 gram portions and place each one on the baking sheet. Once split, place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes. Doing this makes it easier to shape the nuggets.

After 10 minutes, take the tray out and shape into oval patties. In a bowl, combine the all purpose flour and potato starch. Toss each of the nuggets in the mixture and return to the baking sheet. Once all the nuggets are tossed, return the baking sheet to the freezer for 20 minutes. Set the flour mixture aside because you will need this again later.

Whisk the 2 eggs in a bowl. After the nuggets have completed their time in the freezer, pour about 1-inch deep worth of peanut oil in a deep frying pan. Begin to preheat the oil to 350℉.

While the oil is heating, prepare the nuggets. Take a nugget and toss it in the egg mixture and allow any extra egg to drip off. Next place in the flour mixture and cover completely. Place the covered nugget on a plate until you are ready to start frying.

Once the oil has heated, add several nuggets into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook each side of the nugget for 4-5 minutes per side.

Once cooked, transfer to a plate with a paper towel to drain any excess oil. Before adding the next batch, make sure the oil is up to heat again. Repeat until all the nuggets are cooked.