We didn’t have a great Chicken of the Woods haul this year because of how dry the late summer was, but we still found some! My wife spotted this one on a hike in New Jersey, and we couldn’t believe how much there was growing on the downed tree where we found it. We wound up getting several meals from it, and this was the last one. We breaded and pan fried for a fairly straight forward preparation style, and then we poured some BBQ sauce atop before serving over couscous alongside a sauteed onion and pea medley.
These little nuggets came out crispy on the outside and chickenlike on the inside. Every time we eat these mushrooms, we’re in awe of how well they mimic chicken. We served these as an entree, but if you cut them into smaller pieces before breading, they could also hold up well as an appetizer!
*This website can’t be used to identify wild mushrooms or ingredients. Do your own independent research, and consume wild mushrooms or ingredients at your own risk.
Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Chicken of the Woods Mushroom
- All Purpose Flour
- Egg
- Bread Crumbs
- BBQ Sauce
Method:
- Rinse your mushrooms to remove any debris, and then cut into chunks the size that you want your nuggets to be.
- Arrange three bowls on your counter. In the first, add some all purpose flour. In the second, beat an egg or two. In the third, add some unseasoned bread crumbs.
- Working one mushroom piece at a time, coat with flour, then cover with your egg. Lastly, toss in your bread crumb bowl to completely envelop your mushroom with the breading. Set aside, and continue with the rest of your mushroom pieces until they’re all breaded.
- Heat a Dutch oven or other large cast iron pan with enough vegetable or canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan).
- When your oil starts to shimmer, arrange as many of your mushroom pieces as you can in a single layer. Fry for around 3-4 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown, and then flip, and cook the other side. When they’re ready, transfer onto a paper towel, and continue cooking your other batches in single layers until all of your mushrooms are cooked.
- Either toss your nuggets with BBQ sauce in a large bowl, or arrange them on your dining plates, and drizzle your sauce atop.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
