HOMEMADE CHICKEN BOLOGNA

This is such an amazing and easy recipe to add to school lunch menu. I feel uneasy giving my kids store-bought cold cuts or lunch meats because...well, I am just not sure what's in them- the quality of meat, MSG filled seasonings, artificial flavorings, additives, the whole process of making them, etc. And don't get me started on the meat itself! Even those products that advertise themselves as healthy usually have a nightmare list of fine print ingredients that you can't pronounce or they would still have sugar or liquid smoke or "flavorings".

So obviously, the next natural thing for me to do was to figure out a way of making it myself. And it needed to be easy, fast, requiring minimal effort and made from organic natural ingredients. Instant pot to the rescue!

I prefer using chicken thighs in this recipe because they tend to be more flavorful and juicier but you can absolutely use chicken breast instead. Just add more ghee or animal fat of your choice to the recipe to make sure your bologna does not come out dry and overly dense in texture.

This recipe has a very basic chicken flavor. I encourage you to play around and add some vegetables (e.g. broccoli, spinach, carrots) or fried mushrooms (e.g. fried portobello or truffles) and even sauteed onions to the recipe, just make sure to add a little more agar powder. I sometimes split the chicken mixture in 3 parts and make 3 different flavors in one instant pot.

You can fry it and add to your morning omelettes, use it in sandwiches, even eat it for dinner.

Nutrition Facts

HOMEMADE CHICKEN BOLOGNA

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 201 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 105mg35%

Sodium 364mg16%

Potassium 188mg5%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 240IU5%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 11mg1%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Russian, Ukranian

Servings: servings

Calories: 201kcal

Ingredients

1.5 lbs chicken thighs boneless
1 TSP ghee
2 cloves garlic
1/2 TSP agar powder
1 tsp paprika
1 egg
1 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and resembles a paste.
Grease 3 8 oz cups with ghee, fill all the way to the top with chicken mixture and cover with foil.
Put a steamer rack trivet in instant pot, pour one cup of water, add the cups, cover and steam for 45 minutes.
Let the pressure go down naturally, remove the lid and let cool.
Slice and enjoy!

Nutrition