Goldfish Cracker Crusted Chicken Thighs

Attention mom's who buy goldfish crackers for their offspring! If you have a bunch of extras because your beautiful child(ren) also has gone through the phase of oh my gosh I will consume all of these with one gulp to goldfish? I never said I liked goldfish? then this recipe is for you!

I found myself with quite an excess of cheesy fish shaped crackers recently and needed some inspiration or else they were going straight in the trash as they went stale. Cheesy crusted chicken seemed like a good solution! They work really well as a breading and are perfect for chicken! Tenders / nuggets would definitely be easier to eat, but I had a package of chicken thighs and gave them a try and loved how they came out! Just be sure to pull any skin off or it becomes kind of a weird texture under the breading when baked. 

I picked up the CUTEST rolling pin at the Highland Games last weekend!! I can't wait to use it on some cookies - in the mean time crushing up some crackers will work too! 

The cheese flavor is subtle when baked, but it forms a nice crispy crust to bit into! I definitely want to try these again with nuggets or tenders soon - maybe I can convince my daughter she likes goldfish again after all... either that or she'll decide she doesn't like goldfish and now she doesn't like chicken either... please tell me this phase of arguing over what she will and won't eat / try is coming to an end at some point in my foreseeable future. 

Goldfish Cracker Crusted Chicken Thighs inspired by Jonesin for Taste

Ingredients
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 lbs chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
2 cups Goldfish cracker crumbs
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 egg
1 TBS water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a baking rack on a cookie sheet.
2. Remove skin from chicken and discard (if it has skin). In a large tupperware, pour buttermilk over thighs and rotate them all so they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before proceeding (up to overnight).
3. Prepare eggwash by beating 1 egg with 1 TBS water and setting next to a large bowl (pie plates work well) filled with the goldfish cracker crumbs, and a separate large bowl or pie plate with the flour seasoned with the 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.
4. Lay your dredging station out in order: thighs in buttermilk, seasoned flour, egg wash, cracker crumbs, baking tray with sheet.
5. Dredge soaked thighs, one at a time, in the flour, then egg wash, then cracker crumbs and place on your baking rack.
6. When all thighs are prepared, place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until an meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit at the thickest portion. 
7. Allow to rest a few minutes before serving.