This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Yummy Dino Buddies for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Use these8 Ways to Transform Chicken Nuggets into Dinner in 5 Ingredients or Less to change up a favorite into a quick and easy family dinner. 
Phew! How are you guys doing with the new school year so far? We started soccer and school at the same time a couple of weeks ago, and just this week we threw a little dance class into the mix. So things are suuuper crazy here! And I'm already looking forward to Winter break. In the meantime, it is just so hard to get dinner on the table some nights! And we don't like to eat carry-out or drive-through because it's too expensive, and just not good for you. Makes me feel even more mom guilt than normal! That's why we need some simple, stand-by, go-to favorites, like Yummy Dino Buddies chicken nuggets, to make weeknight back-to-school dinners quick and easy without the guilt.
Yummy Dino Buddies chicken nuggets require no prep! They're fully cooked, and you can just bake them right in the oven or even faster in the microwave. Plus, they're made with real boneless skinless chicken breast and are a great source of omega-3, iron, and calcium with 0g of trans fat, so you can feel good about feeding them to the family (One less reason for Mom Guilt!). And you can pick up Yummy Dino Buddies at most grocery stores. Find locations where you can find Dino Buddies near you HERE. But what's even better than serving something you feel good about to your kids? Having them love it, too. And why wouldn't they?! My kids love the dino shapes, especially my little paleontologist-in-training. There's usually some dinosaur roaring and growling going on at dinner time.
Dino Buddies are also so easy to pop in the microwave to warm up that my kids will sometimes even fix themselves a little after school snack. Or they make an adorable addition to a quick bento box school lunch. So many possibilities! All three of our kids love eating Yummy Dino Buddies with their favorite dipping sauce and a helping of mac and cheese and steamed broccoli on the side. I might go so far as to say it's one of their all-time favorite meals. I love this classic, too, but I'm a fan of switching things up and getting creative to keep things new and interesting. So today I'm sharing 8 ways you can transform quick, easy, and delicious Dino Buddies into dinner in 5 ingredients or less to help you get a delicious meal on the table even on crazy, busy, chaotic nights. Ready, set,.... GO!
8 Ways to Transform Yummy Dino Buddies into Dinner in 5 Ingredients or Less
1. Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl
Ingredients: Mashed Potatoes YummyDino BuddiesMixed Vegetables Shredded Cheddar Gravy
Directions: Place mashed potatoes in individual serving bowls. Place fully cooked Dino Buddies into mashed potatoes on the edge of the bowl. Sprinkle center of dish with mixed vegetables and cheddar. Top with gravy.
2. Honey Mustard Chicken Chopped Salad
Ingredients: YummyDino Buddies, fully cooked Salad Mix Sliced Avocado Crumbled Bacon Honey Mustard Dressing
Directions: Chop all ingredients, except dressing. Toss together in a large salad bowl. Serve on individual plates topped with honey mustard dressing. (I use this amazing homemade honey mustard dressing.)
3. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Ingredients: Yummy Dino Buddies, fully cooked, chopped if desired Refrigerated Pizza Crust Buffalo Sauce Ranch Shredded Cheese
Directions: Roll out pizza crust onto a baking sheet or pizza pan. Bake at 400°F for about 5-8 minutes to help set (it will not be all the way cooked). Spread ½ cup to 1 cup buffalo sauce onto crust after baking. Spread about ½ cup ranch onto pizza crust with buffalo sauce. Add Dino Buddies on top of sauce. Top whole pizza with as much shredded cheese (I use mozzarella with a little cheddar) as desired. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey. Garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley and an extra swirl of ranch, if desired.
4. Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients: Yummy Dino Buddies, White or Brown Rice, cooked to package instructions Sweet and Sour Sauce Frozen or Canned Peas & Carrots, cooked
Directions: In a large bowl, toss together rice and peas & carrots. Scoop an individual serving onto plates. Set aside. Coat Dino buddies in sweet and sour sauce. Place on top of rice. Serve with extra sweet and sour sauce.
5. Ranch Chicken Wraps
Ingredients: Wraps Lettuce Yummy Dino Buddies, fully cooked Shredded Cheese Ranch
Directions: Lay out wraps. Place lettuce, Dino Buddies, and shredded cheese liberally onto each wrap. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Roll up, and cut in half to serve.
6. Cheesy Chicken Sliders
Ingredients: Slider Buns Yummy Dino Buddies, thawed Mayo Lettuce Your Favorite Cheese Slices (we use cheddar or pepper jack)
Directions: Lay out the bottoms of the slider buns on a large baking sheet. Top each bun with 2 Dino Buddies. Tear cheese slices into 4 quarters. Top buns and nuggets with 1-2 pieces of the quartered cheese. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted and gooey. Top each bottom bun with a piece of lettuce. Spread mayo on top buns, then place on top of each slider.
7. Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti Bake
Ingredients: Spaghetti, cooked to package instructions Yummy Dino Buddies Spaghetti Sauce (marinara or red sauce- I usually use about 2 (24-ounce) jars) Grated Parmesan Shredded Mozzarella
Directions: Place cooked spaghetti in a large baking dish. Pour in about ⅔ of the spaghetti sauce, and stir to combine. Top with Dino Buddies. Sprinkle about ½ cup grated Parmesan and as much shredded mozzarella as desired on top. Cook at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Chicken Tacos
Ingredients: Yummy Dino Buddies, fully cooked Tortillas Black Beans Pico de Gallo Sour Cream (or any of your other favorite toppings)
Directions: Assemble Dino Buddies in tortillas with black beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, and any of your other favorite toppings. So what do you think? Are you ready to grab some Dino Buddies and get started on a fun, quick, and easy dinner the whole family will love? What's your favorite way to make nuggets? Tell me in the comments!
