Chicken Tenders

We just made these chicken tenders for FARE’s website (Food Allergy Research & Education) and we wanted to share the recipe with you.

Coated in a golden potato chip crust with an addictive crunch, these juicy oven baked chicken tenders dipped in honey mustard sauce make the perfect finger food.

A meal the entire family will love! And we share crispy portobello mushrooms as our plant-based option…

Sassy Sauce

For the honey mustard, whisk together allergy-friendly mayonnaise, honey, Dijon-style and yellow mustards, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder (optional), smoked paprika (optional), and salt in a small bowl. Set aside in fridge until you’re ready for dipping.

Crumbs

Kettle chips, corn flakes, and gluten-free pretzels are all good options for the crumbs. If making with kettle or potato chips, choose an oven baked brand. Some brands that are fried contain a lot of oil and could make for greasy tenders.

Juicy Tenders

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside. The wire rack will prevent sticking and allow the chicken to bake up nice and crispy on all sides. However, if you don’t have a wire rack, that’s okay. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

In a medium bowl, make flax eggs by whisking together flaxseed meal and water. Set aside.

Pat the chicken breasts dry. Lay the breasts on a cutting board and cut off any fat or tendons. Place one hand flat on top of the chicken breast. Hold a knife along the long side and thicker end of the chicken. Slice through the breast almost to the end, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open the chicken breast. It should resemble a butterfly shape. Cut in half and cut each half crosswise into 1-inch strips. Repeat with second chicken breast. Set chicken strips aside.

In a shallow bowl or breading pan, combing garbanzo bean flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Add kettle chips or gluten-free corn flakes to a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Alternately, you can place the chips or corn flakes in a large ziplock bag and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush the chips or corn flakes. Transfer 1 cup of the crumbs to a shallow bowl or breading pan, reserving the remaining crumbs to refill the bowl or breading pan as needed during breading.

Return to the flaxseed mixture and vigorously whisk until gelatinous. Transfer to a shallow bowl or breading pan.

Breading pans or trays can be found online or at specialty kitchen stores.

Organizing the Breading Station

To organize the breading station, start with the flour on the left. Place the flaxseed mixture in the middle, followed by the crushed potato chips on the right.

With left hand, dredge a chicken strip in seasoned flour. Using the same hand, drop chicken in flaxseed mixture. With right hand, completely coat chicken strip in the liquid. Lift and let excess liquid drip off. Transfer chicken to the container of crumbs. Then use your right hand to carefully coat all sides of the chicken with chips, pressing them lightly onto the chicken to help them stick. Use your right hand to transfer the chicken strip to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Clean fingers! It’s an extra step, but you can use tongs to transfer the chicken from the flaxseed mixture to the crumbs. It’s very important that your left hand stays dry, so that you don’t create any lumps in the flour.

Place in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. If you don’t have a wire rack, flip tenders half way through baking.

Serve with honey mustard and/or your favorite barbecue sauce.

Make Mine Veggie

For a plant-based version, make these tenders portobello. Check out our first post, Crispy Baked Portobello Strips!

Chef Joel’s Tip

Butterflying is the technique used in cutting our tenders. Cutting meat this way creates a uniform thickness throughout a piece of meat, so that it will cook more quickly and evenly.

 

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