Well, maybe not with mystery nuggets in a card board box, but we’re going to take a PG-13 approach to the idea of a happy meal, and there will be no drive through required. Here is my adult take on crispy chicken fingers & ketchup. Is fried chicken delicious? Heck yeah! Is it healthy? Not a chance. So, we’re going to skillet crisp, then oven bake our tender, white meat chicken. Breading is going to sport herbs, spices & parmesan cheese. Oh…and our regular ketchup? It will be taken up a notch with the addition of red pepper jelly & sour cream, for an awesome dipping sauce. Fries? I love them, but tonight to keep in sync with our healthy dish, we’re going to make some balsamic roasted baby carrots & save the potatoes for another day. Fresh spinach will be there too, so we’re armed and ready for the best Happy Meal this side of the deep fryer! Oh, though we don’t have a cheap, plastic prize to include, we’re going to opt for a nice glass of Pinot instead. This is sounding better by the minute!
Simple, crispy, healthier and good. Time to make some chicken strips & special sauce kids…
- 1 package (~9 pcs) chicken tenders, fresh, boneless & skinless
- 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
- 4 T shredded or grated fresh parmesan
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 4 T EVOO (for browning)
- dried parsley (chopped)
- paprika
- fine black pepper
- Seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
- garlic powder
- dried thyme
- Heinz ketchup
- red pepper jelly
- sour cream
- Worcestershire sauce
- Preheat oven to 425
- In 3, separate shallow dishes, place flour, the other the eggs beaten lightly, then breadcrumbs.
- In dish with breadcrumbs add spices to your taste. I add about 2 tsp thyme, S&P to taste, 1 tsp garlic powder, 3 tsp paprika, 1 T parsley, and the parmesan cheese. combine.
- Rinse raw chicken breast tenders and pat dry with paper towels.
- dredge tenders in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumb mix, making sure to pat crumbs well covering each peice.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet with the EVOO
- on medium heat on stove, add breaded tenders and let cook, not moving, for about 10 mins one side (this will depend how large/thick cuts are. Mine were very thick)
- Once brown & crispy on one side, carefully flip tenders over in pan with spatula
- Continue to cook on other side for about 10 more mins or until crust crisps and darkens.
- Then for thicker tenders, transfer strips to baking sheet into pre-heated oven and cook through, without drying-out.
- In small bowl, combine about 4 T Heinz ketchup, 2 T red pepper jelly, dash Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tsp sour cream. Whisk well and serve with tenders. Delicious!
We almost forgot the roasted carrots! OK, these are easy, but don’t be deceived by their healthy facade…they’ll be off your plate faster than you think.
- 1 bag, fresh baby carrots, peeled, the smaller, the sweeter
- 2 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp dried prepared mustard
- 1 T fresh EVOO
- 1 T fresh balsamic
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 420
- In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients minus carrots
- Add sauce mix to carrots in bowl, tossing well
- in oiled, small baking dish, roast carrots for about 25 mins till very tender. Check throughout.
- Enjoy!
