Crunchy Nut Encrusted Chicken Tenders
I love chicken tenders. I am not ashamed to admit that on the rare occasion that I eat fast food, I always go for the chicken tender. Not sure why, but I do. I love the crunchiness of the outside and the piping hot chicken on the inside. And I love dipping anything in a mixture of yellow mustard and ketchup. Or bbq sauce.
So when I saw Michelle post these crunchy nut encrusted chicken tenders I knew I had to make them. What a great way to get my chicken tender fix in a healthier manner! Not only do they use ground up nuts for the coating, they’re baked not fried. Anything you make at home is going to be MUCH better for you than something from a fast food chain.
I just used the ingredients I had on hand and they came out great. I had a pretty big thing of chicken tender meat, so Hubby and I enjoyed these for a couple days in our lunches too.
I always always toast nuts before using them in any recipe. It’s just a habit, but I love how it brings out the nuttiness of nuts more so than just using raw nuts.
One Year Ago: BBQ Chicken Pizza Sticks
Crunchy Nut Encrusted Chicken Tenders
These chicken tenders are crusted with a variety of nuts instead of breadcrumbs!
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 lb chicken tenders
2 cups nuts (any variety), toasted
4 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp horseradish mustard
2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
4 tsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp worcestshire sauce
2 Tbsp water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line a pan with foil and place a cooling rack on top of the foil.
Rinse chicken and pat dry.
Pulse nuts in food processor until they resemble course bread crumbs. Be sure not to process too much, so you don't make a nut butter.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a shallow dish.
Dredge the chicken tenders through the mustard mixture, then coat with nut crumbs. Place on cooling rack (using a cooling rack will result in a crispy chicken tender). Repeat until all chicken tenders are coated.
Place pan of tenders in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip tenders and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Fun and Fearless in Beantown
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I love making a bunch of different recipes and having them come together in one awesome meal! This looks so delicious, especially with the heat we’ve been having!
Next time I come over, I insist we either have these delicious looking Gyros or go to the Turkish restaurant you talked about.
Wow, I love that addiction to the stove! Your chicken gyros look super flavorful and like the perfect hot day lunch!
Sues
I love that every aspect of this meal is homemade… yum! What is the name of the Turkish restaurant? I need to check it out :).
I just made something similar and they were great! LOVE the sauce! Thanks!
Can’t wait for you to post the recipe – I am putting it on my menu for next week. 😀
I used to make tzatziki sauce too -until my grocery store started selling it for .99 cents for a 16 ounce container – so cheap!
Hope you have a great weekend!
I love me a traditional, good, lamb gyro- but these look delicious! I might have to break out of my comfort zone 🙂
I love me a traditional, good, lamb gyro- but these look delicious! I might have to break out of my comfort zone 🙂
We definitely have to try these…yum!
Those look delicious, I will have to try those!
Can the pita bread dough be made in advance and kept in the fridge overnight? I want to make these tomorrow for dinner but will not have time for the 90 minute and then 20 minute rise times. Any advice would be great. Thanks!
welcome to the bandwagon! love Elly’s recipe!
Manne – sounds like a plan
Lauren – It’s called Brookline Family Restaurant and it’s on Washington St in Brookline Village. Definitely check it out if you’re in the area.
Sheena – I’m not sure about freezing the pita bread dough. I’m sure it would be fine as other bread doughs can be frozen and used later. Let me know how it goes if you try it!