Speedy Weekday Dinners – Crunchy Chicken Fingers
To chase away the Monday blues, I like to make these succulent yet crunchy golden nuggets of chicken, as they are fun to eat with an assortment of toppings while relaxing in front of the TV.
Baking them instead of getting anywhere near a frying pan makes this a heart-friendly meal, with, a lot less washing up afterwards.
One tip I have for a speedy supper is to make stale bread into breadcrumbs ahead of time and stock them in the freezer – this way, you’ll be able to put together a scrumptious meal in minutes. I pulse stale bread in a food processor with a little olive oil, a pinch of salt, and sprinkle in some dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme etc).
What you’ll need (serves 2):
- 10-12 chicken tenders (I like using S*Pure brand, found in Wellcome)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (with herbs)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (much lighter / crunchier)
- 1 tbls garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- salt & pepper
Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees celsius.
Mix together the 2 types of breadcrumbs, along with the grated parmesan and garlic powder. Sprinkle this on a big plate.
Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and whisk.
Wash and pat dry chicken tenders. I prefer using chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts because they are (as the name implies) a lot more tender, and also requires no cutting to make them into long finger shapes! A great solution for the lazy and time-pressed!
Sprinkle salt & pepper on each side of the chicken, then dip into the eggy bath. Transfer to the breadcrumb plate and evenly coat each piece of chicken. Place each piece on a baking sheet. Once the oven reaches temperature, bake for around 9 minutes on one side, flip to the other side, and bake for another 5 minutes.
Serve this alongside a salad and you’ve got yourself a complete meal. I like to accompany this also with a trio of dipping sauces: ketchup, whole grain mustard, and a mix of mayonnaise and honey.
Bon Appetit!
