Have you ever noticed that chicken tenders are sometimes called chicken fingers? What the heck?! Some people say they got their name because when they are all fried up, you can eat them with your fingers (rather than using a knife and fork). No matter where their name came from, you can assure the kids they are certainly not fingers! In fact, our 5-year-old recipe tester Claire can vouch for this dish: “I call this the ‘crunchy munchies’ chicken, and I like it better than chicken nuggets.”
Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Serves 4
Ingredients1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (3 ounces)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, measured separately
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound chicken tenderloins
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Directions1. In a shallow dish, stir together Parmesan, panko and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to egg mixture and turn to coat well.
3. Remove 1 piece of chicken, letting extra egg drip off, and add to dish with Parmesan mixture. Gently press Parmesan mixture onto chicken. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add half of the chicken and cook until it registers 165 degrees, 6 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.
