Almond-Crusted Chicken Tenders
There is nothing better than a crispy, crunchy, juicy chicken tender dipped in your favorite sauce. They’re kid- and adult-friendly, and this version is made special with almonds!
When making chicken tenders or nuggets at home, I follow the “standard breading procedure”, which is dipping the chicken in flour, then an egg wash, then breadcrumbs. In this case, the flour is almond flour, the egg has added Dijon mustard for a boost of flavor and the “breadcrumbs” are crushed up almonds. Each section of the breading procedure gets a dose of onion and garlic powders as well as a pinch of cayenne pepper, if you’re into it.
To get a crispy exterior on all sides, I lay each chicken tender on a wire rack fitted inside a baking sheet and spritz them with cooking spray. Who needs a deep fried tender when you can have crispy baked almond tenders?!
Have you tried making your own chicken tenders at home? Tell me about it in the comments!
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Almond-Crusted Chicken Tenders
- Prep Time: 10-15 mins
- Cook Time: 10-15 mins
- Total Time: 20-30 mins
- Yield: Serves 6 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baking
Description
Chicken tenders coated in a crispy almond batter.
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour or whole wheat flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups sliced almonds, crushed
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided (optional)
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Fit a wire rack inside a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Set up 3 bowls: one with flour, one with beaten egg, Dijon and milk and one with crushed almonds. Divide the salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (if using) among the three bowls. Stir each to combine.
- Working one at a time, dip chicken tenders into the flour, then the egg mixture, then the crushed almonds and line on the prepared wire rack. Coat each with cooking spray. Bake 10-15 minutes or until chicken tenders are firm. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooking Tip: If you want the buttermilk flavor but don’t have buttermilk, mix 1/4 cup milk with ½ tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar.
- Make it a Meal: Pair with Lightened-Up Potato Salad or Roasted Tomato Soup
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 159mg
Keywords: chicken, chicken tenders, almond, low carb