In an attempt to get my kids eating chicken fingers (nuggets) that do not come from a box, I gave this healthier version a try. Mission accomplished.
They are crispy and not spicy (my kids are not spice lovers) and are a cinch to make. Not to mention I had a cupboard full of partially filled cereal boxes from making Chex mix over the holidays. That is what is used as a breading for this recipe.
We had these for dinner with a green salad and a side of veggies and everyone was happy. Give these a try if you are looking for an alternative chicken meal.
This was a big breakthrough as my youngest has always been weary of homemade chicken fingers. It’s almost as if once they get a taste for those nuggets in a box, everything else is suspicious. However, not anymore. We are now on the right track with a homemade chicken finger meal they can now enjoy.
If you make these for your family, please come back and let us know what you think.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the chicken and the buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
Pulverize cereal in a food processor. You could put the cereal in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, it just won’t be as fine or evenly crushed.
Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking tray. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking tray to cool slightly, it will get crispier.
While chicken is baking make the honey-mustard sauce by combining mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in honey.
Serve with sauce and enjoy. If you have someone who is not keen on honey mustard, I would suggest a Ranch dressing instead. You could also mix sour cream or Greek yogurt with some fresh herbs as an alternative.
Healthier Crispy Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1-1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
- 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
- 4 cups whole-grain cereal (I used 1/2 Corn Chex & 1/2 Cornflakes)
- salt and pepper
Honey-Mustard Sauce
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons honey
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the chicken and the buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
- Pulverize cereal in a food processor. You could put the cereal in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, it just won't be as fine or evenly crushed.
- Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking tray. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking tray to cool slightly, it will get crispier.
- While chicken is baking make the honey-mustard sauce by combining mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in honey.
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