PECAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE
Fried chicken tenders may be delicious, but these Pecan Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders are next level! The bonus is that they have zero refined starch, are baked (not fried!) and are full of protein, healthy fat, and even some fiber. And while they are totally kid-friendly, they’d be a crowd pleaser at any adult dinner party!
INGREDIENTS: makes 3-4 servings
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cutlets or tenders)
1.5 cups pecans
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 tsp red chili flakes
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
If you have chicken cutlets, cut chicken into strips - about 1 inch wide - and set aside in a dish.
In a food processor or blender, blend pecans until they’re broken down into a mixture of meal and small chunks. Once crushed, combine pecans with flaxseed in a flat dish and set aside.
In a bowl, mix mustard, honey, and red chili flakes.
Spoon the mustard mixture over the chicken. (Don’t touch the chicken with the spoon so you don’t contaminate the rest of the mustard mixture, as we’ll be using the excess for dipping later on!) Use your hand to make sure all the chicken is coated, and pour the rest of the mustard mixture into a small bowl for dipping.
Coat chicken in pecans and flaxseed, pressing the coating onto the chicken on both sides, and transfer chicken to a lined baking sheet.
Bake on 400 for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Serve with rest of spicy honey dijon.
4Q Journaling Guide: This dish counts as a high fat protein.