Recipe Spotlight: Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Strips

When I was younger I would order chicken strips at every restaurant. Lightly breaded, crunchy on the outside, warm on the inside, with a plethora of dipping sauce choices (I favored honey mustard), what's not to love? Well, it turns out, the calories and fat in chicken strips at restaurants is out of this world. The Chicken Crispers at Chili's, for example, have 1,750 calories and 121 grams of fat! You could order the Bacon Burger and save 600 calories! Outrageous! Needless to say, I no longer order chicken strips in restaurants anymore. But, that doesn't mean that I don't still love them! So I developed a fool-proof and fabulous chicken strips recipe to make at home. These strips have all the crunch and sauciness that I crave, without all the fat and calories. Whip up your own for game night or a casual meal in and you'll never go back to the gut-busting restaurants' "chicken" again!

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Strips

An all-time favorite without the guilt!
Serves 2

8 raw chicken tenders, thawed (or 4 small breasts cut in half)
1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tblsp. milk
1 tsp. hot sauce, optional
Salt and pepper
1/4 c. oil (olive or vegetable)

Preheat oil in large frying pan over medium heat.

Make your breading station. (pictured)
Bowl 1: Flour
Bowl 2: Egg, milk and hot sauce, whisked to combine
Bowl 3: Bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese

Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. Working with two tenders at a time, dip tenders in flour bowl and turn to coat. Shake off excess flour. Dip in egg bowl to moisten. Finally, dip in bread crumbs to evenly coat. Carefully place in hot oil to pan fry. Repeat method to bread remaining chicken and place in pan.

Fry chicken on first side for 4-5 minutes, then flip with tongs. Allow to fry for 3-4 minutes on side two, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. (Add more oil if pan seems dry; big strips may need more time.) Remove chicken from pan and drain excess oil on paper towels.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauces, cole slaw and waffle fries for a delicious restaurant meal at home!


Recipe author: Sarah Saubert