Parmesan-Breaded Chicken Tenders
Most people have heard the age-old riddle, what came first, the chicken or the egg? For me, this applies to my Gourmet Caesar Salad Dressing because back when I was creating this dressing, I already had in mind my Parmesan-Breaded Tenders. They complement each other so nicely, with the tenders’ crust of Panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and grated Parmesan, which augments the creamy appeal of the Caesar dressing and the umami-flavored anchovy paste. Although these tenders were made for chicken Caesar salad, they can be served by themselves as a stand-alone dish. I cannot help popping them in my mouth like candy. They’ll be devoured by even the fussiest eater!
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 eggs, I use pasture-raised
- 1 T. + 1 t. Grey Poupon Country Dijon Mustard
- 3 T. ricotta cheese
- ½ cup + 2 T. high-quality, grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ¾ cup Panko plain breadcrumbs—buy coarse Panko, not regular breadcrumbs
- 1 t. Italian seasoning
- ¾ t. or 1/3 t. kosher salt, see step 3
Directions
- Step 1 First, if you have time, dry brine your chicken breasts to enhance the flavor, patting them with ¾ t. kosher salt on all sides for 1 pound. Put back in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Note: if you don’t have time to complete this task, see step 3.
- Step 2 Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Step 3 Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, mustard, and ricotta together, and set aside. Then, in a second mixing bowl, combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and 1/3 t. salt if you didn’t have time to brine the chicken. Omit the salt if you did brine the chicken. Set aside as well.
- Step 4 After an hour has passed, remove the chicken from the fridge and cut it into strips or any bite-sized piece that suits your liking. Place the raw chicken in a third mixing bowl.
- Step 5 Next, grease a 9 x 13-inch Pyrex dish or casserole pan. Then, take a handful of chicken and dip it first in the liquid, egg mixture and next, in the dry, breadcrumb coating. If the breadcrumbs don’t stick, just press them into place with your fingers. Lie the tenders down in rows until you fill the pan. Repeat this process until all pieces have been coated. You will probably need two Pyrex dishes.
- Step 6 Bake chicken for 18-20 minutes or until the tenders are golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted reads 165° F. Mine were ready in 20 minutes. Serve as a stand-alone dish or on top of my Classic Chicken Caesar Salad, see recipe under Salad.
These Parmesan-Breaded Chicken Tenders are the perfect pairing with the luscious dressing, crunchy croutons, and shaved Parmesan featured in my Classic Chicken Caesar Salad. Although made with the intention of serving with Caesar salad, these tenders are delicious as a stand-alone dish. They’re like candy!
NUTRITONAL INFORMATION:
Serving size: 6 tenders, servings per recipe: 6, calories: 164, total fat: 6.1 g., saturated fat: 2.9 g., cholesterol: 100 mg., sodium: 578 mg., total carbohydrate: 5.5 g., dietary fiber: 0.2 g., total sugars: 0.4 g., protein: 21 g., calcium: 154 mg., iron: 1 mg., potassium: 30 mg., vitamin D: 5 mcg.