Chicken Tenders (Take 2)

Somethings taste better reheated after sitting in the refrigerator overnight (chili, lasagna, etc.) but who would have thought that chicken tenders also fit into that category. On Sunday night I caught an episode of Ham on the Street on Food Network. The subject of this episode was guilty pleasures. Among the deep fried brownie (and everything else you can think of) and the twinkie tiramisu type dish, the host showed off a recipe for healthier chicken tenders.

They looked good on the tv and seemed really simple so I gave them a try. The secret to making them healthier than normal chicken tenders was that these are not fried. Instead you are to dip the chicken strips into a spiced light mayo and then into panko bread crumbs (panko are the type used for tempura, also known as Japanese bread crumbs). You then bake the strips at 350C until done.

When first baked the tenders had great flavor and were fully cooked (but not dry inside) but they were not that crunchy. They just didn't get all that browned on the outside. I was afraid to leave them in the oven longer because I didn't want them to dry out. So I ate a few that night and put the rest in the refrigerator.

Then last night, I cranked up the toaster oven to about 400 C and laid the chicken tenders out on the mini baking sheet. I baked them in the toaster over for about 15 minutes. At this point they were getting browned and crispy. What was great was that they still had the same flavor as the night before and were still moist inside. I think dipping the strips in the mayo helped them stay moist.

The recipe that was shown on the show used curry powder, salt, and pepper for the spices in the mayo. I used worchester sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. I think the spices are really where you can get creative and try different combinations. If you don't go overboard with any one spice, you should get tastey chicken tenders when you are done.