Forget high-fat commercial chicken strips! Make your own, healthier version at home. These come out juicier, more flavorful--minus the trans fat.
INGREDIENTS:
a package of chicken tenders (about 4-6 oz worth)
1 TBS chopped basil
1 TBS chopped rosemary
1/4 c lime juice
zest of one lime
1/2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 TBS bay seasoning
salt, pepper for seasoning
garlic powder
1 c all purpose flour
1 large egg
1 1/2 c Panko bread crumbs
1/2 c italian-seasoned bread crumbs (I used Progreso; this is optional but I like the extra crunch it gives)
non-stick cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl big enough for marinating, mix together lime juice, lime zest, garlic powder, and chopped herbs. Let your chicken tenders marinate and chill it in the fridge for at least 30n minutes. about 10-15 min before cooking it, bring it out of the fridge to get it down to room temp.
Preheat your air fryer to 390F for about 5 minutes. Don't spray it just yet until it's done preheating.
Take your Bay Seasoning and mix it into the flour (this will be the first step to our chicken breading). Shake off the excess marinade from each chicken strip and dredge it in flour. Coat well before dipping in the beaten egg (might help adding about a tablespoon of water into the beaten egg). When the strip is coated well in the egg, dredge and coat it in the mixture of Panko and regular bread crumbs. Press down gently to make sure the crumb coating sticks.
Place them in the air fryer but don't overcrowd it or they won't brown well. Overcrowding the air fryer will only create a sort of steam and your chicken strips won't crisp up. Give them a good spritz of non-stick cooking spray before air-frying for about 5 minutes each side until you see a golden brown finish.
They will come out juice and tasty and are perfect on their own. But feel free to pair it with your dressing or sauce of choice (my husband loves Ranch). If you're still waiting for the other strips to cook, place your cooked chicken on a wire tray so it stays crispy and doesn't get soggy.
Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by The Tiny Kitchen!