Originally published on 2/21/14 and recipe updated on 9/1/2020
If you’re anything like me, chicken tenders are a nostalgic food. My Dad and I used to go to TGI Fridays every Friday when I lived in Hong Kong, and I always ordered a plate of chicken tenders and fries.
Now, the thing is that most restaurant style chicken tenders come loaded with high amounts of carbohydrates, fats and sometimes even extra added sugar. It’s a wonderful treat once in a while. I’ve found a way to mimic the same delicious flavor so you can make healthy chicken tenders a regular part of your household meals!
How to Make Healthy Chicken Tenders
This recipe uses almond flour and unsweetened shredded coconut in place of regular all purpose flour or breadcrumbs. I like almond flour because it is higher in protein than regular flour and gives the chicken tenders a delicious and nutty taste. The unsweetened shredded coconut provides a fun texture and really adds to the overall taste.
While these two ingredients aren’t exactly low calorie, the combination of both provides a satiating and filling chicken tender due to the higher amounts of protein in the almond flour, and the healthy fats in the shredded unsweetened coconut.
Recipe: Healthy Chicken Tenders
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Get two bowls and a baking tray lined with parchment paper; one bowl will contain the unsweetened shredded coconut, almond flour and spices mixed together and the other bowl contains the 1tbsp water and egg (which is whisked first).
If your chicken breast isn't thin, I recommend hammering it with a mallet until it's about 1/2 inch thickness or less.
Cut your chicken into strips and then one by one, dip your chicken lightly into the egg wash bowl.
Now, transfer the chicken to the bowl with the almond flour, unsweetened shredded coconut and seasonings, making sure to cover the chicken evenly.
Place all of your chicken tenders onto your baking tray, making sure the strips are evenly spaced apart. You may need more than one tray depending on how many strips you decide to make!
Bake them for 13 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Feel free to broil the chicken strips for 2-4 more minutes for a more golden color.
Let cool for 5-minutes then eat and enjoy!
Ingredients
Nutritional Information per 1 chicken breast which makes around 10 strips
Calories: 521
Carbohydrates: 7.8g
Fat: 31.6g
Protein: 58g
Sugar: 2g
Fiber: 4g
(Disclaimer: These figures are an approximation, numbers could differ depending on the size of the chicken breast, type of almond flour you use, etc).
And voila! There you have it – very easy to make yet delicious healthy chicken tenders. I love serving my tenders with plenty of dips such as buffalo sauce, tzatziki and ketchup. And a watermelon juice to drink is SO refreshing.
I typically enjoy chicken strips with a side of veggies. I like eating it with a salad, roast cauliflower, or a soup like my roasted tomato soup). Fries are always delicious with these chicken tenders š
I can’t wait for you to try out my chicken tenders! I know you’ll love them and I hope you choose to rate my recipe or leave a comment below if you do. I always enjoy seeing your photos when you make my recipes, so don’t be a stranger on Instagram. Be sure to tag me!
Honestly yours,
Alice
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