Crunchy Baked Honey Mustard Panko Chicken Fingers

Each time the form comes home I think ‘I wonder how much begging I am going to have to deal with’. See, at my daughter’s school, we get Hot Lunch forms each month so my daughter and I sit down together and fill it out.

To my disappointment, we get to choose from hot dogs & chips, macaroni and butter, fried chicken tenders with fries and pizza. I am all into being the cool mommy but need to hold my ground, however I do order her one slice of pizza each week. So sue me or as my friend Ally says ‘Don’t be getting all up in my chili’

Then I see the sad puppy eyes and the guilt starts in the pit of my belly and goes all the way up to the back of my eyeballs.  She wants to fit in and be a part. I know that feeling and I know the way it feels when you are the only one that is not doing what the others do.

So, here is what this mommy does to help bridge the gap: I send her to school with these Baked Chicken Tenders.  She smiles + I smile + her body smiles = win-win! See, math does not stink.

Crunchy Baked Honey Mustard Panko Chicken Fingers: These crispy chicken tenders are made with boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloin that are crispy thanks to Panko bread crumbs—no deep-frying necessary.

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
2-3 lbs of chicken tenderloins or chicken breast, cut into strips
olive oil cooking spray
1/2 cup whole wheat or flour all-purpose
3 large eggs
2 cups coarse dry whole-wheat Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoons salt, divided

1. Combine the honey, mustard, orange juice and garlic in a bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture into a storage bag, add the chicken and marinate 30 minutes to a few hours.

2. When you are ready to bread the tenders, preheat oven to 450 degrees and prepare the baking sheet by placing a cooling rack on it (it helps crisp the entire coating).

3. Create the following assemble line: A shallow bowl containing the flour, a lightly beat eggs in the second shallow bowl, and the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.

4. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the bowls containing the flour and the one containing the breadcrumbs and mix well.

5. Spray the cooling rack with the cooking spray. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the tender in the egg and let excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumb mixture and place the tenders on the prepared rack.

6. Bake the tenders for 18-20 minutes depending on thickness of the tenders.

Love baked tenders? Try these Pretzel Crusted Baked Chicken Tenders or if you like heat, try the Sriracha Tenders. Oh, and naturally, you need a mustard dipping sauce!

What are some of your favorite dipping sauces for chicken?