September 12, 2016

Baked Rosemary Walnut Chicken Tenders

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Healthy and juicy, these baked rosemary walnut chicken tenders are an excellent way to shake up dinner! With a walnut and fresh rosemary breadcrumb crust and a creamy honey mustard dipping sauce, they’re hard to beat. Dairy free.

A white plate with several Baked Rosemary Walnut Chicken Tenders and a bowl of mustard dipping sauce.

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it a million more times in the future, but I get very bored, very easily with chicken.

But today’s baked rosemary walnut chicken tenders? Soooo not at all boring! Now this is some chicken that I can actually get behind!

Plus, chicken tenders always remind me of growing up and heading back to school. One of my mom’s signature dishes during the week was potato chip crusted chicken tenders.

My sister and I were both obnoxiously picky eaters, but that chicken? We would happily enjoy come dinner.

Which brings us to today! And a sort of updated version of that recipe from my childhood. Plus, it’s healthier and a dish that I think both grown-ups and kiddos can get down with.

We have chicken coated in a breadcrumb / walnut / fresh rosemary mixture.

After baking the tenders, you wind up with juicy and a touch crunchy chicken that we of course need to dip in some sauce. Some creamy dreamy honey mustard sauce to be exact.

Which, might I add, goes swimmingly with so many things. Not just chicken. No sir.

A white platter with Walnut Crusted Chicken Tenders and a bowl of dipping sauce.

Tips & Tricks

  1. I love to chop the walnuts for the breadcrumb mixture in my food processor – it makes it sooo fast.
  2. As far as the actual chicken, I usually get about 3 to 4 strips out of each chicken breast (just depending on their exact size).
  3. Once you have all the chicken breaded and on the baking sheet, be sure to mist all the tops lightly with nonstick or olive oil spray. Don’t skip this step – it helps the chicken brown.
  4. Now, let’s talk bake time. I like to stick with the 13 to 15 minutes listed, since the chicken comes out so juicy this way. However, you can bake them a little longer, which will allow them to brown even more. Just be careful not to overcook the chicken – we don’t want it to get dry.
  5. And finally, the dipping sauce. The yogurt adds a wonderful creaminess as well as a bit of tang. However, you can absolutely omit the yogurt and just use equal amounts of honey and dijon. It’s still great that way too.

Side angle view of a white plate with Rosemary Chicken Tenders and a bowl of dipping sauce.

Additional Dinner Recipes:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Healthy and juicy baked rosemary walnut chicken tenders! With a walnut & fresh rosemary breadcrumb crust and a creamy honey mustard dipping sauce!

Baked Rosemary Walnut Chicken Tenders

Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Healthy and juicy, these baked rosemary walnut chicken tenders are an excellent way to shake up dinner! With a walnut and fresh rosemary breadcrumb crust and a creamy honey mustard dipping sauce, they’re hard to beat. Dairy free.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds)
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk of choice*
  • ¾ cup finely chopped raw walnuts
  • ¾ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the sauce:

  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup plain greek yogurt or plain dairy free yogurt*

Instructions

For the chicken:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set an oven-safe cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Mist with nonstick or olive oil spray. Set aside.
  2. Lightly pound the chicken breasts so that they are about ¾ inch in thickness, then slice each into 1-inch thick strips. Set aside.
  3. Add the flour to a small bowl. In another small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a shallow dish, mix together the walnuts, breadcrumbs, rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
  4. Working one or two strips at a time, dredge the chicken lightly in the flour, then dunk into the milk mixture and shake off the excess. Dredge / press in the walnut mixture, using your fingers to press the coating onto the chicken.
  5. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all the chicken strips, leaving room between each on the sheet. Once all the strips are on the baking sheet, mist the tops lightly with nonstick or olive oil spray.
  6. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, flipping the chicken once halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is lightly browned.

For the sauce:

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Serve with the chicken on the side for dipping!

Notes

*To keep these dairy free - use non-dairy milk and plain unsweetened dairy free yogurt.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 427Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 645mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 13gProtein: 31g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dish
Dairy Free, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes (ALL), Weeknight
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