Deep-fried chicken tenders are notoriously unhealthy foods because they often use fatty parts of the chicken and soak up lots of oil while they are cooking. You can put a healthy twist on the meal by grilling your chicken tenders on a griddle with just a little bit of olive oil. This brings in a healthier type of fat and get a crispy exterior on the chicken's breading to contrast with the white meat inside.
Preparation
Many stores sell frozen chicken tenders that are prebreaded, but to save some money and have more control over your ingredients, you can prepare your own instead. Purchase raw chicken tenders or cut your own by slicing raw chicken breasts diagonally into three or four chicken tenders per breast. Using chicken breasts ensures that you are getting the leanest chicken possible.
Breading and Seasonings
Soak your raw chicken tenders in milk or a beaten egg to moisten them and prepare it for the breading. For a simple, healthy breading, use whole-wheat flour with your favorite dried herbs in it. You can also use homemade or store-bought breadcrumbs in place of the flour. For a protein-packed breading, process almonds, flour and seasonings in a food processor, coffee grinder or spice mill until the almonds have reached the size of breadcrumbs. Spread your breading of choice on a plate, shake the excess egg or milk from each tender and dredge them in your breading of choice, pressing the breading onto the tenders to coat them evenly.
Cooking Technique
When using olive oil, you must grill the chicken tenders at a lower heat setting than you would use with other types of oil. This is because olive oil has a lower smoke point and will burn at the higher temperatures. Coat the bottom of your griddle with olive oil and heat it on medium until the oil is hot but not smoking. Place the chicken tenders on the griddle and grill them for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the breading is browned and the chicken's juices run clear when you pierce them with a fork. Thinner tenders might take less time, whereas thicker ones will take longer.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve chicken tenders on plain rice with butter and herbs or with mashed or baked potatoes. On the side, a vegetable side dish, such as a spinach salad, steamed broccoli, sauteed kale and onions, or steamed carrots provides a nutritious accompaniment. Choosing dark-colored vegetables increases the vitamin and mineral content of the meal. Another idea is to use the grilled chicken tenders as part of a larger dish, such as in chicken quesadillas or tacos or on top of a large salad.
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