Anyone who has frequented a fast-food restaurant such as McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Dairy Queen probably is familiar with chicken tenders or fingers. They are extremely popular with the younger crowd.
Of course, the ones you can buy at those eateries or others more than likely are deep-fried and heavily coated with breading.
Here’s an alternative, adapted a recipe at the Real Women of Philadephia website (http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/). These baked chicken tenders are quick and easy to make.
The Philadelphia Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese in the crunchy breading and on the side in a tasty dipping sauce keeps these lean tenders moist and juicy.
Easy Chicken Tenders
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 12 tenders)
6 ounces Philadelphia Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese
36 Ritz Crackers (one sleeve crumbled)
1/2 cup French’s French Fried Onions (crumbled)
6 ounces plain fat-free yogurt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with a butter flavored nonstick spray.
Coat your tenders in 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese then toss them in a crumbled mixture of crackers and fried onions. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees and is crispy on outside. Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix 2 ounces of cream cheese with yogurt, salt and pepper to taste. Serve this dip on side.
Yield: Serves 4.