Healthy Boneless Chicken Tenders

This is one of our favorite weekend meals.  We eat these all different ways,  but here is the basic foundation for flavorful, crunchy chicken tenders.  After you bake them,  toss them in a favorite spicy,  Asian, or barbeque sauce to make your version of restaurant style  boneless chicken.  I serve them alongside sweet potato fries and a tossed green salad.  The chicken goes great OVER a salad to make a lovely mid-week lunch.  

 

Ingredients
4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into tenders
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs or panko
Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. 

Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. 

Marinate about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile...

 

Prepare Vinaigrette:

Mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. 

Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. 

Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. 

 

Optional: Add some agave or other sweetener or some Dijon mustard

Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving dish

1. Combine Parmesan and bread crumbs in a shallow dish
2. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. 
3. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly.
4. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Serve with vinaigrette or other favorite dipping sauce.