Oven-fried chicken tenders

Chicken strips in a spiced almond flour and parmesan crust, baked crisp and served with a yogurt ranch dip.

  • Have some energy
  • Gluten-free
  • American
  • Dinner
  • Lunch
  • Chicken
  • Keto
  • Low carb
  • High protein
  • Superfood
Hands-on
18 min
Total time
43 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 20 min
  • Clean up 8 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
11
Cost/serving
$3.87

Per serving

Calories
568
Protein
59 g
Fiber
3.9 g
Net carbs
7 g
Fat
33 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Niacin (B3) 113%, Selenium 104%, Vitamin B6 94%, Riboflavin (B2) 65%, Vitamin E 58%, Vitamin K 57%, Vitamin B12 49%, Magnesium 33%, Zinc 28%, Calcium 22%, Potassium 21%, Thiamin (B1) 20%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already gluten-free, soy-free.

Ingredients for 2

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 350 g chicken breast, boneless skinless

    Same amount as: 12¼ oz, about 2 breasts.

  • ½ cup almond flour, blanched (56 g)

    Same amount as: 120 mL.

  • 4 tbsp parmesan, grated (20 g), finely grated

    Same amount as: 60 mL.

  • 1 large egg (50 g)

    Same amount as: about 1 medium, about 1 jumbo.

  • 1 tsp paprika (2.3 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 1 tsp garlic powder (3.1 g), ¾ tsp for the coating, ¼ tsp for the dip

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • ¾ tsp onion powder (1.8 g), ½ tsp for the coating, ¼ tsp for the dip

    Same amount as: 4 mL.

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2% (122 g)

    Same amount as: 120 mL.

  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley (7.6 g), finely chopped

    Same amount as: 30 mL.

  • 1 tsp lemon juice (5 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL, ⅛ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.

  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Find alternative ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings. Tenders must not touch on the pan. For 4, use two sheet pans.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (317 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories568
Total fat33 g42%
Saturated fat6.2 g31%
Cholesterol232 mg77%
Sodium455 mg20%
Total carbohydrate11 g4%
Dietary fiber3.9 g14%
Total sugars3.7 g
Net carbs†7 g
Protein59 g118%
Vitamin D0.73 mcg4%
Calcium290 mg22%
Iron2.8 mg16%
Potassium985 mg21%
Vitamin A128 mcg14%
Vitamin C6.3 mg7%
Vitamin E8.7 mg58%
Vitamin K68 mcg57%
Thiamin (B1)0.24 mg20%
Riboflavin (B2)0.84 mg65%
Niacin (B3)18 mg113%
Vitamin B61.6 mg94%
Folate44 mcg11%
Vitamin B121.2 mcg49%
Magnesium140 mg33%
Zinc3.1 mg28%
Selenium57 mcg104%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Line the sheet pan with parchment and brush it with half the oil.

  2. Cut the chicken into strips about 2 cm (¾ in) thick. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

  3. Beat the egg in one shallow bowl. In another, mix the almond flour, parmesan, paprika and the coating amounts of garlic and onion powder.

  4. Dip each strip in egg, let the extra drip off, then press it into the coating on all sides. Lay them on the pan with space between.

  5. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the tops. Bake 10 minutes, flip, and bake 8–10 minutes more.

    Done looks like: Crust deep golden and crisp. Thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest tender.
  6. While they bake, stir the yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, the rest of the garlic and onion powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve with the tenders.

    Done looks like: Thick, speckled green dip that holds on a tender.

Equipment

Rimmed sheet pan (half sheet) $12–25

What to look for

  • Heavy aluminum that does not warp in a hot oven
  • Rim all the way round so juices stay in

Skip: Dark non-stick sheet pans; they burn the bottoms of vegetables.

Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30

What to look for

  • Reads in 5 seconds or less
  • Thin probe tip
  • Shows °C and °F

Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.

Silicone spatula $5–12

What to look for

  • One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
  • Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick

Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Soggy bottom crustNot flipped, or tenders crowded so they steam.Space them apart and flip halfway. Let them sit 2 minutes on the pan before serving.
Crust browns before the chicken is doneStrips cut too thick.Cut 2 cm (¾ in) thick. If they are browning fast, lower to 200 °C / 400 °F.
Coating falls off in patchesWet chicken or too much egg.Pat the chicken dry and let the egg drip off before coating.

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.

Pregnancy: Cook chicken to 74 °C / 165 °F. Use parmesan and yogurt made from pasteurized milk.