Easy Chicken Tenders with Honey-Mustard Sauce
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A super-easy and delicious chicken dinner for busy weeknights!
Author:
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Serves: serves 4
Ingredients
  • For the chicken tenders:
  • 8 chicken tenders
  • 1 cups buttermilk
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced finely
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • --- salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 6 TBSP. olive oil or sunflower oil
  • For the Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce
  • 2 TBSP. Dijon mustard
  • 1 TBSP. white wine or apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ TBSP. honey
  • 2 TBSP. light mayonnaise
  • --- pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Trim the tenders, pat them dry and place them in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of buttermilk, the minced (or grated) garlic, salt and pepper. Turn chicken a couple of times, until everything is well incorporated and the chicken tenders are coated in the buttermilk mixture. Transfer to a large zipper-lock bag, press out the air, and seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
  2. In a separate small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese. Transfer this mixture to a large shallow bowl or a pie plate.
  3. In another small bowl, mix all ingredients for the mustard-honey dipping sauce. Taste and adjust by adding more acidity (to make it sharper) or more mayo (to make it milder).
  4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove it from the bag, let the excess liquid drip off, and place it on the plate with the panko-Parmesan mixture. Season lightly with some salt and pepper. Turn to coat, piling crumbs on top and pressing down firmly so that a thick layer adheres to the chicken. Transfer coated chicken to a wire rack set over a pan and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
  5. Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot. Working in batches, carefully add chicken by lowering the tenders away from you into the oil. Add as many as will fit in one layer (and do not crowd).
  6. Cook, swirling pan gently and using a thin flexible metal spatula to loosen chicken if it sticks, until chicken is golden-brown and crisp on bottom side, about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tenders. Using a thin metal spatula and a fork, carefully flip chicken and cook until golden brown on second side. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 3 minutes.
  7. To the platter, add some lemon wedges, the honey-mustard sauce and serve at once.
Notes
Instead of chicken tenders, you can also use chicken cutlets: Place a skinless, boneless chicken breast on a cutting board and with a sharp knife slice it horizontally, so you have two thinner pieces. Continue with the recipe. Make sure you do not over-cook them. The cutlets might cook faster than the chicken tenders.
Recipe by Marilena's Kitchen at https://marilenaskitchen.com/easy-chicken-tenders-with-honey-mustard-sauce/