Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders

That's a mouthful!

I love chicken tenders. However, I rarely eat them. I have a thing... I can't eat meat that has anything funny about it. Red spots? Not eating it. Chewy part? Not eating it. Bones? Not eating it. Anything I think that seems weird? Not eating it.

However, I was craving chicken tenders. What's a girl to do who has weird rules with chicken? Make them, of course. I didn't want to just make plain chicken tenders... I wanted lemon pepper ones! YUM.

I know how to make basic breaded chicken... but I googled lemon pepper chicken tenders and came on this beauty. I'm not the only one to think of this!

I used her recipe loosely, and I'll outline the changes in the recipe.

Let me just warn you... these.were.amazing. AMAZING, people.

I only had chicken breasts in the freezer so I defrosted and cut them into strips (try and keep them about the same size so they cook evenly.) 

The cut strips then need to be dredged in the above: 

1. egg (I added some lemon juice, about a tablespoon)
2. flour
3. panko (I added a tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning)

I recommend (STRONGLY) only using one hand in the dredging process. Or else you're going to look like Edward Scissorhands and no one will be home to turn on the faucet. And then you'll think about salmonella growing on your kitchen sink because you touched it with eggy-hands. That might just be me. But I don't think so.

After you coat each one, put it on a greased cookie rack on top of a baking sheet. I got this secret from above blog; apparently, it makes them crispier :) I did do a little research and found that some cookie racks can emit fumes in the oven... check yours before you try... or just put them on a baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray)

Don't these look so yummy?

Then you just bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes. Flip 'em and finish for 8-10 minutes. Keep your eye on them. Your kitchen will smell like paradise!

We had ours with roasted asparagus and I used this recipe. It was DELICIOUS.

All together now... YUM!

On a completely related side note, I just discovered via another blog that some stores sell lemon pepper panko! GENIUS. Unfortunately, 'some stores' is not my grocery store :(

Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon (or more if you really love it) lemon pepper seasoning
• cooking spray

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Cut the chicken into strips.
• Set up your coating stations: one bowl full of flour, one bowl full of egg and lemon juice, and one bowl full of panko/lemon pepper mixture.
• Dredge chicken strips through flour, then egg mixture, and then panko mixture.
• Place on greased cookie rack over baking sheet as you finish.
• Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.