Tasty Tenders

In looking back over my most recent posts, it would seem that I spend a lot of my time trying to find "Paleo-ified" versions of the foods we've had to cut out of our diet.

In reality, we don't actually spend a lot of our time on these efforts, but with the onset of cold weather and an upper respiratory infection that I just can't seem to shake, I'll admit to craving more comfort foods than usual.

However, the goal in my cooking, both before and after the switch to a Paleo-ish diet, has been bold flavors. I have found that the key to keeping my eating in check is having truly flavorful foods on my plate. You might find that counter intuitive - surely if the food tastes awesome, it'll just entice you to eat more, right? I have found the opposite to be true. When the food bursts with flavor, I eat my portion and feel satisfied. But when the dish is lacking in flavor, I find myself searching the kitchen for something more to fill that void.

The recipe I am sharing today is one that truly satisfies. It's taken quite a few attempts to get this one right, but now it is a dish that the whole family enjoys!

These chicken tenders were inspired by Arsy over at Rubies and Radishes. She has so many inspiring recipes, I highly recommend that you click over and check them out for yourself! This recipe for Paleo Chicken Tenders was the first one I tried from her site but it has not been the last!

Tasty Tenders

Stuff You Need:

• ¾ cup plantain chips, ground
• ¾ cup tapioca flour
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• coconut oil for frying
• 1 lb. organic chicken tenders

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Grind your plantain chips in a food processor until you reach the consistency of a course ground flour. You can keep grinding until it has a finer texture, but I personally like a more course grind.
3. In a shallow bowl or pie pan, combine chips, tapioca flour and spices.
4. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs together.
5. Dredge the chicken tenders one piece at a time in the flour & spice mixture. Shake off the excess flour, then dip the chicken tenders in the egg and then once again dredge them in the flour.
6. Melt your coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and add the chicken strips. Don't crowd the skillet, it is OK to cook these in batches.
7. Cook your tenders for 2-3 minutes on each side. This will give a nice crisp to the flour coating.
8. Transfer the tenders from the skillet to a foil-lined roasting pan.
9. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes, until no pink remains in the tenders.
10. Remove from the oven and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any remaining oil.

This recipe is pretty darn close to the original I found over at Rubies & Radishes. The big difference is that I don't finish cooking these in the coconut oil in the skillet. I tried multiple times to get them just right, but inevitably found that either the coating scorched (my heat was too high) or they tasted too oily (when I lowered the heat). So my compromise was to just kind of brown them in the oil in the skillet and then finish them off in the oven. This process only added a few minutes to the total prep time and the end result was well worth it! The strips were crispy and light tasting.

The spice mixture has a nice bold flavor, but don't be afraid of the cayenne. Wonder Boy is not a fan of spicy foods and he has given this his stamp of approval as-is.

I hope you and your family will enjoy them as much as we have!