When I told the girls we were having chicken nuggets for lunch, they both screamed “Eowww!”. After watching the very first episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and seeing how processed chicken nuggets were made, they vowed never to eat chicken nuggets again. I had to convince them that I’m making something entirely different – these were the good kind, made from yummy chicken tenders, the way Giada de Laurentiis makes them.
Directions:
1. Marinate chicken tender strips in buttermilk for an hour up to overnight in the fridge. (It’s better if you pound the chicken strips first so they’re nice and thin.)
2. When you’re ready to cook, coat the chicken strips in a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese.
3. Pan-fry the strips until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the chicken strips with a garlic-balsamic dipping sauce. To make the dipping sauce, mince 2 to 3 cloves of garlic. Put the garlic in a small bowl and add about 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil until the sauce emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper.
Note: To make sure the chicken strips are cooked through, I put them in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes after frying. (If you pounded the chicken strips thin, you shouldn’t have to worry about not cooking them thoroughly in the pan.)
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me your comments here.