Parmesan Chicken Tenders with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Apr 18, 2016, Updated Mar 19, 2023
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Flavorful, easy-to-make crispy Parmesan Chicken Tenders coated with panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, served with a side of homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. A delicious meal for the whole family!
You guys! Chicken TENDERS! That’s happiness. And happiness is; satisfying my childhood cravings!
Hey Ya! It’s Meatless Monday with meat sans “less”. Ooops!
How are ya? How was your weekend? Did you go to the pool? Much to my surprise, it was 82 degrees yesterday. Lord, it was beautiful! Reminds me to check my head yet again and ask myself for the magazillionth time as to why I haven’t moved to a warmer State… Fool. To all those living in year-round hot spots: you’re already winning in this game called life. ❤
You know who else is winning at life? BIG time!? My very first blog-crush – Andie Mitchell! The very talented, beautiful, and completely wonderful, Andie.
In her New York Times bestselling memoir, It Was Me All Along, Andie chronicled her struggles with obesity and losing weight. Now, she has a cookbook – Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook – with all the dishes that helped her reach her weight goals and maintain a healthy size.
If there was ever a cookbook that I identified with, or DIETHOOD identified with, Eating in the Middle IS that book! An awesome cookbook, from cover to cover, sharing lightened-up recipes that are adaptable and accessible. A great resource for all people that love eating well without having to turn to odd things like, weird ingredients, or gelatin cake and raw wheatgrass.
The recipes are real, everyday food, and they are a realistic way to eat good even when something calls for a bit of buttah.
Parmesan Chicken Tenders
These Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tenders with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing are from her new book, and they are just a glimpse of all the easy, real, delicious recipes that you will find. Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls, are included. Also? Smashed Garlic Potatoes, Morning Glory Muffins, Lemon Chicken, Peanut Butter Mousse Pie…!!! All amazing!
Every recipe in the book includes nutritional information, so it makes things even easier for those of us that like to keep track of calories, fats, carbs, etc…
My favorite part about this book? Andie’s storytelling sharing details of her own complicated relationship with food throughout the book that others can identify with. Trust me when I say that this is that book; the book that you will go to whenever you need a new recipe, a new idea, or just some inspiration.
Order yourself a copy of Eating in the Middle on Amazon, or go to your local Barnes & Noble or Target to pick up one today!
I should also mention that each and every piece of these chicken tenders was gone in under 5 minutes. The flavor is incredible and the texture is SO on-point. Made with panko crumbs and grated parmesan, they are the best chicken tenders I’ve had.
Then there’s the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Holy Mother of Ranch. THIS recipe is spot-on. Honestly. You have to have to have to make it. Have TO!
ENJOY!
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Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
FOR THE PARMESAN CHICKEN TENDERS
- 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 egg whites
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
FOR THE BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ cup low fat buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Set a wire rack over a large-rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Mix the parmesan breadcrumbs. In a small shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Mix to combine.
- Beat the egg whites. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites.
- Coat the chicken. Dredge each chicken tender first in the egg whites, then in the bread crumbs, pressing with your fingers to coat. Put the coated tenders on a plate as you go, repeating the process until all the tenders are coated.
- Pan-fry. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the tenders to the pan and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Add more cooking oil as needed. Transfer the cooked chicken tenders to the previously prepared wire rack.
- Bake. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the chicken tenders are golden brown and cooked through.
Make the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Mix the ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dill, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Serve! Serve the chicken tenders immediately with a side of the prepared ranch dressing.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This chicken dish is excellent! I serve it with a Cauliflower “Potato” Salad, and I believe it’s a win-win