Chicken fingers are a classic childhood favorite but there’s no reason we can’t dress it up a bit to tantalize the child in every adult. In this easy recipe, I use Japanese panko bread crumbs, which gives the chicken tenders a beautiful crunchy texture that goes perfectly with any of our favorite dipping sauces. By eliminating the typical steps of dredging through an egg wash and flour, we also remove extra unnecessary calories and prep time. With a touch of garlic flavor and fresh herbs and spices, these chicken tenders are gourmet enough for adults but still delicious enough for kids.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
2 cups panko break crumbs
1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
Olive oil to coat bottom of a skillet
Pink Himalayan salt (substitute any course salt) to generously sprinkle over chicken

Method

Cut the chicken into thin strips. Rinse under cold water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add together the panko, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder and curry powder, mixing until evenly distributed.

In a large skillet or pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Dredge the chicken strips in the panko mixture, pressing firmly on both sides to coat thoroughly. Carefully place the chicken into the hot pan and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side until golden. Repeat this step until all the chicken is cooked, adding olive oil to the pan as necessary with each batch.

Drain the chicken on paper towel and immediately sprinkle generously with the salt. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, though we recommend the Spicy Apricot Plum sauce.