Crunchy Quinoa Crusted Chicken Tenders

I love using quinoa for these Crunchy Quinoa Crusted Chicken Tenders because I can serve them to so many people, and they come out with a beautiful crunchy crust that is totally satisfying. Quinoa is an ancient grain that also happens to be a super food because it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It is gluten-free, too, so it appeals to many food lifestyles.

Author: Weelicious

Meal Type: Peanuts Free

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: EASY

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 539 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 ½ cups - quinoa
½ cup - breadcrumbs
1 tsp - kosher salt
½ tsp - garlic powder
¼ tsp - paprika
2 pounds - chicken tenders, remove white stringy tendon
2 - eggs or egg whites
olive oil

Instructions

Pour the quinoa onto a towel and blot to remove any excess moisture. Place in a shallow bowl.
Add the breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, and paprika to the quinoa. Stir to combine well.
In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs.
4. Dip the chicken into the egg and then into the quinoa mixture pressing evenly to coat.*
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add a thin coat of oil and pan sear the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side or until quinoa is golden.
* To freeze the chicken fingers before cooking, place coated chicken fingers on parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours. Place in labeled zipper bags and freeze until to 4 months. When ready to cook place a few fingers in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours to defrost and then cook as directed in step 5.

Nutrition