Healthy Chicken Fingers

Recipe courtesy of Erin Parekh, NLC. Get more recipes from Erin at erinparekh.com and follow her on Instagram at @erinparekh_. Think chicken fingers are just for kids? Erin Parekh, NLC, has multiple reasons adults should get on board with making—and eating—them. “Cutting the chicken breasts into strips ensures a fast cooking time, and adding a light batter helps keep the meat juicy, preventing that dry, overcooked chicken scenario we’re all too familiar with,” she says. “Plus, tenders are easier to portion out for leftovers to add to salads and other dishes.” Get more insight into her cooking process and her thoughts on choosing chicken, here. Then, try out these grown-up flavor combinations she loves: —Parsley, tarragon, chives, white wine —Basil, parsley, lemon juice —Parsley, mint, oregano, lemon juice Or, try adding 2 cups marinara, heating through, and finishing with 1/4 cup fresh basil. It’s delicious served over pasta or zucchini noodles. For a kid friendly version, simply omit the herbs and white wine/lemon juice.

Ingredients

1 pound organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or tenders)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 egg, scrambled
2-3 tablespoons white wine or lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (see notes on variations)

Directions

1. Cut chicken breasts vertically into 1-inch wide strips and place in a shallow dish or pie plate. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds fresh black pepper, and toss to combine.
2. Sprinkle arrowroot powder over seasoned chicken and stir to coat. Start with 1 tablespoon and add additional as needed. You want a light coating on each strip. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir again to coat. Place in the fridge and let sit 20 minutes.
3. Then, add the egg, stir to coat, and let sit another 5-10 minutes while you chop the herbs and preheat the pan.
4. To cook the tenders, bring a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and add the additional tablespoon of olive oil. Add tenders (in batches if needed), draining off any extra batter, and sauté, turning once, until each side is golden, 7-10 minutes.
5. When tenders are close to done, add herbs and stir to coat. Then add white wine and sauté until evaporated. (If you cooked tenders in batches, add them all back to the pan before tossing with herbs and wine.)
6. Let tenders rest for several minutes and serve.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE Chicken fingers are generally unhealthy because they’re heavily breaded and deep fried. But when coated with arrowroot starch and cooked in a pan, they’re just protein-packed strips. Plus, this recipe uses fresh herbs to add both flavor and micronutrients.