Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders

As I rummaged through my refrigerator yesterday, trying to decide what do to for dinner, I spotted a package of recently defrosted chicken breasts resting on the bottom shelf. Perfect, I thought. I'll whip up something nice and easy. Then, as my eyes wandered up from the bottom to the top shelf, I saw it. Gazing me hatefully in the face. My bane. My enemy. 

Buttermilk.

Then I remembered what the chicken breasts were for. 

I don't know what buttermilk consists of, and frankly, I don't want to know. I've never tasted it. I don't know anyone who has. I had a professor in college who decided we all needed to try buttermilk and actually brought a carton of it in to class one day - along with plastic cups - and demanded that everyone have some. I managed to fake my way through it by bringing the cup to my lips and pretending to take a swallow, then just shaking my head "no" emphatically when the professor asked me if I liked it.

I never forgave that professor for putting me through that, but I did well in the class at least (which was Experimental Fiction, for those who care).

This recipe calls for only a half cup of buttermilk, yet when I went to the supermarket, hoping to find at least a pint or half-pint, like they sold heavy cream, I was told by the very nice man in the dairy department that this did not exist. I would have to settle for a FULL QUART. I expressed my disappointment, explaining to the dairy man that I only needed four ounces, to cook with, and made it perfectly clear that despite my complaints, it wasn't his fault. He just said, "You're not the first one to complain. A lot of people ask me if we stock small containers because they also need it to cook with. It's such a waste that people have to buy a full quart and then have it go to waste." Before I left, he told me he was going to file a request with their distributor to provide smaller containers of buttermilk because he'd had so many complaints.

One step at a time, right? Maybe by the next time I decide to make this recipe, there will be smaller containers to be had. But for now, I have a quart of buttermilk that is slowly curdling in my fridge because I have no idea what to do with it.

This recipe is a fresh new take on chicken tenders. It is usually cooked in a toaster oven, but I had too much chicken and not enough space in the toaster oven, so I decided to cook it in a conventional oven. It is surprisingly filling for a meal, or you can always double (or even triple) the recipe if you're entertaining.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS, courtesy of TheNest.com

Yields ~12 tenders

YOU WILL NEED:

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil

1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or rosemary needles

Olive oil spray (optional)

mise-en-place

You will also need a mixing bowl and a food processor.
 

Yes, that is in fact a basil plant all the way to the left. I found it at the supermarket. I couldn't find a little plastic container of it, so I settled for this - and realized a few days later, I didn't "settle" at all! It's the best thing ever. It was in the produce section and it came in a little plastic pouch. The ball of roots is in tact and all you need to keep it alive is water. I bought this almost 2 weeks ago and it is still thriving. Plus my kitchen smells like fresh basil 24/7. What's better than that?

Also, the recipe suggests that you prep overnight to let the chicken marinate. However, I marinated for about 10 hours and it still came out kick-ass.

1. In a shallow dish, mix together the buttermilk, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and oil. Place the chicken pieces in the buttermilk mixture and coat them thoroughly. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk mixture overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (or the toaster oven to 425 F). In a food processor, mix the oats, red pepper flakes, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, Parmesan and basil. Pulse until the oats are partially powdered. Alternatively, mix the ingredients together in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

3. Spread the oat mixture on a plate. Shake any excess buttermilk off the chicken and dredge to coat each piece thoroughly.

 

4. Place the chicken pieces on a tray lined with foil and sprayed with no-stick oil (if using a toaster oven, check your manufacturer's instructions for any cautions against using foil), so that they are not touching one another. If using, spray the chicken pieces lightly with oil. Bake for about 20-30 minutes in the oven (10 to 15 minutes in the toaster oven), depending on the thickness of the meat, until the crust is golden brown and crispy.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve hot, or refrigerate and serve cold over a salad.

Yummy! I served them hot, obviously, with a side of brown rice and a salad. The coating was crispy and the red pepper gave it a little kick while the basil and Parmesan gave it bold flavor. This definitely is going to be repeat recipe. It was so easy and we devoured them. Next time I'm going to mix it up a little, use herbs other than basil, or maybe mix the basil with rosemary and oregano and possibly some more garlic. They could have been more garlicky. The possibilities are endless!

So tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday. We don't have anything special planned; just having a few friends over. I'm making 7 layer dip as well as what I'm featuring tomorrow: a glazed Orange Poppy Seed Cake. It's another crock pot recipe. Yes, a cake in the crock pot! How cool is that?

Okay, time to finish cleaning my apartment and watch some more of the "Glee" marathon. Until next time: eat, drink and be merry!