Sesame Chicken Tenders
Thanks to the yummy sweet sauce, your kids will gobble up these protein- packed chicken tenders. I'm pretty positive this recipe will win over your fussiest family member and soon work its way into your regular dinner rotation.
- Sesame Sauce:
- 1 cup low-fat unsalted or reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp grated or finely minced fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1½ tbsp Asian sesame oil
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
- Chicken Tenders:
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs*
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
Prepare the sesame sauce: In a small (1- to 2-quart) saucepan, combine the chicken broth, ginger, garlic, ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
In a small bowl or cup, combine the cornstarch with 3 tbsp water. Stir together thoroughly.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce, and stir. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; the mixture will develop into a thick glaze. Remove the pan from the heat and cover it to keep the sauce warm while you prepare the chicken tenders.
Prepare the chicken tenders: In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg whites until frothy.
In a second shallow bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs with salt and black pepper.
Using tongs or your fingers, dip each chicken strip into the egg white, then lightly coat it with panko. Place the breaded chicken strip on a plate. Repeat until all the chicken strips are breaded.
Liberally coat a large skillet or sauté pan with oil spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.
Add a batch of the chicken tenders to the skillet in a single layer, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes.
Using tongs, flip the chicken tenders over and cook until they are browned on the second side and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to a clean plate and recoat the skillet with oil spray. Repeat until all the chicken tenders are cooked.
To serve, drizzle the chicken tenders with the sesame sauce, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
- *For extra crunch: Coat the chicken with panko bread crumbs. If you're lucky enough to find whole wheat panko, fantastic, but don't worry if you can only find standard white—for this recipe, it's perfectly fine.
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