Delicious Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 600–800g chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast pounded down and cut into strips) 
• 1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise 
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or pickle juice 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
•  1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tbsp water or milk 
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs 
• 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes (or more panko breadcrumbs) 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp paprika 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (a great flavour booster)
• Oil

Method

1. If you're using chicken breast, pound to even thickness and then cut into strips. Ensure all strips are as close in size as possible.

2. Mix mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice and seasoning (garlic and onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper) together and coat chicken tenders completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 4 hours, and up to 12 hours.

3. Create breading station. In one bowl combine plain flour, salt, and paprika. In the second bowl, combine 2 eggs and water or milk whisked completely. In the last bowl combine breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes, finer breadcrumbs or more panko breadcrumbs. If using grated parmesan then mix in here, too. 

4. Remove excess mayo on tenders then crumb: first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture and then the crumb. Once all tenders are coated, place in fridge for 30 mins to one hour to set. This will ensure the crumb sticks to the chicken throughout cooking.

5. You can either oven bake, air fry or shallow fry the tenders. To oven bake or air fry, spray a light coating of oil to encourage crunch. Cook at 200 degrees celsius for 10 minutes in the air fryer and flip halfway, or for 20 minutes in the oven, flipping halfway. To shallow fry, fill the bottom of a pan with oil, bring to a medium-high heat, and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Ensure to temp check your tenders to ensure they've been cooked properly. 

note: you can also use chicken thighs for this recipe, skinless, boneless and cut into strips.