• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 pound chicken tenders (see Ingredient Note)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
2. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute.
3. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.
4. Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.)
5. Place the tenders on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side.
6. Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20-25 minutes.

Tips

Ingredient note:

1. Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”

Per serving: 174 calories; 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 2 g mono unsaturated fat); 66 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 254 mg sodium; 76 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (31% daily value).

Exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 1/2 fat

Contributed by: EatingWell.com

Instead of batter-dipped, deep-fried nuggets, we coat chicken tenders in a seasoned almond and whole-wheat flour crust and then oven-fry them to perfection. With half the fat of standard breaded chicken tenders, you can enjoy to your (healthy) heart’s content.