Sesame Chicken Tenders

This is a great recipe to make with your kids. I remember doing it with my two and they loved it. We cooked together quite a bit and they have many fond memories of us working and laughing in the kitchen.

It's really just a simple psuedo schnitzel recipe without having to pound the chicken flat.
These crispy chicken pieces are perfect for picnics. Just wrap the cooled chicken pieces individually in parchment to chill and transport.

Ingredients...

• 1-2 pounds chicken breasts - Bones & skin removed, and cut in half or chicken tenders.
• 1/2 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs ( I make my bread crumbs from whole grain bread and season them myself with parsley, granulated garlic, salt & pepper)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (fresh is best but dry will work and if you've used seasoned bread crumbs the parsley is already in it)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or equivalent made from buttermilk powder)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons butter or margarine substitute
  

Here's how you do it...

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. In a shallow dish or pie pan whisk the egg and buttermilk until blended.
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
4. Combine the bread crumbs, sesame seeds, parsley, salt & pepper on another shallow plate or pie pan.
5. Dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture and then into the crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs onto the chicken using the back of a spoon or flat butter knife.
6. Place the coated chicken pieces onto the parchment lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
7. In a baking pan (I line mine with foil for easy clean up) put the oil and butter (or margarine) into the oven to heat until it bubbles.
8. Remove from the oven and carefully place the cold coated chicken pieces on top of the heated oil/margarine.
9. Bake chicken for 20 minutes turning once during the cooking until golden and tender.