Not-fried chicken (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Pregnancy cravings during my pregnancy with P basically made me tip over into the fried wagon. When she was in my belly, all I wanted was steak, soft pretzels, and all the fried things. In San Diego, there’s a restaurant called Crack Shack, and they have the BEST fried chicken. It’s not too greasy, it’s a little spicy, and it’s crispy and soft and delicious and all the things that give fried chicken the hype it deserves. I never understood fried chicken hype until I tried Crack Shack. I understand now. Thank goodness it was a bit of a trek from our house or I’d have greasy handprint stains all over my at-the-time terrifyingly enormous pregnant belly.

Anyways, fried chicken. Right now, we are in the LAND of fried chicken. There’s seriously a local restaurant called Hip Hop Chicken. What does this mean? Do they play Missy Elliott while you eat your crispy wings? I haven’t been there to find out, but maybe this is a place I need to be. Anyways, since I’m not with fetus, I’ve found myself craving some crispy non-greasy (aka not-fried) chicken. I bake it. It’s good for my arteries and also good for not setting the house on fire.

Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders

It all starts with a little crispy topping, made from almond meal, chopped crispy rice cereal, and herbs. 

Gluten free dairy free healthy baked chicken tenders

Dip the chicken in some egg, coat with topping, repeat, and bake it up.

Gluten free dairy free healthy baked chicken tenders

You get THIS.

Gluten free dairy free healthy baked chicken tenders. A quick and easy dinner or lunch recipe! fitnessista.com

It’s so crispy and savory, you won’t even miss the fried part. I promise.

Gluten free dairy free healthy baked chicken tenders. A quick and easy dinner or lunch recipe! fitnessista.com

Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a whirl!!

Gluten free dairy free healthy baked chicken tenders. A quick and easy dinner or lunch recipe! fitnessista.com

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Grain-Free Dairy-Free Baked Chicken Tenders

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  • Yield: 7 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups crispy rice cereal, pulsed in the food processor (so it’s chopped but not a flour)
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a large cookie sheet with olive oil or cooking spray.
  2. Make an egg bath for the tenders: 2 eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk. Combine all of the coating ingredients in a separate bowl (the chopped cereal, brown rice flour, oregano, garlic and paprika. Season well with salt and pepper.)
  3. Season the chicken tenders well with salt and pepper. One at a time, dip the tender into the egg bath and then press into the coating mixture. Do it again so it’s extra crispy (egg bath, then coating).
  4. Place the chicken tenders onto the cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

 

Favorite fried thing? What’s your go-to chicken recipe? Mine is this one!

Hope you have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya soon with your Workout #5.

Gina

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24 Comments

  1. misty on July 25, 2017 at 7:19 am

    HI! These looks awesome! Do we use 1 cup almond meal or 1 cup brown rice flour? The beginning of your post says something about almond meal so I wanted to confirm.
    Thanks!

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 8:08 am

      Sorry about that! I originally planned to use almond meal but ended up using brown rice flour instead

      • Angie on July 26, 2017 at 12:27 pm

        Do you think almond meal would work equally well?

        • Fitnessista on July 26, 2017 at 2:26 pm

          Yep! It will be more dense but still good

  2. marti @fitwithheart on July 25, 2017 at 8:00 am

    yum! very cool and interesting to use rice crispies! i don’t USUALLY like fried chicken just due to ALL the breading and lack of chicken – but this looks legit! pinned 🙂

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 8:21 am

      Thanks, girl! Please let me know if you give them a try 🙂

  3. Lindsey B on July 25, 2017 at 8:01 am

    Trying this tonight! Thanks 🙂

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 8:20 am

      Please let me know what you think!

  4. Laura @ Laura Likes Design on July 25, 2017 at 8:22 am

    This sounds amazing with the rice krispies! Definitely stashing this recipe away in my file!

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 10:25 pm

      please let me know if you give it a try 🙂

  5. Carrie on July 25, 2017 at 8:44 am

    WOah, love the use of rice crispy cereal! Such a creative and unique idea!

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 10:25 pm

      thanks, girl!

  6. Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups on July 25, 2017 at 10:11 am

    Yum, I love chicken tenders, I will have to give this a try.

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 10:25 pm

      let me know if you give it a whirl!

  7. Juliana on July 25, 2017 at 11:32 am

    Ooh I’m not much of a fried food person but this looks good!

    I like to poach my chicken in white wine with chopped garlic, shallots, basil (dried), tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Chop up and serve over sauteed zucchini noodles with fresh basil 🙂

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 10:24 pm

      that sounds ridiculous! can’t wait to try it. i never poach chicken because it turns out so bland, but your recipe sounds so flavorful

      • Juliana on July 25, 2017 at 10:53 pm

        The secret ingredient is wine Let me know I found you like it!

  8. Maribeth on July 25, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    I’m pregnant and dying for fried chicken. Only thing is I’m a vegetarian. My husband (not veg) is encouraging me to not cave. Also on the weird cravings list is a beer with green olives in it.

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 10:24 pm

      haha that is a weird one! i was kind of similar; i hadn’t had beef for years and years until just before i got pregnant with p. i was craving it majorly, so i went to whole foods and bought a giant organic steak. the pilot grilled it up (with the happiest smile on his face haha) and it tasted amazing

  9. Katie on July 25, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    This looks amazing! Will definitely be trying it this weekend! 🙂

    Here in Columbus, Ohio we have a place called Hot Chicken Takeover which is Nashville style fried chicken. They are known for hiring people who need a fair chance at working (homelessness, previously incarcerated, etc). The fried chicken is all anyone talks about in this town, and every employee we’ve encountered has been amazing!

    • Fitnessista on July 25, 2017 at 10:23 pm

      what an incredible mission. i love that!

    • Priya Mehra on July 27, 2017 at 2:50 pm

      Hi Katie, from another Columbus, Ohio reader!! 🙂

  10. Kelli @ Hungry Hobby on July 26, 2017 at 12:59 am

    These look so good, I bet the girls LOVED them!

  11. Alice on August 1, 2017 at 7:42 am

    Looks delicious 🙂 I’m just starving at works, waiting to get home and prepare these! Thanks for the tip.
    http://www.alicediet.com

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