Who says you can’t enjoy chicken tenders while adulting? I say you can – and these flaxseed and almond meal crusted chicken tenders will satisfy that childhood craving!
Plus, adding anything spiralized totally steps any meal up a notch. Instead of “chicken fingers and fries”, I present you “chicken tenders and spiralized sweet potatoes.”
Whether you like your chicken tenders dipped in ketchup, honey mustard, or something else, you’re going to love this healthier, spiralized version.
If I’m ever craving something that’s served with fries, I simply swap out the fries with something spiralized. I love my Crispy Baked Spiralized Fries and my Garlic-Asiago Baked Fries, but today, I’m going simple with some sweet potatoes lightly seasoned with chili powder.
The sweet potatoes satisfy the carb craving, and of course, the true stars of the show are the chicken tenders, crusted in Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed and Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal. Their combo together yields the perfect breading that’s not a crunchy tender, but something better: nutty and textured. What I love about Bob’s Red Mill is the quality that’s revealed every time you open one of their bags.
Why use flaxseed? Here are two big health benefits of flaxseed:
- Omega-3s: the biggest benefit of flaxseed is that it contains a high amount of essential omega-3 fatty acids, essential for your body to function properly. Omega-3s even help with things like joint pain and help reduce triglyceride levels, helping fight heart disease. Especially if you’re a vegetarian, flaxseed can be an easy way to get your omega-3s.
- Fiber: flaxseed is high in fiber, helping with digestion!
After reading that, wouldn’t you too want to incorporate flaxseed into your diet as frequently as possible? Well, an easy way to use it is to build it into crusting and breading veggies and meats, like with today’s recipe.
Now the dippings are totally up to you – I love classic ketchup or honey mustard with my chicken tenders, but use whatever you love! A good tahini sauce could even work here!
Note: This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. However, all opinions are my own, always.
Now you can watch a cooking video of this recipe:
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 6 points
*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.
Flaxseed Crusted Chicken Tenders with Sweet Potato Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 8 boneless chicken tenders
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- To serve: dipping sauce of choice honey mustard, marinara, ketchup, etc
- For the flaxseed crust:
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup flaxseed I use Bob’s Red Mill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. NOTE: If you want to skip the oven, then skip this step.
- Place all of the ingredients for the flaxseed crust, into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow baking dish and set aside.
- Beat the egg in a medium mixing bowl and set aside next to the breadcrumbs.
- Dredge the chicken in the beaten egg then dip in the flaxseed crust mixture. Dip on both sides and pat the crust mixture into any crevices on the chicken. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheets and put into the oven for 12-15 minutes or until no longer pink on the inside and juices run clear. If you aren’t oven-baking, cook the crusted tenders in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat until no longer pink on the inside.
- Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the sweet potato noodles, season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cook, tossing, for about 7 minutes or until cooked to your preference.
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