My son is all about chicken thighs with some light spice. Getting him to TRY (much less LIKE) any other cut of meat is not easy. But last night, I scored something of a victory. He's never had chicken nuggets, but if your kiddo prefers the smaller shape, there's no reason you can't cut the chicken into smaller bites before breading and cooking.
I served these tenders with green beans (sauteed with bacon) and roasted Yukon Gold potatoes — neither of which my son even bothered to try. Grr, toddlers. But hey, one for three ain't bad, right? That's like batting more than .300. I'll take it.
I mean, who needs KFC?
Ingredients
1/2 C gluten-free panko crumbs
1/4 C olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 stick soy-free vegan buttery spread
*All of these measurements are approximate. I eyeballed everything based on our particular tastes and encourage you to do the same. You're busy. And who wants to wash all these measuring cups and spoons!
What to do
Put chicken tenders in bowl.
Add olive oil to coat chicken.
Add panko crumbs, salt, pepper, paprika (and any spice you want!). Work with the chicken to help the coating stick (as much as possible) to the chicken.
Melt buttery spread in skillet over medium heat. (Oil would work here too. Or if you don't have dairy issues in your house, go for the butter.)
Add chicken tenders. Let cook until browned on one side, 5-6 minutes or so.
Turn and cook the second side.
Serve with barbecue sauce, mustard or other dips if that's your thing.