Baked Chicken Tenders with Pasta

Coated in a mixture of honey and apricot preserves or jam and dredged in breadcrumbs before it is baked in the oven until crisp and served on top of freshly cooked pasta, this baked chicken tenders recipe makes a lovely weekday meal and is so simple to make. Kids and adults will love this fast food favorite. This is a healthier version since it is baked and not fried, but is just as tasty and scrumptious. This is just one of the easy recipes for dinner you can make anywhere, like parties, birthdays, etc. The sweet honey and apricot not only gives the chicken amazing flavor, it also helps keep the meat juicy and succulent.

Also called chicken fingers, chicken fillets, or chicken strips, chicken tenders are made from chicken breast, cut from the rib meat and do not include any bones or skin. They are dipped in a breading mixture and often deep-fried until crispy and golden. This healthier version contains less fat since the chicken is not fried in oil. Only a light coating of oil is used to grease the pan for baking the chicken. Baked chicken tenders can be made part of a healthy diet. While this recipe uses pasta for serving the chicken, you can also serve the tenders with rice, bread, potatoes, chips, fries, or on top of salad. They can also be eaten on their own as a finger food, appetizer, or party food and go especially well with beer.

Difficulty Level

Easy

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey

2 tbsp. apricot jam or preserves

2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into strips

2 1/2 cups bread crumbs

8 oz. pasta

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, combine honey and preserves.

Coat chicken pieces with honey mixture, be sure to cover both sides. Dredge through bread crumbs.

Place chicken pieces on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes on each side, or until chicken is lightly browned.

While chicken is baking, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Transfer pasta to a serving dish. Top with chicken and serve.