Tonight’s Dinner: Cheesy chicken fingers

By rolling these delectable little fingers in Panko and Parmesan, then popping them in the oven for 15 minutes, you’ll get a delicious dinner the whole family will love without all the calories that come from frying.

Every so often I break down and want something that is so bad for you, so greasy and cheesy, I just gain weight looking at it. Pizza is one of those things, but chicken fingers are another.

They’re easy, they’re delicious, and there’s never any need to worry if someone won’t enjoy them because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like chicken fingers? But then I think about how I feel after I eat all that greasiness and I never feel good. That’s when I like to try and turn some of my favorite “bad” foods into something that’s not only delicious, but actually good for you, too.

By rolling these chicken fingers in some Panko bread crumbs, a couple different kinds of cheese, and baking them instead of frying, I get the same evil piece of chicken with about half the calories and absolutely none of that icky nauseousness. Add a delightful honey balsamic mustard for dipping, and you’ve got a Happy Meal for adults.

Cheesy Chicken Fingers

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Romano cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or tinfoil; set aside.
Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. Mix together the Panko, Parmesan, and Romano in another shallow bowl. Working with 1 chicken strip at a time, first dip it into the buttermilk to coat, then into the Panko bread crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs into the chicken so they’re sure to stick. Place the chicken strip on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the chicken strips.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is browned and chicken is cooked all the way through. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.