CRISPY BAKED TACO CHICKEN TENDERS

Gametime just got more fun with these Taco Chicken Tenders. Dairy-free, grain-free, and egg-free, they’re sure to please all your favorite sports fans.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Servings:

Author: Olivia Adriance

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 pounds chicken tenders
5 ounce bag of grain-free tortilla chips (I use Siete Foods dairy-free nacho chips)
1 cup almond flour
½ cup arrowroot starch
6 tablespoons taco seasoning (divided)
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup olive oil for the "breading" station or eggs (see note)
Avocado or olive oil spray

For the Dipping Sauces:

½ cup dairy-free or regular sour cream (I use Forager Project dairy-free sour cream)
¼ cup medium red salsa
1 cup salsa cremosa

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with avocado or olive oil spray.
Using a food processor, break your tortilla chips up into small crumbs.
Next, set up your “breading” station. In a low, flatter dish, add the almond flour, arrowroot starch, and 4 tablespoons of taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. In another low, flat dish, add the olive oil. In a third dish, add the chip crumbs and two tablespoons of taco seasoning.
Dredge the tenders first in the almond flour mixture, then in the olive oil, then in the tortilla chip and seasoning mixture. Shake off any excess between each step. Add each tender to the parchment-lined sheet pan.
Once all the tenders have been dredged, spray them with olive or avocado oil. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly crispy, then broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown keeping a close eye as they broil.
While the chicken tenders cool, assemble the dipping sauces. In a small dish, mix together the sour cream and red salsa. Taste and adjust the amount to your preference. In another small dish, add the salsa cremosa.
Serve the tenders with the dipping sauces and enjoy!

Notes

If you’re not avoiding eggs, you can use them in place of the oil in your “breading station.” Just whisk up an egg or two and dip the tenders as you would into the oil before coating them in the tortilla chips.

Nutrition