Baked Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce

Fast food Chicken Nuggets, Tenders, Fingers, or whatever they call them are NOT healthy for your family.  Cook them at home using healthy ingredients and not only do you control the ingredients, but you control the calories as well! I always make extra breading for my chicken tenders, so cooking them doesn't take hours in the kitchen.

One serving (3 chicken tenders) of this recipe is approximately 174 kcal.  For the same amount, Chili's Crispy Honey Chipotle Crispers are 1930 kcal per serving and McDonalds weighs in at 250 kcal per serving.

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken tenders
4 large egg whites
Canola oil spray
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp paprika
1 cup whole wheat panko crumbs
1 cup sliced almonds (nut allergies: substitute  additional cup of panko crumbs for almonds)
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsps dry mustard
2 tsps. salt
2 tsps pepper
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsps chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or another savory herb
*Optional: 1 tsp red Italian pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.  Add almonds, flour, paprika, garlic, spices, and herbs to food processor and puree for approx. 1 minute.  Drizzle 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil into food processor and continue to puree. Move some of the pureed mixture to medium bowl.  Whisk egg whites in small bowl.  Dredge each chicken tender first in egg whites, then in crumb mixture.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake chicken tenders until golden brown, turning once.  Dip in honey mustard sauce:  ¾ cup deli mustard and 1/3 cup honey.

Save extra crumb mixture in a ziploc bag and freeze.