These baked chicken tenders are made with couscous and loaded with cheese and Mexican spices for a super easy, healthy meal that the whole family will love!
Guess what!? Guess WHAAAAT?!
I’m on the FOOD NETWORK.
Okay. I lied. I am actually just on your screen sharing a delicious recipe with ya. Not your TV.
Did I get you all excited? Sorry to do that to you and on a MONDAY of all the days to be a mean, lying human person.
How-EV-er, I did not 100% lie to you. I may not be ON the Food Network, but today we are playing my most favorite TV shower EVER here on FFF!
That’s right, it’s the “Chopped at Home” Contest brought to you be the folks behind the ooey-gooey-cheesy-deliciousness that is Sargento®!
So, do you guys watch this show? The Hubs and I are SO into it, that it is 99.9% of the time, our “date night.”
Go out for dinner on a Friday night, come home and watch Chopped. That is how you party after being married for 2 years.
I know, you want my wild and CA-RAY-ZAY life.
I got my basket ingredients: Sargento Off the Block 4 Cheese Mexican, Boneless Chicken Tenders, Couscous and Salsa.
Seems pretty easy right? WELL, after many Friday night Food Network Dates, I know that they want you to think OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.
No couscous salads, and none o’ that cheese stuffed chicken. I needed to get that thinking cap ALL UP ON my head.
I sat. I turned on my 285904 recorded episodes of Chopped for inspiration. I re-watched them on Netflix.
Yes, I have an addiction. NO SHAME.
And then I remembered how much you loved that Crusted Quinoa Chicken and the light bulb went POP!
Why not do a melty-cheesy-Mexican-finger-foody twist on that? I know ya’ll love Mexican (and, umm, you know that I do too!) and food that you can eat WITHOUT UTENSILS.
Less dishes? YES PUHLEASE.
Plus, a dinner that goes from your oven -> your face in less than 30 minutes, has only 5 major ingredients, and is packed with protein and whole grain goodness? DOUBLE YES PUHLEASE.
Can we just hold up for a second and talk about the CRUNCH on these baked-no-frying-in-SIGHT little strippies of general-awesome-and-fun-to-eat-dinner-YUM? I mean, you know that I am ALWAYS on a crunchety-crispety-on-the-outside-and-soft-and-tender-on-the-inside kick. My face just wants to eat that kinda food EVERY. DARN. DAY.
And that is what the Mexican cheese and couscous hug does to these chicken tenders. And, like their name implies, they actually STAY TENDER on the inside.
I know you’ve had that chicken experience where you’re looking for camels to come to your dinner table, because your mouth feels like the SAHARA.
None O’ DAT.
AND AND AND, if you’re looking for a yummy, low-carb but still super crispy fried chicken, try this Naked Fried Chicken from All Day I Dream About Food!
So, can we all agree to put on our super-simple-dinner-chicken-finger-lickin’ pants on tonight?
I think you’ll find they fit quite nice.
Ingredients
For the chicken tenders:
- 1/2 Cup Couscous uncooked
- 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Water
- 1 1/4 Cup Sargento Off The Block 4 Cheese Mexican divided
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Lb Chicken tenders
- 1/2 Cup White Whole Wheat flour
- 2 Large Egg whites
For the dip:
- 1 Cup Salsa
- 1/2 Cup Plain Non-fat Greek Yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and place a cooling rack[/url] on top of a [url href=http://amzn.to/1VtvlKN target=_blank rel=nofollow]large baking sheet. Spray generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Once cooled, stir in 2/3 Cup of the cheese, along with the garlic powder, paprika and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Pour into a large, shallow plate.
- Assemble your breading stations by place the chicken tenders on a plate, the whole wheat flour on a large, shallow plate and the egg whites in a medium bowl.
- Using one hand, dredge a chicken tender in the flour, and then place it into the egg whites. Using your alternate hand, coat the tender in the egg whites, shaking off the excess, and place it into the plate of the couscous. Use the hand that you used for the flour to roll the chicken tender in the couscous mixture, gently pressing it on to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken tenders.
- Bake the tenders until lightly golden brown and crispy, about 13-15 minutes. Then, remove the tenders from the oven and pre-heat your broiler to HIGH heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tenders and broil until the cheesy is melted and the tenders are brown and crispy, another 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the salsa with Greek yogurt and serve with the chicken tenders.
- DEVOUR.
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
If you make this recipe, please remember to tag @foodfaithfit and #foodfaithfitness on Instagram! I LOVE seeing your recipe recreations! 
Do you want to win $10,000? Then cook at home with Sargento and enter the “Chopped at Home” Contest! Get the details HERE!
So, What recipe would you submit to the Chopped At Home contest featuring Sargento cheese?
For more inspiration, check out the Sargento Pinterest page!
Want more chicken for dinner?
Zucchini Noodles with Lemon Chia Chicken
Grilled Chicken with Nectarine Fruit Salsa
Cheesy Ranch Greek Yogurt Chicken
STAY IN DA KNOW ABOUT BEHIND-THE-SCENES INFO GOING ON AT FFF BY KEEPING IN TOUCH ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND PINTEREST!
Available in 30 versatile varieties, unique blends and distinct cuts, Sargento Shredded Cheese is always cut from blocks of 100% real, natural cheese. For more inspiration, check out the Sargento Pinterest page Pinterest.com/sargentocheese/ or visit Sargento.com for more information. The Chopped at Home Challenge gives viewers a chance to create their best recipe using the selected basket ingredients, including Sargento Shredded Cheese, for a chance to win $10,000!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sargento. The opinions and text are all mine.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
These chicken tenders are just calling my name! I love the couscous crust, Taylor! So creative and so flavorful. Love how easy this is to whip up, too!
Taylor Kiser says
Thanks so much Gayle! I hope you’re having a great Monday!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
Oh my gosh, I miss Chopped. I used to watch The Food Network all of the time, but nowadays I’m usually too busy to sit down and watch some cable. I probably should slow my life down. My boyfriend and I have very similar date nights. Dinner and some cuddling on the couch, He would adore these chicken tenders. 😀
Taylor Kiser says
Oh man! That is a bummer and you DEFINITELY need to slow down. Everyone needs to watch chopped!! Thanks Erin!