Diner-style chicken tenders with a spicy, smoky dipping sauce.
Directions for: Awesome Pretzel Chicken Tenders with Spicy Honey Dijon Sauce
Ingredients
3 lb(s) chicken tenders or boneless skinless breast cut into 1 1/2" strips
2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp granulated garlic
Tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper
tsp red pepper flakes
1 cups smoked almonds
12 large sourdough hard pretzels
Canola oil, for frying
Spicy Honey Dijon Sauce, recipe follows
Spicy Honey Dijon Saucelarge resealable plastic bag
cup Dijon mustard
cube honey
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 tsp adobo sauce (optional)
1 tsp cider vinegar
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine basil, oregano, granulated garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Place buttermilk and half the spice mix into a double-lined resealable plastic bag. Add chicken and massage bag until well coated. Refrigerate 6 to 12 hours. Reserve remaining spice mix.
2. Place almonds in plastic bag. Break up with rolling pin or mallet (flat side) until mixture looks part rough chopped part crumbs. Remove almonds and place into shallow bowl. Put pretzels in same bag and mash with mallet or rolling pin until it looks like a mixture of large breadcrumbs and powder. Add to almonds mix to combine.
3. In a large fry pan, pour canola oil until it measures about 1 1/2 -inches high in pan. Heat over high, until oil is hot, but not smoking, temperature, 350F.
4. Remove tenders from buttermilk and dredge in almond-pretzel mixture, pressing mixture into the tenders. Gently add tenders, in batches, to the oil. Be sure not to over crowd the pan. Fry tenders until they are dark golden brown, being careful not to burn, about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and drain on a cookie sheet lined with a wire rack. Serve immediately with Spicy Honey Dijon Sauce or keep warm in a 200F oven.
Spicy Honey Dijon Sauce1. In a small food processor, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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