Oven Roasted Chicken Tenders
with cauliflower mash / baked tomatoes
These chicken tenders are seasoned with similar flavors that you'd find in traditional fried chicken, but they are baked instead of fried. To lighten this paleo-friendly classic meal, serve it with a creamy cauliflower mash. This dish was last featured in 2017.
Ingredients
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp (not garlic salt)
- Paprika, smoked - 1/2 tsp
- Oregano, dried - 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
- Chicken breast tenders, boneless and skinless - 1 lb (sub boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced)
- Chicken spice mix (ingredients listed separately) - 2 1/4 tsp
- Foil - for lining pan
- Butter - 3 Tbsp
- Tomatoes, medium - 2, halved
- Italian seasoning - 1 tsp
- Cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen - 3 lbs, chopped into florets
- Stock, any type - 1/4 cup
- Butter - 2 Tbsp
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Make chicken spice mix - Combine salt, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, and black pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Cauliflower - (This makes enough for 2 nights.) Chop cauliflower into florets. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Tomatoes - To slice tomatoes, set them stem-side up on a cutting board. With your knife parallel to the counter, slice tomatoes in half.
- Season chicken - Toss chicken in spice mix and tenderize with a fork.
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Make
- Heat oven to 400F / 204C.
- While oven heats, place a large stockpot with water over high heat. Season the water with some salt. Bring to a boil and then add cauliflower. Simmer cauliflower until tender, 5 to 7 minutes for fresh cauliflower and 3 to 4 minutes for frozen cauliflower.
- Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with foil. Place butter (portion for chicken) on top of foil and transfer to heated oven. Leave sheet pan in the oven until the butter is melted, ~3 minutes.
- Carefully remove pan from oven and swirl butter around.
- Add chicken to sheet pan with butter.
- Bake until chicken is golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Flip chicken and continue baking until chicken is cooked through, ~5 minutes more.
- Once chicken is baking, place tomatoes in a small baking dish, cut-side up. Top with some salt, some black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Return to cauliflower. Set half the cauliflower aside for Wednesday night. To remaining cauliflower, add stock and butter (portion for mash). Mash with a fork (or use an immersion blender to get it really smooth and creamy.) Add some additional stock if needed. Season with some salt.
- Serve chicken over cauliflower mash. Enjoy roasted tomatoes on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
40 reviews
Substituted Gardein fried tenders to make vegetarian, which made this much easier. Both sides were surprisingly delicious.
0 HelpfulI don't know why I haven't reviewed this before today. This is at least the 3rd time I've made the chicken for the kids. They love it. We didn't make any of the side dishes today. I served with corn, raw carrots & dip & sliced apples.
0 HelpfulChicken was great! Used ghee for Whole30 & presliced tenders. Added potato to the cauliflower mash in paleo version. Whole family ate tomato, mash & even veggie eater ate some chicken. Lots of prep & pans-do free weeknight. Look forward to original with panko next time too.
0 Helpful