Baked Chicken Fingers w/Dipping Sauce

How many ways to you make chicken?  Here's a fun version for baked chicken fingers that seems to please tasters of all ages.  I like to serve them with this tasty dipping sauce, but if you're not a dip lover, a squeeze of fresh lemon is excellent.  

The ingredients needed are boneless, skinless chicken breasts, freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese (use the really good stuff), Italian seasoned bread crumbs, paprika, garlic salt (I like the one with parsley bits), egg, and some melted butter.

To make the coating, put the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic salt, and paprika in a large gallon-size zip-top bag.  Toss and shake to mix the ingredients evenly.

To coat the chicken strips, dip them in beaten eggs, then drop them in the crumb mixture.  Save the melted butter for now.

Chicken dipped in beaten eggs - let the excess drip off before dropping chicken strip into crumb mixture.

Toss the chicken strip around in the crumb mixture - shake off excess and arrange on prepared pan.

Line all the strips up in a single layer.

Bet you're wondering what the melted butter is for.

We're going to drizzle it over the coated chicken.  You can do this with a spoon, but it's even easier to snip a very small hole in the corner of a small zip-top bag.  Time to bake.

While the chicken strips are baking, whisk together the dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• nonstick foil https://amzn.to/3cwI9Ln

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3ATnWMM

• Italian seasoned bread crumbs https://amzn.to/2YQJVTw

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Baked Chicken Fingers w/Dipping Sauce

makes 4-6 servings 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips

• 2/3 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese (use the good stuff)

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (I like the one that has tiny specks of parsley in it)

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450F.

2. Line half sheet pan with nonstick foil (or regular foil coated with cooking spray).

3. In a gallon-size zip-top bag, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and paprika until well blended.

4. Dip half of the chicken strips in beaten egg, then place in bag of breadcrumb mixture, toss to coat.

5. Place coated chicken strips on prepared pan; drizzle with melted butter.

6. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

Notes

• If needed, place chicken strips under broiler for a minute or so to deepen the toasty brown color.

• I speak from experience when I say the recipe works even if you forget to drizzle the butter on the strips before baking. It's obviously better if you don't forget the butter, but life happens - what can I say.

Dipping Sauce

makes 3/4 cup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (again, I like the one with parsley bits)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Stir ingredients together and chill until needed.

Chicken Salsa Casserole

This recipe was inspired by an unusual source - a facebook video.  I don't usually pay attention to unsolicited videos on facebook, but this one caught my eye because it featured salsa.  I could eat salsa every day of my life so I was eager to put my twist on the dish.  So very glad I did - it was amazing.  If you're sensitive to spicy foods, use mild salsa and dial back on the amount of cayenne.  

To begin, you'll need salsa, chicken stock, canned black beans that have been rinsed and drained.....

Also chopped bell pepper, uncooked rice, dried oregano, kosher salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, add the black beans, rice, and chopped bell pepper.

Then add the seasonings....

followed by the salsa and chicken stock. Mix everything together.

Now nestle the chicken breasts down into the mixture. No need to bury the chicken in the mixture. Be sure to sprinkle kosher salt and ground black pepper on that chicken!

Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake until the chicken is just about done (about 160F).

Uncover the casserole dish and sprinkle generously with grated cheddar cheese and pop back into the oven for just a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chopped scallions, and serve.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 9x13 casserole https://amzn.to/3ukcmZF

• internal probe thermometer https://amzn.to/34brpKz

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Chicken Salsa Casserole

makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (whole or cut into smaller pieces)

• 1 cup uncooked rice (I like to use parboiled rice)

• 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 2 cups prepared salsa

• 1 cup chicken stock (try my easy homemade recipe)

• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

• 4 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, stir together rice, beans, bell peppers, salsa, chicken stock, and seasonings.

3. Nestle the chicken down into the into the salsa mixture; sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

4. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 160F.

5. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese all over; return to oven, uncovered, to melt cheese.

6. Garnish with chopped scallions.

Note

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs may be substituted (I actually prefer them).