January 16: Honey Nut Chicken Sticks

2 pounds chicken tenders
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
   A splash of milk
2 cups Honey Nut Corn Flakes
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil
    Green salad or vegetable sticks

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a large, shallow dish. Coat the chicken in the flour.

Beat the eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Combine the cereal, bread crumbs, paprika, poultry seasoning, and vegetable oil in a food processor. Transfer the breading to a shallow dish.

Place a nonstick baking sheet near the chicken breading station.

In batches, dip the flour-coated chicken into the egg mixture and then in the breading and place on the nonstick cookie sheet.

When all the tenders have been coated, bake them for 15 minutes, or until evenly browned and cooked through. Cool enough to handle and serve, or pack up for a picnic! This chicken may be served hot or cold.

4 SERVINGS

Today was Family Service day at church, so everyone takes a dish to share for lunch after the morning service, then we have an afternoon service instead of an evening service. It's a good way to get to know people in the church. So I got up early and prepared the chicken sticks and refrigerated them to serve them cold at the potluck. I cut them each in half so there would be more to go around. I guess people liked them, because they all got eaten up - no leftovers.

This is a pretty easy recipe (it's supposed to be for tomorrow, but I thought it would go over better at the potluck than Oregon-style pork chops). It calls for 1 cup of flour, but I used 1/2 and it was even too much. It calls for honey nut corn flakes, but I can never find those, so I always use honey nut corn Chex - I guess it's about the same, maybe a little crunchier. It says to serve with a green salad or vegetable sticks, but since it was for a potluck, I left those off.

My husband really likes the chicken sticks. They are sweet and salty and a little peppery. The chicken is always very moist and tender too; An easy, tasty, somewhat healthier way to make chicken fingers.