Parmesan Chicken Tenders with Bread Crumb Pasta

This is a very simple meal to whip up when you’re craving Italian and are bored with spaghetti. This has been a real treat for me since I went a year without tomatoes. My daughter’s excema would flair whenever I ate acidic foods so I cut tomatoes out of my diet. I’m so happy to report that since turning a year old, her excema has improved so much! And both of us can enjoy things like tomato and barbeque sauce every now and then. Before she could have tomatoes, I tried this recipe on her and she still loved it with no sauce. The bread crumb pasta is good all on its own! If you love Italian as much as I do and struggle finding meals that are also kid friendly, you’ll love this!

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken tenderloins
• 1/2 cup seasoned flour (1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Combine seasoned flour and panko breadcrumbs in a gallon ziplock bag
2. Beat eggs and add parmesan cheese to bowl
3. Melt butter and olive oil in pan on medium heat
4. Place chicken tenders in flour/breadcrumb bag and shake until evenly coated
5. Dip each piece of chicken in egg/cheese mixture until evenly coated
6. Place in frying pan and brown each side 1-2 minutes until done
7. Place on napkins to absorb excess grease

Bread Crumb Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces uncooked pasta
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to box directions, drain
2. Place pasta in a large bowl.
3. Add garlic, olive oil, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to combine.
4. Serve by itself or with marinara sauce.
5. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Kid Friendly:

For my kiddos, I just cut up the tenderloins a little smaller and pour sauce in a bowl on the side. My son loves anything he can dip! And my kids always love a large plate of noodles. Yummy meal for kids and parents!