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Allergen-Free Chicken Tenders

Makes 4 Servings

A go-to-recipe that is always a favorite with my kids. I return to this one over and over again.  

Equipment:

• large bowl
• liquid measuring cups
• dry measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 3 shallow bowls or plates
• small whisk
• tongs
• large sauté pan or dutch oven
• serving platter or dish
• paper towel

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 1 1/2 cups rice milk
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice  
• 1 cup cornstarch or tapioca starch
• 3 Tablespoons rice milk
• 6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup Gluten-Free bread crumbs (I use Glutino) w/ extra 1/2 cup as necessary
• salt and pepper
• 3 cups canola oil
• 1 lemon

Combine chicken tenders with 1 ½ cups rice milk and lemon juice, being sure tenders are completely submerged. Refrigerate for two hours.

Pour out cornstarch onto a plate or wide shallow dish. 

Pour the 3 Tablespoons rice milk into a second wide shallow dish. Add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until creamy and beginning to thicken.  

Pour out breadcrumbs onto a third plate or wide shallow dish.  Add salt and pepper and toss well. 

Working quickly, remove a tender from the rice milk, roll in the cornstarch, turn in the rice milk/olive oil mixture, then coat with the bread crumbs.  Se on a clean plate or platter.

Repeat with remaining tenders. You may have to wash your hands a couple times during this process if the starch clumps up on them.  Do the dipping assembly line style, with left hand for wet, right for dry. 

Heat canola oil in a medium-sized deep sauté pan, or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, until really hot, but not smoking. It should be rippling.  Drop a tiny piece of breading in to see if it sizzles. 

Cook tenders, in two or three batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pan, until deeply golden, about 3 minutes per side, 6-7 minutes total.  Remove from pan with tongs, and place on serving platter lined with paper towel.  Squeeze with a little lemon juice (and sprinkle with a little sea salt) Serve hot, with ketchup and fries! Yum!