Hi! I’m back, I promise I haven’t left forever. I haven’t exactly been eating or cooking anything the past few months that is new or exciting…being pregnant doesn’t exactly make you want to try out anything adventurous, especially in those first couple months! Unless you really want that recipe for Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese 🙂 My wonderful husband has been cooking me whatever I feel for, or picking up whatever take out I can stomach at the time, which is usually pasta (or cereal) in various forms. Poor guy, his once gourmet wife has been slacking off! But let’s be honest, now that there’s a baby on the way, my recipe repertoire is going to be changing anyway. It’s going to be quick and easy, 10 (maybe 5) ingredients or less since this girl is ready for bed by 8, the recipes that require 2 hours of my time after work may be put on hold for awhile. It seems like you go through phases in life. College is quick and easy, not always healthy food, early adulthood is fancier food, dinner parties, look mom I can cook! And now, with work being so busy, a baby on the way and no time for fancy foods, it’s goodbye Giada hello 30 Minute Meals! Don’t worry though, I’m not resorting back to college microwave pasta. Having limited time doesn’t mean you can’t eat delicious, healthy things! One night I was craving mustard and chicken, and put them both together to create these delicious, crunchy Dijon chicken tenders using Panko bread crumbs. Ever since discovering Panko, I haven’t used regular bread crumbs ever again. These were so delicious, a great twist on traditional Chicken Dijon.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips or chunks, your choice
Dijon Mustard
2 cups of Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees
Take your boneless chicken breasts, and cut them into strips lengthwise, or into small nugget like chunks
Place your bread crumbs into a large bowl and mix in a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper, and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.
Spoon a few tablespoons of Dijon mustard into a small bowl. Using a pastry or marinating brush, brush on a thick coating of Dijon mustard (more or less, depending on your liking…we like mustard in our family!)
Press the chicken pieces into the bread crumbs, coating each side until fully breaded.
Place your finished chicken pieces onto a metal cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven (and the size of your chicken pieces)
Turn over half way through cooking to make sure each side is crispy.
Serve with a side of honey mustard sauce or BBQ sauce for dipping. We also had a spinach and romaine salad and apple sauce as our sides. Super easy and healthy, because they are baked, not fried.