Baked Breaded Chicken Strips

I love a quick meal that my whole family will eat.
One day, I decided to whip up some homemade chicken strips. I wanted to bake them for two reasons. The first reason was obvious... it's way healthier!
The second reason... dare I say it?
OK... it's lazier! I mean, who wants to babysit a pan of splattering hot oil for... I dunno... 30-45 minutes?

Come on... cut me a break here! I mean, I stood there and breaded all of them. That has to count for something, right?

Speaking of breading, you can use store bought seasoned bread crumbs for this, or do what I do and toast a few pieces of bread, pulverize them, and season them yourself.
Another super-yummy alternative is to use dry potato flakes instead of the bread crumbs. My kids love this!

If you are extra-ambitious and excel at planning ahead, you can marinade your chicken strips ahead of time for extra flavor and tenderness. I rarely remember to do this, but a few times I managed to do it. I have used bottled Italian dressing, or a buttermilk soak, or just olive oil and seasonings.

I love that this recipe is easy and yummy, and I love that it is versatile. You can change up the seasonings or the cheeses to your liking. (A lemon-pepper seasoning with the breadcrumbs is particularly yummy.)


Baked Breaded Chicken Strips
What You Need:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into strips.
3 TB flour
1 egg
¾ cups milk
1 ½ cups seasoned bread crumbs (store bought, or make your own with whatever seasonings you like) ~OR~ dry potato flaked, seasoned to your liking
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

What You Do:
1. Put chicken into a large bowl and coat chicken in flour.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg, then add milk and beat together.
3. Pour egg mixture into bowl with flour-coated chicken. Stir to combine.
4. In a small, wide bowl or pie pan, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
5. Dip chicken pieces into the bread crumb mixture to coat and transfer to a well oiled baking pan.
6. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until done, turning half way through cooking time.
7. For added crispiness, place under a broiler for a couple of minutes.