FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN TENDERS WITH A KICKIN BBQ SAUCE

Five-Spice Chicken Tenders with a Kickin BBQ Sauce image

This is a tasty way to put together some great-tasting chicken tenders. And since they're baked, you're saving all those nasty calories. Although if you want to deep-fry them... have at it. The BBQ sauce makes for an excellent compliment to the tenders, but if you have your own favorite sauce... then go for it. Well, you...

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Time 3h15m

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

THE TENDERS
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, or the equivalent weight in chicken tenders
1 c panko breadcrumbs
1 c all-purpose flour
2 medium eggs lightly beaten
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp chinese five spice powder
1 tsp salt, kosher variety
1 tsp ground cumin
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
THE BBQ SAUCE
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 c ketchup, homemade, if possible.
1 tsp sugar, granulated variety
3 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

Steps:

1. Optional: Brine the chicken breasts for about three hours.
2. MAKING THE BBQ SAUCE
3. Chef's Note: When I talk about using ketchup in this recipe, I would really hope you choose a homemade variety. Otherwise you are making a condiment out of a condiment. Besides, store-bought ketchup has things in it, other than ketchup. Go homemade... if you can. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/other-sauce-spread/versatile-homemade-ketchup.html?r=1
4. Chef's Note: If you are not making the BBQ sauce, then skip down to step 11.
5. Gather all your ingredients
6. Rough chop the onion.
7. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions, and cook over medium heat until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, and sugar, to the onions, and allow the mixture to simmer, covered, over low heat for about 30 minutes.
9. Remove from saucepan and place into a food processor fitted with an S-blade, or a blender.
10. Blend until smooth, return to saucepan, and keep warm.
11. MAKING THE CHICKEN TENDERS
12. Slice the chicken breasts into 1-inch planks.
13. Chef's Note: After slicing, if some of the planks are too long... cut them in half.
14. Coat the chicken planks with the flour, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes.
15. While the chicken is resting, beat the eggs and place them in a shallow pan.
16. Combine the breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, five-spice powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and parsley and place in a shallow pan.
17. Dreg one of the floured chicken planks in the egg mixture.
18. Place in the breadcrumbs and thoroughly coat.
19. Place on a wire rack, or parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat until all the planks (tenders) are ready, and allow to rest while the oven is preheating.
20. Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 450f (230c).
21. Place the tenders into the oven, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden brown.
22. Slice and serve up with the BBQ sauce, or your own favorite sauce. Enjoy.
23. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.