Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers

A favorite menu item at many restaurants, chicken fingers are easy to prepare healthfully at home. Serve them with some raw carrots, celery and bell pepper strips. This recipe uses a blend of spices to add flavor, which is a great way to cut back on salt.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 3 ounces chicken

  • Calories 200
  • Carbohydrate 14 g
  • Protein 26 g
  • Fat 4 g
  • Saturated Fat 1 g
  • Sugars 1 g
  • Dietary Fiber 1 g
  • Cholesterol 70 mg
  • Sodium 160 mg

This Recipe Serves 4

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, all visible fat discarded, cut into strips if breasts

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray an 11 × 7 × 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk, lime zest, and lime juice. In a separate shallow dish, stir together the cornmeal, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Set the dishes and baking dish in a row, assembly-line fashion. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, then in the cornmeal mixture, turning to coat at each step and gently shaking off any excess. Using your fingertips, gently press the coating mixture so it adheres to the chicken. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the baking dish. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray.
  3. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the top coating is slightly crisp.

Make It Gluten-Free: Confirm all ingredients are gluten-free and this recipe can be made gluten-free.

Choices/Exchanges: 1 Starch, 3 Lean Meat

From Diabetes and Heart Healthy Cookbook, 2nd Ed by The American Diabetes Association and The American Heart Association

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