5 ways to spice up your chicken, in under 30 minutes!

04/09/2021

Chicken is on the menu a lot at our house. I often revert to a few tried and true recipes which can get boring over time, to cook and to eat! We have been in the kitchen the last couple of days working on some new, creative, and tasty recipes for chicken tenders. Tenders are lean and because they are thin, cook up quickly! Our challenge was to create some tasty dinners that could be made with just a few pantry staples and some Harvest Barn Seasonings. Even better, they are ready to serve in under 30 minutes!

Tips for buying and cooking chicken tenders

If chicken tenders are too pricey, simply cut a large boneless chicken breast into 4 or 5 thin slices.
Trim and remove excess fat and cartilage.
Always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Pounding your chicken tenders is an extra step, but a worthwhile one! Not only does it tenderize the mean, it also helps it to cook more quickly and evenly.
A milk soak tenderizes your chicken, using buttermilk is even better! To make your own buttermilk, simply add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to one cup of milk. Let sit for 15 minutes to sour. The enzymes in the milk help to tenderize the meat. You can soak your chicken for 10 to 15 minutes or leave it in the fridge overnight. This was my ‘aha’ moment as to why you always hear that buttermilk fried chicken is the best!
Dusting chicken with flour before frying helps to seal in the juices. If you have ever made plain chicken tenders, they can be dry and rubbery. If you are going gluten free, use a bit of almond powder, rice powder, or gluten free flour of choice.
We love to keep a jar of ‘Better than Bouillon’ in the fridge. Whenever I need a ¼ or ½ cup of stock for a recipe, I can quickly mix up what I need without opening a quart of stock.

Here are 5 of our favorite recipes to come out of the test kitchen. They are all so tasty, it’s hard to choose just one! Let us know your favorites!

LEMON & SPINACH ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

1 lb chicken tenders

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp Halladay’s Lemon Spinach Dip & Seasoning Blend

Salt & pepper, to taste

½ cup flour

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 package fresh spinach

Combine white wine, chicken stock, and Halladay’s Lemon Spinach seasoning. Set aside.

Pat chicken tenders then season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook tenders for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Add lemon slices and half of the seasoned wine & chicken stock mixture from step one to the chicken in the pan, cook for 1 to 2 more minutes or until chicken reaches a temperature of 165°F.

Remove chicken & lemons from the pan; set aside. Add the rest of the wine & stock mixture and spinach to the same pan. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the spinach is slightly wilted. Add the chicken back to the pan, give a gentle stir; serve and enjoy!

CRISPY MEXICAN CHICKEN CUTLETS

1 lb chicken tenders

¼ cup flour

2 eggs

1 Tbsp Halladay’s Garlic Chipotle Dip & Seasoning Blend

1 cup plain bread crumbs

½ cup cooking oil

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup salsa

Sour cream, for garnish

Beat together the eggs with the Halladay’s Garlic Chipotle seasoning. Set aside. Add flour to a shallow dish. Add bread crumbs to a separate shallow dish.

Coat tenders first in the flour, then the seasoned egg mixture, then the bread crumbs.

Heat oil over medium high heat. Fry tenders in oil, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Top the chicken with cheddar cheese, cover until cheese is melted. Top with salsa and a dab of sour cream if desired. Serve with salad or rice and beans.

TOMATO & BASIL CHICKEN

1 lb chicken tenders

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp (separated) Halladay’s Garlic Tomato Basil Dip & Seasoning Blend

½ cup flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ package cherry tomatoes, halved

3 Tbsp kalamata olives

3 Tbsp water

½ cup feta cheese, optional

Add 1 Tbsp Halladay’s Garlic Tomato Basil seasoning to flour; mix to combine. Pat chicken dry then season with salt and pepper. Dredge tenders in flour and seasoning mixture from step one.

Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan over med-high heat; sauté chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove chicken to a serving dish, set aside.

Add cherry tomatoes and olives to the same pan, sprinkle with remaining tsp of Halladay’s Garlic Tomato Basil seasoning. Add water and stir, cooking until tomatoes are slightly softened and blistered. Add a bit more water if needed as they cook.

Pour tomato and olive sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with feta, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

ARTICHOKE HERB CHICKEN

1 lb Chicken Tenders

½ lemon, juiced

1 cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp Halladay’s Chardonnay Dip & Seasoning Blend

Salt & pepper, to taste

½ cup flour

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup Greek yogurt

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Combine lemon juice, chicken stock, and Halladay’s Chardonnay Seasoning; set aside.

Pat chicken dry then season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over med-high heat, cook chicken approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add ½ of the stock mixture from above to the pan, cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, flipping once. Remove chicken to a serving dish, set aside.

Add the rest of the chicken stock mixture to the pan and cook until slightly reduced and thickened. Whisk in Greek yogurt until smooth. Add artichoke hearts. Pour sauce over the chicken; serve and enjoy!

BLT CHICKEN

1 lb chicken tenders

½ cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp Halladay’s BLT Dip & Seasoning Blend

Salt & pepper to taste

¼ cup flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

½ container cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup heavy cream or non-fat Greek yogurt

3 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled, optional

Add seasoning to chicken stock and set aside.

Pat chicken dry then season with salt & pepper. Dredge chicken in flour.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over med-high heat. Sauté chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add half of the seasoned stock from step one, cook an additional 2 minutes, flipping once. Remove chicken to a serving dish, set aside.

Add remaining seasoned stock and cherry tomatoes to pan. Cook until tomatoes are blistered and tender, adding a little more water as they cook if needed. Whisk in heavy cream or yogurt. Pour tomato and cream sauce over cooked chicken. Garnish with crumbled bacon, if desired.

So, there you have it - 5 delicious chicken recipes to add to the dinner rotation! If you try any of these recipes, we want to see your pictures! Post to Instagram or Facebook and tag us @halladaysharvestbarn and use the hashtag #halladaysathome so we can see them.

-Kathleen Govotski, Owner Halladay’s Harvest Barn