On Friday I’m leaving for a week and Mr. How Sweet will have the house to himself.
I’m not sure who’s more excited.
Since I enjoy taking care of him, I made several of his favorite meals this weekend.
He could happily live on grilled steak, chicken and eggs, but he often forgets how much he loves certain dishes until I make them. Once he rediscovers a favorite, he asks me to make it again and again.
A few months ago he became obsessed with healthier chicken fingers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a four-year-old love chicken fingers so much. Mr. How Sweet orders them wherever we go — Mexican restaurant? Chicken fingers. Irish pub? Chicken fingers. Steakhouse? Steak with a side of chicken fingers.
Besides his “healthy” cookies, these chicken fingers are one of the things he requests several times a week.
I asked him what flavor he wanted this weekend and he said ranch.
I’m not a huge ranch fan, so I added parmesan as well.
They turned out dreamy.
Mr. How Sweet loves these chicken fingers because they taste great. I love them because they’re so versatile and I get bored easily — the flavor combinations are practically endless.
Parmesan Ranch Crispy Chicken Fingers
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
2 cups lowfat buttermilk
1 packet ranch seasoning mix
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Combine the buttermilk with half a packet of ranch seasoning in a baking dish. Add the chicken tenders and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
In a large bowl, mix the panko, Parmesan, remaining ranch seasoning and flour. Coat each chicken piece in the panko mixture, then place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spray or brush each piece lightly with cooking spray or olive oil.
Bake for 10 minutes, flip the pieces, spray again, and bake for another 10–15 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Now I need to get moving — I have to prep a month’s supply of grilled chicken and burgers so Mr. How Sweet doesn’t survive on pizza and General Tso’s while I’m gone next week.