Parmesan Chicken Tenders: With Warm Fennel, Apple, And Arugula Salad
- 20m Prep Time
- 20m Cook Time
- 40m Ready In
Crispy Parmesan-crusted chicken tenders served with a warm fennel, apple, and arugula salad tossed in a honey-Dijon vinaigrette. A family-friendly meal that pleases both kids and adults.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium fennel bulb trimmed, cored, and very thinly sliced
- 1 large sweet-tart apple halved, cored, and very thinly sliced
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
- 3/4 cup high-heat oil
- 5/16 lbs baby arugula
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 11 of 16 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 1608 mg
- Iron: 4.19 mg
- Magnesium: 125 mg
- Phosphorus: 1315 mg
- Potassium: 760 mg
- Zinc: 5.68 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
- 3/4 cup high-heat oil
- 5/16 lbs baby arugula
Prepare
- 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and very thinly sliced
- 1 large sweet-tart apple, halved, cored, and very thinly sliced
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon honey. While whisking constantly, drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to create an emulsified vinaigrette. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then set aside.
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Step 2.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the very thinly sliced fennel bulb and cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with the very thinly sliced apple and half of the vinaigrette. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
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Step 3.
In a shallow dish, beat 2 large eggs with 2 tablespoons whole milk until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, combine 2 cups panko bread crumbs and 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese. Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then coat all sides in the panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place the coated tenders on a plate.
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Step 4.
Heat a generous ¼ cup high-heat oil (such as canola or safflower) and a pinch of panko in the same skillet over medium heat. When the panko turns golden brown, add one-third of the chicken tenders to the skillet in a single layer. Cook without moving until the bottoms are deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the cooked tenders to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Pour out any remaining oil from the skillet. Repeat with the remaining oil and tenders in two more batches.
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Step 5.
While the chicken is cooking, toss 5 ounces baby arugula with the reserved fennel-apple salad. Drizzle the cooked chicken tenders with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve the salad alongside the chicken tenders.