Pistachio Crusted Chicken Tenders with Spicy Aioli

March 26, 2021

Looking for an easy meal that pleases all kids and grown up kids (aka adults)? Well, here it is.

I can’t get enough of salty pistachios – add some juicy chicken tenders and a perfectly spicy dip! Let’s get it.

I love how the coconut milk keeps the tenders moist and it serves as a vehicle for that panko and pistachios to stick too – its dairy and egg free!!

Here are more kid friendly recipes.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Tortellini

Thai Basil & Ginger Chicken Pot Stickers

Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @whitesparrowfoodco or #whitesparrowfoodco I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe!

Pistachio Crusted Chicken Tenders with Spicy Aioli

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Author: White Sparrow
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6-8 1x
Diet: Gluten Free

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Ingredients

Scale

4 chicken breasts, sliced into tenders (about 4 tenders per chicken breast)
1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk
salt + pepper
2 cups roasted + salted shelled pistachios
1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup gluten free panko (unseasoned) I like the 4C Brand

Spicy Aioli

1 cup Avocado Mayo (I like Primal Kitchen)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 pinch of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lime, juice
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

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Instructions

Combine all Aioli ingredients together in a small container with a lid. Put in the refrigerator. Remove 20-30 minutes before serving, so that it is room temperature when you serve it.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the chicken tenders, coconut milk and a sprinkle of each and pepper. Combine so that the chicken is fully submersed in the coconut milk. Let sit for 30 minutes, at room temperature. It can sit for longer in the refrigerator, if needed.
Preheat oven to 400F. Arrange a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray (this helps the chicken not stick but cook underneath without becoming soggy).
Using a food processor, process the pistachios on pulse for 5-8 seconds. You don’t want them to be dust but you also don’t want them just to be halved.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the processed pistachios, thyme, panko + 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Using a spoon or your fingers, combine all ingredients together.
Arrange the chicken tender bowl and the panko mixture next to each other, from left to right. Then put the baking pan next to the right. Moving left to right and using one hand for the wet and one hand for the dry ingredients (tip below). Pick one chicken tender and drip dry it for a couple of seconds. Add it to the panko mixture. Using your dry hand, cover it with the panko mixture and pat it down to fully coat the chicken tender. Pick up and arrange on the wire rack. Repeat this process until all the chicken is coated with the panko mixture. Make sure to arrange on the pan, so that the tenders aren’t crowded.
Put the pan in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove at once – you want the chicken tenders just cooked. Serve warm with the room temperature spicy aioli sauce.

Notes

Using one hand (I use my left) for dry ingredients and one hand (I use my right) for the dry ingredients. This helps keep the pistachio mixture from getting too much moisture it in and helps coat the chicken instead of your fingers better.

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 25
Category: chicken
Method: stove-top