One item that has always been a staple in our freezer is breaded chicken tenders. You know – you’re running short on time or forgot to plan a meal and you grab some from the freezer and throw them in the oven. And almost everyone loves chicken tenders. Well that convenience is also fairly costly. I have found a recipe for chicken tenders that probably tastes better than the frozen ones, is fairly easy to do, and best of all saves money. In this area, I can usually buy fresh chicken tenders at Sam’s Club for at little over $2.00 per pound and sometimes for as little as $1.79 per pound at the local Kroger.

This recipe is my adaptation of several I have run across online. The possibilities are endless. Instead of saltines, you could use cheese crackers, Ritz crackers,  or corn flakes, etc. You can also vary the seasonings to your taste. Go wild and experiment!

Check out Amanda’s Homemade Mocha Frappacinos on her Thrifty Thursday Post.

DOUBLE DIPPED CHICKEN TENDERS

Chicken br**st tenders (You can cut whole br**sts into strips)
2 eggs
flour
salt and pepper
saltine crackers (1 tube should be enough)
vegetable oil

Mix flour with seasonings. In another dish, beat the eggs and add more seasoning. Crush the saltine crackers finely. I like to use my food processor for this. Set up an assembly line for dipping – first the flour, eggs second, and cracker crumbs last. It helps to use only part of the cracker crumbs at a time because they clump up quickly. Heat the oil to approximately 350 degrees.

Dip the chicken tenders first in the flour, then in the eggs, and finally in the cracker crumbs, making sure to cover evenly. Place in hot oil and cook on both sides until chicken is done and nicely browned. Drain on paper towels.

Note:  I haven’t tried it yet, but some recipes indicate that these are also good baked in the oven.