Sweet and Spicy Paleo Chicken Fingers
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These delicious Paleo Chicken Fingers are sticky and sweet with just the right amount of spice. They're a quick and easy, healthy dinner recipe your whole family will LOVE!
In the off chance that you can't tell by the picture, I'll say it here, “these sweet and spicy paleo chicken fingers are amazing.” Wait … paleo? Yep, you heard right. The chicken is coated in an almond meal (aka almond flour) crust that is both 100% paleo and gluten-free.
After a bake in the oven, it's dunked in a deliciously sticky sweet and spicy sauce. If you forget about your knife and fork, you'll be licking the sauce off your digits for sure.
One thing you'll notice is, because of the almond meal the chicken is VERY filling. The first time I made this I was super starving and thought that the recipe would only serve 2, at most. Even with the best of intentions my handsome man and I could barely finish half this recipe.
I should warn you that it is not quite as crispy as it would be if it were coated in panko or breadcrumbs. Maybe that seems obvious to you, but I had my fingers crossed that it would be.
The almond meal does give the chicken a nice coating that adds extra flavor and helps all the delicious sauce to cling better.
Watch the Video How to Make Paleo Chicken Fingers {1 min}
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These guys have become a family favorite for us. We've made them many times over the past few years and never seem to tire of them. Our little girl loves them as much as we do.
I think the best part about them is that they taste like something that shouldn't be healthy. They're like your favorite deep-fried Honey Garlic Chicken Wings or breaded chicken nuggets dipped in a sweet sauce.
But these chicken fingers are neither of those things. These babies are HEALTHY. It's crazy, I know. It does my head in each time we eat them.
While these chicken tenders are delicious all on their own, they're also delicious dipped in a little paleo ranch dressing.
If you include a little dairy in your diet, some plain yogurt (is there really any other kind?) or sour cream on the side for dipping is nice, too.
Enjoy!
Update: since first making this Sweet and Spicy Paleo Chicken Fingers recipe, I've played around with other versions. This Paleo Honey Garlic Chicken Fingers recipe is amazing, too!
Your Paleo Chicken Fingers Game Plan:
- Pour some tapioca starch into a bowl, whip some eggs, and season some almond flour. Dip the chicken fingers from one bowl to the next. Set them aside and go relax.
- Put the chicken in the oven. Quick boil the honey, hot sauce, and garlic powder. Go relax some more. (Truth: you might want to put on some cauliflower rice and make a quick salad.)
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and put it back in the oven for a few minutes to caramelize the sauce.
- Dig in and watch the smiles spread across everyone's faces!
How to prevent the crust from falling off?
- Start with the best quality chicken you can afford. Cheap chicken is typically pumped full of water, making it look like it's better value than a smaller piece of chicken. The problem with this is that when the chicken cooks the water is released, and it pushes the crust off. Don't be fooled!
- Let the chicken sit for 30-60 minutes after you coat it in the almond flour; this helps to bind the crust together so that it sticks to the chicken.
- Make sure to shake any excess egg off the chicken before dipping it into the almond flour. You need some moisture to help it stick, but not so much that it causes the breading to fall off.
PS. If you're looking for some more deliciously paleo inspiration, make sure to check out the Paleo Recipe Category. While I'm not strictly paleo myself, I eat a grain-free, bean-free, sugar-free diet about 90% of the time and totally love it!
What to serve with baked paleo chicken tenders?
I often keep things super simple and serve a big green salad on the side. But sometimes it's nice to make this an even heartier meal. Here are some of our favorite sides:
- The Best Greek Salad (paleo if you skip the feta cheese)
- Asian Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Sweet and Spicy Yam Wedges
- Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Smoky Roast Potatoes
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popular Paleo Dinner Recipes:
- Creamy Paleo Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
- Paleo Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
- Coconut Thai Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Cashew Coconut Salmon Curry
- Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts
Sweet and Spicy Paleo Chicken Fingers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups almond flour (almond meal)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup tapioca or potato starch (*NEW INGREDIENT*)
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup hot sauce (Franks or Tapatio work great)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Optional: paleo ranch for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim any overhanging edges of the parchment paper.
- Place the almond flour, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper into a bowl and stir it together. Place the eggs in another bowl with a splash of water and whisk them.1 ½ cups almond flour, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, 2 eggs
- *STEP CHANGE*: Dip the chicken tenders, one at a time, into the tapioca or potato starch, then into the egg then into the almond flour. (Keeping one hand for the egg and one for the starch and flour makes this a lot less messy.) Lay the chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet.¼ cup tapioca or potato starch, 1 lb chicken tenders
- *OPTIONAL STEP*: Let the chicken rest for 30-60 minutes in your fridge before you bake it. This step will help the crust to stick to the chicken.
- Bake the chicken for 25 minutes, or until it is crispy and beginning to look golden brown.
- While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce. In a small frying pan over high heat bring the honey, hot sauce and garlic powder to a boil then set it aside.½ cup honey, ⅓ cup hot sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- When the chicken has finished baking remove it from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Dip each of the chicken tenders in the sauce then lay them back on the baking sheet. Save the extra sauce.
- Put the chicken back in the oven for 2-5 minutes for the glaze to caramelize slightly. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.
- Baste the chicken with any extra sauce once they come out of the oven then serve immediately.Optional: paleo ranch for dipping
Video
Nutrition
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