Crunchy chicken taco fingers (baked!)

• servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

500g/ 1 lb chicken tenderloins (, cut in half lengthways into 16 x 1.5-2cm / 0.6-0.8" strips, or breast, Note 1)

2 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)

Olive oil spray

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp paprika (regular or sweet, not hot or smoked)

1 tsp garlic powder (sub onion powder)

1 tsp onion powder (sub garlic powder)

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt)

2 large eggs

3 tbsp flour (, plain / all-purpose)

2 tbsp mayonnaise (or 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil)

Pinch of salt

12 - 16 taco-size soft tortillas (Note 4)

1 batch Taco Slaw

1 large avocado (, sliced)

Sriracha (, for drizzling, Note 5)

2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander/cilantro leaves

Directions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

Toss panko with seasoning, oil spray, bake 7 min at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). Coat fingers in dredge then crumb, spray generously, bake 12 minutes on rack. Use for tacos - or munch dipped in Avocado Sauce!

Toast panko:

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).

Mix and spray - Mix the panko and Taco Seasoning in a bowl. Pour onto a tray, spray with oil, spread out, then spray again (from height, directly down, so the panko doesn't blow off).

Bake for 7 minutes, mixing once, until golden brown. Scrape into a 20cm/8" pan (or similar, ease for crumbing multiple pieces).

Crumb and bake:

Rack - Put a rack on the used tray and spray the rack with oil (Note 6).

Dredge batter - Whisk the Dredge ingredients in a bowl until lump free (it will seem too thick at first, trust, it will thin to maple syrup constancy). Add all the chicken, toss to coat.

Crumb - Pick up a piece of chicken with one hand, let the excess batter drip off. Lay it down in the crumbs. Repeat with 2 - 3 more pieces. With your clean hand, cover with breadcrumbs, press to adhere, lay on rack. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Warm tortillas - Separate tortillas into 2 stacks, wrap with foil.

Bake - Spray generously with oil. Put in the oven with the wrapped tortillas. Bake for 12 minutes - thin strips cook fast! (Note 7).

Serve - Serve, stuffed in tortillas with fixings of choice. My assembly order: take a warm tortilla, pile in a generous amount of Taco Slaw. Top with 2 avocado slices, crunchy chicken finger, drizzle with sriracha, sprinkle with coriander. BITE!

Nutrition

• Calories: 128 kcal
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 0.01 g
• Cholesterol: 31 mg
• Sodium: 362 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 9 g