Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders with Sweet Potato Fries and Steamed Broccoli

Golden chicken strips coated in crushed rice cereal, baked until they shatter with every bite. Sweet potato wedges roast alongside, edges caramelized and insides fluffy. Bright green broccoli florets get a quick steam and a hit of lemon to round out the plate. Everything bakes on sheet pans, nothing fried, and the whole meal comes together in under an hour. Clean, simple, and built to please.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips about ¾ inch wide
  • 3 cups gluten-free rice cereal, crushed into coarse crumbs (Rice Chex or similar)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (or rice flour)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (for drizzling the tenders)
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch wedges (about 1½ lb total)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (for the sweet potatoes)
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt (for the sweet potatoes)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground (for the sweet potatoes)
  • 1 lb broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cut 1½ lb (675 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts into strips about ¾ inch wide.
  3. Crush 3 cups (90 g) gluten-free rice cereal in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of parchment using a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy skillet until you have coarse crumbs. Pour into a shallow bowl.
  4. Add 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder, 1 tsp (5 ml) onion powder, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika, 1 tsp (5 ml) fine sea salt, and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper to the crushed cereal and stir to combine.
  5. Set up your breading station: place ½ cup (70 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour in the first shallow bowl. Crack 2 large eggs into the second bowl and whisk until smooth. The seasoned cereal crumbs are your third bowl.
  6. Dredge each chicken strip in the flour, shake off the excess, dip into the beaten eggs, let the excess drip off, then press into the cereal crumbs, coating all sides. Place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all strips are coated.
  7. Drizzle 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil over the breaded chicken strips and use your hands or a brush to lightly coat the tops. This helps them crisp up.
  8. Scrub and cut 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1½ lb total) into ½-inch wedges.
  9. Toss the sweet potato wedges in a large mixing bowl with 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt, and ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) freshly ground black pepper. Spread them in a single layer on the second baking sheet.
  10. Place both baking sheets in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the chicken tenders and sweet potato wedges halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the coating is golden and crisp, and the sweet potatoes are tender with caramelized edges.
  11. While the chicken and sweet potatoes bake, cut 1 lb (450 g) broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.
  12. About 5 minutes before the chicken and sweet potatoes are done, bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the 1 lb (450 g) broccoli florets in a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp.
  13. Cut 1 lemon into wedges.
  14. Remove the chicken tenders and sweet potato fries from the oven. Transfer the steamed broccoli to a serving bowl and squeeze lemon wedges over the top. Plate everything together and serve hot.