Dairy Free Gluten & Grain Free Paleo Specific Carbohydrate Diet Whole30

Paleo Chicken Tenders

Name: Paleo Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 29 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup almond flour; 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 2 eggs; 1 lbs chicken breasts ((or 1 lbs chicken tenders)); cooking spray

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These Paleo Chicken Tenders are a healthy spin on a childhood favourite. They are coated in a crispy almond flour and shredded coconut breading and cooked in the airfryer (but I’ve included instructions for the oven too!). These chicken tender are paleo, whole30, grain free, gluten free, dairy free and specific carbohydrate diet legal.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE CHICKEN TENDERS

They taste like they are fried in oil but are actually healthy thanks to the airfryer.
They are crispy on the outside and moist and tender inside.
You can make a big batch and enjoy them for easy meals all week long.
They are kid friendly
They are Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo and Whole30 too!

CAN I FREEZE THESE?

I recommend freezing these chicken tenders raw. Coat the strips in the almond flour and coconut mixture and then place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and once the chicken tenders are frozen, you can transfer them to a more space efficient container or ziploc bag. The frozen chicken tenders can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months. Allow the chicken tenders to thaw in the fridge overnight before transfering them to the airfryer and cooking.

WHAT TYPE OF DIPPING SAUCE SHOULD I SERVE WITH THEM

You can serve these chicken tenders with ketchup (here is a Whole30 recipe), BBQ sauce or any other sauce that you like. If you are in need of a quick and easy dip I like making a honey mustard sauce by stirring together 1/4 cup dijon mustard and 2 tbsp honey.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THESE CHICKEN TENDERS?

These chicken tenders are incredibly versatile! For a filling meal you can serve them with fries or coleslaw, or serve them on top of a big salad such as this caesar. I like adding leftover chicken tenders to a lettuce wrap for lunch.

TIPS FOR MAKING THESE CHICKEN TENDERS

When coating the chicken, use one hand to transfer the chicken to the egg bowl, and from there to the breading, and the other hand to coat the chicken with the almond flour breading. Think of it as one hand for “wet” and one hand for “dry” which will prevent the breading from coating your hands and forming clumps.
I recommend generously spraying the chicken with cooking spray and then spraying it again half way through cooking when you flip the chicken. Spraying them in oil will really help the coating to become crispy.
Don’t overcrowd the airfryer basket, space the chicken tenders out and don’t let them overlap. Creating space will allow for air to flow all around the chicken creating maximum crispiness.

SHOULD I USE CHICKEN TENDERS OR BREASTS?

Chicken tenders are the strip of meat attached to the underside of each breast. They are very moist and tender and are often sold separately from the breast in grocery stores. If you are unable to find chicken tenders, you can use breasts! Simply cut each breast lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick pieces.

HOW TO MAKE THESE PALEO CHICKEN TENDERS SCD LEGAL

If you follow the specific carbohydrate diet and would like to make these chicken tenders, I recommend omitting the onion powder and garlic powder. There are some brands of onion powder and garlic powder that are SCD legal, but many use binding agents which are illegal, so if in doubt, leave them out.

CAN I BAKE THESE IN THE OVEN?

If you don’t have an airfryer you can bake these chicken tenders in the oven instead. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet (this will help the air flow under the pieces and crisp them up on all sides). Generously spray the chicken tenders with cooking spray and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, flipping them all over half way through cooking.

CAN I MAKE THESE IN ADVANCE

The chicken tenders can be coated in the almond flour and coconut mixture up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. I recommend cooking the chicken tenders in the air fryer right before eating for maximum crispiness.

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS

Leftover paleo chicken tenders stored in an airtight container will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. I recommend reheating them in the airfryer for 3 minutes or in the oven on a baking sheet for 5-6 minutes until warmed through.

Here are a few more Chicken recipes that you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!