Why is this recipe called the CYOA Chicken Tenders? Because what you use is totally up to your preferences. I give you the rubric, and you make your very own chicken tenders your way. Following keto, whole30, paleo, or avoiding gluten? In the mood for HOT chicken? Awesome! Just adjust your ingredients.

Here is the basic structure of CYOA Chicken Tenders:

My rubric calls for one pound of chicken tenderloin. Making more than that? Just multiply the recipe.

• 1/2 cup flour or breadcrumb of choice (breadcrumbs, almond meal/flour, coconut flour, standard flour, bisquick – whatever you have on hand that suits your fancy)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (dairy free? Use nutritional yeast.)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp coating sauce (any combo of mayo, dijon mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, bleu cheese, ranch, etc – CYOA, y’all.)
• 1 lb chicken tenderloins, thawed
• Olive oil or cooking spray

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Mix all dry ingredients (flour, cheese and all spices) together and set aside.
3. Mix your coating sauce ingredients and set aside.
4. Coat the chicken in the coating sauce. I like to throw all my tenders and my sauce into a bag and shake it up reeeeaaaal good.
5. Dip the coated tenders into the flour/cheese/spice mix, and place on a wire rack over top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Make sure to use a baking sheet that can tolerate a broil.
6. Spray with a good cooking spray if you’ve got it. If you don’t, drizzle a little olive or avocado oil.
7. Bake for 12:00 at 450 degrees.
8. Broil on high for about 3:00 – flip the tray around at 90 seconds, if you remember (I didn’t! Whoops).
   
   That’s it! These could not be easier. They give you tons of flexibility to adjust to your taste preference. Like a little more kick? Up your ratio of hot sauce to “other”.

“But Weez. I just want you to tell me exactly what you did so I can do that too.”

Sure thing! But I encourage you to get creative!

I used 2.5 pounds of chicken (a standard frozen bag), so my quantities of everything else are adjusted up to scale as well.

• 1/2 cup garlic breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup coconut flour (I used this exact one.)
• 5/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1+1/4 teaspoon salt (I used coarse pink salt. It’s just the best.)
• 5/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1+1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 5/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more like a 1/4 and an extra lil pinch.)
• 2 tbsp avocado oil mayo
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 2.5 lb chicken tenderloins, thawed
• Olive oil to drizzle

XO,
Weez

P.S. You’ll notice a few affiliate links peppered in. If you shop from those links, you’ll be supporting my little family. I’ll only ever link to things I actually use and love. I hope you love them too!