Crunchy Tortilla Chip Baked Chicken Strips

Crunchy Tortilla Chip Baked Chicken

My go-to recipe when I want to make a quick chicken dinner is Garlicky Parmesan Chicken Tenders. I defrosted a pound of chicken breasts and got them marinating in the garlic mixture, went to the pantry and… no cornflakes! Hmmm. With no time to go to the store, I almost panicked, until I spied a partial bag of Juanita’s Tortilla Chips hiding behind the oatmeal. My pantry is not exactly organized. My brain then switched gears and thought Mexican Chicken! I figured I could easily sub out the crushed cornflakes with crushed tortilla chips, add a little chile powder to the mix, and serve it with Roasted Tomato Salsa. I got two thumbs up from the family for this one!

Tortilla Chips and Marinating Chicken

Crunchy Tortilla Chip Baked Chicken Strips

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon New Mexico Chile powder
3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil cooking spray

Pound the chicken breasts  until they are about 1/4 inch thick. If they are very thick to start with, slice them in half lengthwise. Cut the chicken into strips and set aside. Add the garlic, egg, milk,  black pepper, and chile powder to a bowl. The chile powder went in after the fact for me but you can add it now. Whisk until well combined, then add the chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for about a half an hour.

Meanwhile, you can prepare the coating. Fill a quart zip-top bag with tortilla chips and close. Crush the chips finely using a pestle (or the palm of your hand).  After crushing them, measure how much you have, and crush more if needed. Pour the crushed chips onto a large plate, then add the seasoned bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well and set aside.

Chicken Strips Ready for Oven

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with crumpled aluminum foil and spray with olive oil. When the chicken is done marinating, dredge each piece through the coating and place them evenly apart on the baking sheet. If you have Juanita’s Tortilla Chips in your area (look for the signature red and green bag) you will know how greasy they are. That’s what makes them so gosh darned good. Anyways, these chips had enough oil in them that I did not spray the chicken at all with oil, but if you are using less greasy tortilla chips then you might want to do a light spray over the top. Cook for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Remove from oven and serve immediately with condiment of choice and a salad or vegetable.

Crispy Tortilla Chip Baked Chicken

p.s. I am leaving the day after Father’s Day with my daughter for a week to Texas for a family reunion, and will not be taking my laptop. I know, whatever will  I do? I will have camera in hand in case I end up cooking anything, but I’m thinking I’ll be eating a lot of Tex-Mex at some of the great restaurants in Austin. See you when I get back!