Baked Almond Chicken Strips

Try a healthy spin on chicken strips with this baked almond chicken strips recipe, paired with a clean honey mustard dipping sauce that's pure perfection.

this RECIPE

Not sure how, but it's May already.

While I love this time of year, it is still shocking just how quickly time flies, isn't it?

One thing I have always loved during this time of year is how much time we all spend outside, enjoying the beautiful weather.  Lately, though, I've found it very difficult to eat healthy while being on the go.  In fact, this time of year is difficult in general, with all the ice cream, fraps, popsicles.

Things get rough, yo.  Things get rough.

So, I figured why not make a healthy appetizer to have around to grab and go?  Why not make something I'd actually WANT to eat and also have it be fun and all entertain-y?

Why not just be better and win a life?

And that’s when I thought about this recipe, which is going to show you exactly how to make healthy chicken strips.  Perfect for an easy appetizer or dinner on those deliciously warm May evenings.

Truth: I love chicken strips.  And honey mustard dipping sauce.

It's my jam.  Err...sauce.

Reality: Restaurants coat chicken strips in bleached flour batters and deep fry them in super unhealthy oils, and then cover them in salt.  Plus, those packaged honey mustard sauces are more than likely drenched in high fructose corn syrup and other artificial ingredients.

I know, super sad - right?  It's okay, I'll give you a minute.  Been there.

HOW TO MAKE BAKED CHICKEN STRIPS

Instead of frying these almond chicken strips, I chose to bake them so that we didn’t have to use any extra oil or crazy batter.  Guys, I learned it’s shockingly easy to make homemade chicken strips and they're AMAZING.

All you have to do is follow these super simple steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Cut chicken into strips
3. Make the almond coating
4. Dip the chicken strips into the egg
5. Dip the strips into the almond mixture
6. Place the coated chicken strips onto the baking sheet
7. Bake for 18-22 minutes, flipping halfway through

Making your own homemade chicken strips not only allows you to control the ingredients, it’s also a great way to get the kids involved in making their food, too!  This is a very similar process for how I make my Salmon Fish Sticks, too!

 How to Make Healthy Chicken Strips

Okay, you ready for the good news?

Replacing your typical heavy batter with this almond coating adds healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, and protein and removes unnecessary empty carbs.  It's a win-win.

Plus I've got a DELICIOUS, healthy (clean, even!) baked chicken strips recipe for you that you can enjoy without any guilt.  Without any hydrogenated oils.  Without any corn syrup or yellow food coloring.

For this baked chicken strips recipe, I made the following changes to make sure they packed a healthy punch:

• Replaced breadcrumbs and/or flour in the coating with almonds (this also makes them paleo and gluten-free!)
• Reduced the amount of salt
• Baked them instead of frying them

All in all, these homemade strips pack a lot of healthy fats and protein into a chicken strip you can feel good about serving your kiddos and yourself.

Just pure, clean, simple goodness.  In chicken strip form!

How To Store Baked Almond Chicken Strips

If, somehow, you manage not to devour all these baked chicken strips after they’re cool enough to eat from the oven, here are the best ways to store them so you can enjoy them later.

HOW TO REFRIGERATE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STRIPS

To store extra chicken strips in the refrigerator, place the baked strips into an airtight container in the fridge.  When you’re ready to reheat them, you can either heat in the microwave for 1 minute (which will make them not as crispy) or reheat in the oven at 400 degrees F. for 4-6 minutes, until heated through.  Baked chicken strips can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STRIPS

To freeze your baked almond chicken strips, arrange them on a baking sheet and place into the freezer for 1-2 hours to fully harden.  Then, gather the frozen chicken strips together and place them into a freezer-safe bag or container.  Frozen chicken strips can be stored up to one month.  To reheat frozen chicken strips, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, lay the frozen strips on a baking sheet, and heat for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

Baked Almond Chicken Strips

Lacey Baier

Try a healthy spin on chicken strips with this baked almond chicken strips recipe, paired with a clean honey mustard dipping sauce that's pure perfection.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 449 kcal

Equipment

• Food Processor
• mixing bowl
• Rimmed Baking Sheet

*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For The Baked Almond Chicken Strips

• ▢ 1 cup raw almonds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• ▢ 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced into ¼-inch thick strips
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil

For The Clean Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
• ▢ 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
• ▢ 2 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

 

For The Baked Chicken Strips:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the almonds, garlic powder, paprika, ground black pepper, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper. Process this mixture until the almonds are crumbly and look like course breadcrumbs.
• Transfer the almond coating to a shallow dish and set aside.
• In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1 tsp. olive oil.
• To prepare the strips, slice the chicken breasts into ¼ inch slices.
• Starting with the egg mixture, dip the chicken slices until fully coated. Then give them a little shake to let any extra egg drip off.
• Transfer to the seasoned almond coating and gently toss until the chicken strip is completely covered.
• Remove and transfer the chicken strip to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken, allowing some space in between the chicken strips for even baking.
• Place in the oven and bake for about 18-22 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle and the tasty almond coating is golden.
• While the strips are cooling down from the oven, make the honey mustard sauce (recipe below).

For the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

• In a small bowl, combine the plain Greek yogurt, yellow mustard, honey, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Whisk until this is very smooth.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 3 stripsCalories: 449 kcalCarbohydrates: 16.4 gProtein: 38.1 gFat: 27 gSaturated Fat: 3.1 gCholesterol: 179.7 mgSodium: 227.7 mgFiber: 4.3 gSugar: 10.7 g

Keyword almond chicken tenders, almond crusted chicken tenders, strips chicken

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Tag @asweetpeachef on Instagram so we can check it out.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.