Doritos Crusted Chicken Tenders
Doritos crusted chicken tenders are a fun, snackable appetizer or dinner main that the whole family will love. This finger food kisses traditional breadcrumbs goodbye in favor of nacho cheese Dorito crumbs for crunch and flavor.
Servings: 4
Calories: 1051kcal
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts can substitute chicken tenderloins
- 1 14.5 oz bag nacho cheese Doritos chips
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Working with one breast at a time, cut it into thin strips, about 1/2" each, until you've finished with all four breasts.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Transfer the strips to a medium-large tupperware. Pour the buttermilk evenly out over top, and seal with it's lid. Let the chicken marinate at least two hours, flipping the container once or twice throughout, to ensure an even marinade.2 cups buttermilk
- Let the air out of the Doritos bag. Hold the end closed and roll lightly over the chips with a rolling pin once or twice.1 14.5 oz bag nacho cheese Doritos chips
- Transfer the broken chips to the bowl of a food processor. Lightly pulse until the chips have crumbled and resemble course panko-style crumbs. Turn the chips out onto a large, flat plate.
- Add the flour to a separate plate, and use a fork to gently stir in the cayenne pepper-- if using. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl until scrambled. Then line them up in order of use: chicken, flour, eggs, chips.2 cups flour, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 4 eggs
- You can use your fingers, but I recommend a fork to keep the various things from getting clumpy and contaminated. Spear a chicken strip, and let it drip a second or two to remove any excess buttermilk. Dredge them in the flour to coat completely. Shake off any excess flour before dipping them in the egg wash. Again, let any excess drip off, and then transfer them to the plate of Doritos breading.
- Dredge until completely coated with Doritos crumbs. Remove the prepared chicken strip to a baking sheet that's been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Repeat until all the strips are done.
- Bake the tenders at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, use tongs to turn the tenders, and return to the oven. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken tenders are completely cooked through.
Notes
- Don't skip marinating the chicken tenders in the buttermilk. Buttermilk is acidic and will tenderize the chicken.
- Make sure you aren't crushing the Doritos into powder. You want crumbs for the best texture.
- You could use your clean hands to dredge the chicken, but I don't recommend this. Doing so tends to lead to the ingredients clumping on your fingers.
- Chicken tenders are safe to eat when the thickest part reaches 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overcooking them.
- You can switch up the flavors by changing Doritos. Try Cool Ranch, Thai Chili, or even Spicy Nacho for some variety.
- Serve them with your favorite dipping sauces. Ranch dressing, salsa, blue cheese dressing, barbecue, and honey mustard all work well.
Nutrition
Calories: 1051kcal | Carbohydrates: 136g | Protein: 75g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 322mg | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 1415mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 818IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 347mg | Iron: 6mg