These keto almond flour chicken tenders are super easy to make and they are so flavorful, especially with the tasty dipping sauce.
Chicken tenders are like magic. You take the blandest of meats - chicken breast - coat it in a tasty coating, bake or fry, and you've got yourself a tasty, crispy delicacy!
This is an easy recipe - for sure easier than deep-frying (though perhaps not as easy as these grilled tenders). Coat the chicken pieces in seasoned almond flour, bake them for 15 minutes in a 450F oven, then briefly broil to brown them.
The ingredients you'll need
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make these keto almond flour chicken tenders. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
For the dipping sauce:
Mayonnaise: I like to use avocado oil mayonnaise. But any mayonnaise will do.
Dijon mustard: Dijon is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard,
Unsweetened ketchup: Traditional ketchup is quite sugary. This ketchup is just as good! I find it at Whole Foods or on Amazon.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use
Garlic powder: Make sure it's fresh. A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
For the chicken:
Avocado oil spray: I use it both for the pan and to spray the chicken pieces before I bake them.
Mayonnaise: Again, I use avocado oil mayonnaise. My favorite brand is Sir Kensington.
Dijon mustard: I use this creamy traditional French mustard to coat the chicken pieces before dredging them in almond meal.
Kosher salt and black pepper: As explained above, use less salt if using fine salt such as table salt or even sea salt.
Spices: Garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper.
Raw chicken tenders: 1 lb., which is about 8 pieces.
Coating: Almond meal and grated (not shredded) parmesan.
How to make almond flour chicken tenders
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Your first step is to mix the dipping sauce ingredients. Then set it aside.
2. Now, coat the chicken pieces in a mixture of mayonnaise, Dijon, and spices.
3. Your next step is to dredge the chicken pieces in a tasty mixture of almond meal and parmesan.
4. Place them on a greased roasting rack in a rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet. Spray them with oil.
5. Bake the tenders for 15 minutes at 450°F, then briefly broil to get them browned.
The tasty coating: almond flour and parmesan
There's no need for using breadcrumbs. Instead, I use a mixture of almond meal and grated Parmesan cheese, which is just as good.
It's best to use coarse almond meal in this recipe (available on Amazon), and not blanched, finely ground almond flour. Although if all you have is almond flour, it will be okay, just less crispy.
What side dishes go with this recipe?
Anything goes! It's such a versatile main dish. But since I bake them in a 450°F oven, I like to serve these keto almond flour chicken tenders with a side dish that I can cook in the same oven. So I often serve them with roasted green beans or with roasted bell peppers.
What to do with leftovers?
You can keep the leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The almond flour coating will lose its crispness. But you can get some of it back by reheating them in a 300F oven for about 15 minutes.
More tasty chicken recipes
If you don't object to frying, another keto and gluten-free recipe that I really like is this recipe for Parmesan chicken tenders. They are coated with Parmesan only - no breading, then fried in olive oil. They are wonderfully flavorful.
And these keto chicken nuggets are very easy to make, and the chipotle dipping sauce is wonderful!
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Almond Flour Chicken Tenders
INGREDIENTS
- Avocado oil spray
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened ketchup
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Chicken tenders:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 lb. raw chicken tenders 8 tenders
- ½ cup almond meal
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- Optional: sprinkle of paprika for color
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet with foil and fit it with a roasting rack. Spray the roasting rack with oil.
- If using, mix the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a spatula to mix the mayonnaise, mustard, kosher salt, garlic powder, thyme and cayenne. Add the chicken tenders and toss to coat.
- In a 9 X 13 baking dish, whisk together the almond meal and Parmesan. Place the chicken pieces in the mixture, one by one, and press on both sides until well-coated.
- Place the coated chicken tenders on the prepared roasting rack. Lightly spray them with avocado oil spray and sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake 15 minutes in the middle of the oven, then switch the oven to broil, keeping the baking sheet on the middle rack, and broil until golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.