Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Salad

The buzz in the food world is that recession dining is taking a toll on our waistlines. Some people, who would other be health-conscious diners, are grabbing three rounds of comfort food a day to cope with the stress. Luckily, there are delicious ways to make healthy comfort food meals right at home.

One great trick to make your comfort food healthy, whole wheat panko. Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb used to make items like tempora shrimp or crunchy sushi rolls. The reason why panko is such a great substitution for traditional breadcrumbs in dishes like oven baked chicken or fish, is that it gives the *crunch!* of deep fried food without any of the fat. You can find it in any food store nowadays. Ian's Panko is my favorite. You can find it at Trader Joe's or check their website for retailers near you. This dinner took me about 15 minutes to prepare...do you think you could handle that? Try it! It's crunch, tasty and healthy. You can't lose. Enjoy!

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Salad

3 oz chicken tenders
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup panko crumbs
1 cup mache
*Favorite salad dressing, to finish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Set up batter station:
Dish #1-beaten egg
Dish #2-flour, paprika, salt and pepper
Dish #3- panko crumbs
3. Dip chicken in egg and then the flour mixture, making sure the entire tender is coated.
4. Dip chick in the egg again and then the panko crumbs. Press the crumbs onto the tender to make sure they stick.
5. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake until chicken is cooked through about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your tender. Remove from oven.
7. Place 1 cup of mache at the center of your plate, add the crispy chicken and finish with your favorite salad dressing.

*I used some grainy French mustard on the side as well. Enjoy!