Have you got a bag of frozen breaded chicken in the freezer? Here are 5 easy and creative ways to turn breaded chicken into dinner!.
As we round the corner on our third month of social distancing, quick and easy meals are becoming more and more necessary. Some of you are still making Cottage Cheese Lasagna, and for that, I applaud you.
You might cry if you have to wash one more dish, though. This post is for you.
You guys, I’m a FOOD blogger. I cook FOR A LIVING. And even I’m getting sick of being in the kitchen.
What I mean by “Phoning It In” is using a pre-made ingredient as a short cut for an easy dinner. Maybe it’s a rotisserie chicken. Maybe it’s a bagged salad. Maybe it’s frozen meatballs.
Today, it’s frozen breaded chicken, and we’re going to make 5 fast and delicious recipes with it, so you can phone it in like a BOSS.
So, let’s get to it. Phone it in HARD, relax HARD. That’s what I just started saying.
Frozen chicken tenders are a pantry staple for many home cooks. They’re inexpensive, easy to find at any grocery store, and can be used in a wide variety of quick and easy recipes.
I often eat frozen chicken tenders during the week because I’m a busy mom who needs to make dinner. Even better, I make a lot of tenders on Sunday so they’re ready to go for busy weeknight meals.
You can bake frozen tenders and serve them with a side dish, but it’s also simple to make full meals with frozen chicken tenders that the whole family will love. Here are 12 of my favorite easy weeknight dinner ideas using frozen chicken tenders.
1. Chicken Tender Wraps
Wraps make a quick and portable lunch or dinner. I like to cook up a batch of chicken tenders, chop them up and stuff them into tortillas or flatbread wraps along with cheese lettuce, tomato, avocado and whatever condiments we have on hand. Some flavor combo ideas are buffalo chicken with ranch dressing, fajita chicken with peppers and salsa, or Italian chicken with pesto mayo and roasted red peppers. The possibilities are endless!
2. Chicken Tender Salad
Salads are an easy way to use up cooked chicken tenders. I simply chop up tender pieces and toss them on top of greens along with any desired vegetables and toppings. Some easy chicken tender salad ideas are Greek chicken salad, southwest chicken salad with corn and black beans, Asian chicken salad with mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles, or buffalo chicken salad with shredded cheese and ranch.
3. Chicken Tender Tacos
Ground beef is typically used for tacos, but cooked chicken tenders can make a lighter, fresher filling too. Chop or shred the cooked tenders and season with taco seasoning. Fill warmed tortillas with the chicken along with traditional taco toppings like lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa and sour cream.
4. Chicken Tender Pizza
Pizza night can get a protein boost by using chicken tenders. After cooking the tenders, cut them into smaller pieces and sprinkle over your favorite pizza crust before adding sauce and cheese. You can make buffalo chicken pizza, barbecue chicken pizza, ranch chicken pizza or any creative flavor you can dream up!
5. Chicken Tender Quesadillas
Quests with chicken tenders are a family favorite easy dinner. I cook chicken tenders, cut them into strips, and put them in a tortilla with shredded cheese. Then I fry it in a pan until the cheese melts. For a simple Mexican meal, top with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or anything else you like.
6. Chicken Tender Alfredo
Put cooked chicken tenders into any pasta sauce with cream or cheese. This is one of the easiest ways to use them up. Alfredo is an easy weeknight choice. To serve, just cook the fettuccine, cut it up into small pieces, and stir them into the hot alfredo sauce. In creamy mushroom or pesto pasta recipes, I also love to use chicken tenders.
7. Chicken Tender Stir Fry
For a lighter dinner, turn chicken tenders into a vegetable stir fry. Cook them up along with your choice of veggies like broccoli, carrots, peppers and snap peas, then toss everything in a pan with a bit of sesame oil and stir fry sauce. Serve over steamed rice for an easy one pan meal.
8. Chicken Tender Casserole
Casseroles are great for using up leftovers, so they’re perfect for leftover cooked chicken tenders. I make an easy chicken tender casserole by mixing tenders with cream of chicken soup, frozen veggies and stuffing mix or crackers. Top with cheese and bake until bubbly for an easy comfort food dinner.
9. Chicken Tender Soup
Cooked chicken tenders can be frozen and saved to use later in soups and stews. Adding tender pieces to chicken noodle soup, tortilla soup, or any creamy or tomato based soup adds extra protein. The tenders can be chopped or shredded to blend into the soup.
10. Chicken Tender Sandwiches
Chicken tender sandwiches make great packable lunches or quick dinners. Cook up tenders and cut or shred them before piling onto buns or bread. Serve buffalo style with ranch dressing, barbecue style with pickles, or classic style with lettuce, tomato and mayo.
11. Chicken Tender Kabobs
Kabobs are perfect for using up leftover chicken tenders. I like to cut tender pieces into bite sized chunks and skewer them with veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and bell peppers. Brush with Italian dressing or teriyaki sauce and grill or broil until charred and tender.
12. Chicken Tender Fajitas
My final favorite way to use frozen chicken tenders is in easy chicken fajitas. Simply slice up already cooked tenders and sauté in a skillet with bell pepper strips and onions. Serve in warm tortillas with desired toppings like guacamole, cheese, salsa and sour cream for an easy Mexican fiesta.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to easy meals you can make with frozen chicken tenders! They’re my go-to shortcut ingredient for throwing together quick dinners during busy weeks. With a little prep and creativity, you can transform basic tenders into all kinds of family-friendly meals.
What are your favorite ways to use up frozen chicken tenders? I’d love to hear your easy dinner ideas in the comments!
Crispy Chicken Ranch Wraps
Who doesn’t love a good crispy chicken wrap for a quick lunch or dinner?
Cook the chicken, grab your favorite wrap, and then load it up with lettuce, tomato, and Ranch dressing.
Larger sized wraps work best for this so you can actually wrap it around all the fillings.
You can also add shredded cheese or switch up the sauce with Italian dressing or honey mustard. And of course, you could add bacon and turn these into a Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap. That decision is very much approved.
Frozen Breaded Chicken: What Kind and Where to Buy?
Before we get started, a note about the chicken. You can find frozen breaded chicken breasts at almost any grocery store. We’ve tried a few, and we’re partial to the ones pictured below, which you can find at Aldi. Many people who shop at Aldi are crazy about this chicken. Fans have given it the name “Aldi Red Bag Chicken.”
That said, almost any breaded chicken breast will work. Frozen breaded chicken tenders are also a great option for a few of the recipes, including the wraps, salad, and chicken and waffles.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Tenders
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