Popcorn-Crusted Chicken Tenders

The perfect finger food, popcorn-crusted chicken tenders are flavorful and crunchy with a buttered popcorn coating. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

If you have been reading here for a while, you know that I am a huge fan of Costco and shop there regularly when I am in the States but I must confess that, IMO, their microwave popcorn is terrible. So many kernels left unpopped that it’s ridiculous. 

I bought my husband their enormous box of microwave popcorn a few years ago as a surprise treat and we ended up throwing most of it away. Did we have an old batch? The expiry date said otherwise. Truly, I didn't know what to think. If you’ve had a different experience, I’d love to hear about it. Maybe it's improved?

After trying many brands (Act II, Pop-secret, Orville Redenbacher, Jolly Time, etc.) we’ve finally decided that Orville Redenbacher original butter is the best value for money with the number of kernels that actually pop vs price and flavor. (Also no PFAS in the packaging these days.) So that’s what I used in this recipe. If you use a brand that tastes good and pops more reliably, I’d love to hear about that too! 

That said, you can also use stovetop popped corn but then you won't have the buttery flavor in the crust. 

Popcorn-Crusted Chicken Tenders

This recipe was adapted for one on All Recipes that was meant to be cooked in an air fryer but having baked similar dishes in my oven, like my oven-baked butterflied shrimp and salt-and-vinegar-chip crusted cod fingers, I cranked up the temperature and it worked great. Crunchy chicken outside, tender tenders inside.

Ingredients

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon mustard powder

Several generous grinds black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

14 oz or 397g chicken tenders (about 8)

1 bag Orville Redenbacher butter microwave popcorn or your favorite brand

1 large egg + pinch sea salt

Method

Use a sharp knife to remove the thick white tendon from the tenders. 

Dry them thoroughly with paper towels then season them with them with the salt, paprika, mustard powder and black pepper. 

Toss them with the cornstarch to make sure they are seasoned all over and completely coated. 

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and line a baking pan with baking parchment or a silicone liner. 

Pop the bag of popcorn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Open and leave to cool then measure out 4 cups or about 35g of popcorn into a plastic bag and crush it into crumbs. 

In a large bowl, beat the egg well with the pinch of salt. 

Dip the seasoned chicken pieces into the beaten egg.

Then add to popcorn crumb bag and shake to coat.

Place the coated chicken on your prepared baking pan. 

Bake for 8 minutes in your preheated oven. 

Turn the chicken over and cook for an addition 6-8 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 

Serve hot and crispy with your favorite dipping sauce. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes for and/or with popcorn in celebration of National Popcorn Month! Many thanks to our host Camilla from Culinary Cam. Check out the links below. 

• Beurre Noisette Popcorn Balls, A Bubbly, and Other Popcorn and Wine Pairings by Culinary Cam
• Bourbon Popcorn Trio by Our Good Life
• Caramel Popcorn by Sneha's Recipe
• Nacho Cheese Popcorn Seasoning by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Parmesan Thyme Popcorn with Browned Butter by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Popcorn-Crusted Chicken Tenders by Food Lust People Love
• Popcorn Granola Bars by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sweet and Salty Popcorn Snack Mix by Making Miracles

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad

Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad is a lovely meal, with croutons from leftovers and other fresh ingredients with pizza flair, like pepperoni, tomatoes, olives, anchovies and mozzarella.

We have a family tradition that Friday night is pizza night or at least it almost always was when our girls were young and still living at home. These days we do pizza night way less often but it’s still a mostly Friday night treat when we do. 

We always order extra because leftover pizza makes the best breakfast. It also makes fabulous croutons for snacking on or sprinkling on salad, especially  Domino’s thin and crispy extravaganza, which is what I used for this salad. 

Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad

Use the ingredients list as a jumping off point for your leftover pizza salad. Hate anchovies, leave them out. Don’t like olives, try artichoke hearts instead. Whatever your favorite pizza toppings are, they will probably go great in a salad!

Ingredients

1-2 slices leftover pizza

1 romaine heart, chopped 

2 large tomatoes, cut in wedges

12 slices pepperoni

1 small shallot, finely sliced into rings

10 black olives, pitted and chopped

3-4 anchovies in oil, drained, cut into pieces

1/4 cup or 60ml Caesar dressing – from this recipe https://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/2013/03/caesar-dressing-with-anchovies-or-capers.html or store-bought

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare baking pan by lining it with baking parchment or a silicone liner. 

Use a sharp knife to cut the leftover pizza into small pieces. 

Bake them on the prepared pan in your preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they are browned and crunchy. 

Slice the pepperoni into strips. Pit and chop the black olives. 

Peel and slice the shallot into thin rings. 

Chop the lettuce and cut the tomatoes into wedges. Arrange them both on a large serving platter. 

Scatter the pepperoni strips, black olives, shallot rings and cheese over them. 

Blot the anchovies on a paper towel to remove the excess oil and cut them into pieces. Dot the pieces around the salad. 

Serve the pizza salad with the leftover pizza croutons and the Caesar dressing. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes for pizza or a twist on pizza ingredients. Many thanks to our host, Amy of Amy’s Cooking Adventures. Check out the links below. 

• Cheeseburger Pizza from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Keto Cottage Cheese Pizza from Sneha's Recipe
• Leftover Pizza Pizza Salad from Food Lust People Love
• Pizza Dip from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Potato and Rosemary Pizza from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Puff Pastry Pizza Pockets from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pizza from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• The Elusive, Enjoyable Gluten-Free Pizza from Culinary Cam
• Turkish Pide from Sizzling Tastebuds

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Goetta - Cincinnati Breakfast Sausage

Goetta aka Cincinnati Breakfast Sausage is made with steel-cut oats, beef, pork and lots of spices. It’s a delicious accompaniment to eggs and toast in the morning. Or as a sandwich filling for lunch.

I must confess that while I have driven to, and flown out of Cincinnati, I haven’t actually spent any time there. We were on our way home from a wedding in Ohio and just passing through. 

That is to tell you that I have no prior personal knowledge of the goodness of goetta, a sausage of German-American origin that is often called Cincinnati’s signature dish. I found it in a search online for something savory I could make with steel-cut oats! If the internet can be believed, it is pronounced gettah, like the O isn’t there. 

There are many classic recipes for goetta but most include beef and pork, along with a variety of spices. I cobbled this one together from a few different ones because I didn’t need to feed a crowd! I used the little loaf pans because they freeze well and a big bread pan won’t fit in my freezer. Also, with only two of us at home, I could take one out, slice and fry, leaving two more to freeze for later, which is exactly what I did.

Goetta - Cincinnati Breakfast Sausage

This recipe makes three small loaf pans, 1 lb each. You can also make it in one normal bread pan, if you prefer. 

Ingredients 

2 cups or 480ml beef stock

2 cups or 480ml water

1 teaspoon fine sea salt (adjust to taste, depending on your stock)

1 1/4 cups or 170g steel-cut oats (also known as pinhead oats)

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried marjoram, divided

8 oz or 225g ground beef

8 oz or 225g ground pork (or sausage)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Method

Place the broth, water, salt, oats, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of the dried marjoram in a large pot. Stir for a minute or two so the salt will dissolve.

Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are soft and the liquid is absorbed. Discard the bay leaves. 

If you have one, I recommend using a diffuser under the pot to help the heat be distributed more evenly so the thickening oatmeal doesn't catch. This is mine.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the raw ground beef, ground pork or sausage, onion, garlic and spices.

When the oats are ready, by which I mean they are fully cooked and no longer wet, add the meat mixture in three batches to the pot and stir well to combine after each addition. 

You can add it in all at once but that does make it more challenging to combine well. This is with addition number 3, the final one. 

Heat through until it starts to slightly bubble then reduce to low, cover and cook for another hour, stirring occasionally. Again, the diffuser comes in handy here. The mixture will get quite loose and watery for a while as the onion cooks down and releases its juice

 

If the liquid has not all been absorbed after the hour with the lid on, remove the lid and continue to cook uncovered, stirring often until the mixture has thickened so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. 

Pour and press the mixture into 1 regular loaf pan or 3 small loaf pans, greased, and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Each of mine were 1 lb or 450g.

When ready to serve, slice the goetta into 1/2-inch or 1 cm thick pieces in the loaf pan. 

Remove the slices carefully as needed and fry in a DRY nonstick skillet. 

Do not overcrowd the pan because you need ample room to turn them over carefully when that time comes. Allow the goetta slices to brown completely before attempting to turn them. This may not guarantee that they won’t crumble but it helps! 

Once browned on both sides, you can turn them again to get a deeper brown on each side.

Repeat the process until all the goetta you need is brown. Serve with eggs for breakfast or as a sandwich filling. Wrap well and freeze any unused loaf pans for later. 

Enjoy!  

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes made with oats in celebration of National Oatmeal Month. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out the oat-y links below.

• Almond Meal Muffins with Oats and Honey from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Cranachan Trifle from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Goetta - Cincinnati Breakfast Sausage from Food Lust People Love
• High Protein Scottish Porridge Oats from Palatable Pastime
• Maple Pecan Oatmeal Scones from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Mini Oat Pancakes With Guacamole Topping from Sneha's Recipe
• Mud Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Oatmeal Banana Quick Bread from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Oatmeal Honey Date Loaf from A Messy Kitchen
• Orange Cranberry Baked Oatmeal from Amy's Cooking Adventures

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Spicy Baked Artichoke Dip

This spicy baked artichoke dip is creamy, cheesy and delicious but oh, so easy to make! It can be prepared ahead and baked when you are ready to serve. 

It was four days before Christmas. As I finished checking out at my local grocery store, the self-check employee wished me a merry Christmas. I returned the good wishes and then laughed, saying, I’m sure I’ll be back before then! 

I was, in fact, there at least two more times. And my daughter was there once. We have lists! We plan ahead! And, yet, multiple trips to the store seem to be unavoidable somehow. Tell me it’s not just me, please. 

With the goal of not having to go out again for a while, I challenged my fellow Sunday FunDay bloggers to share appetizer recipes that can be made with the store cupboard and/or refrigerator/freezer items they usually have on hand. I’m thinking for New Year’s Eve but, truly, any party would do. 

Spicy Baked Artichoke Dip

This recipe calls for mayonnaise. DO NOT substitute Miracle Whip or salad cream – they are too sweet. 

Ingredients

1 cup or 240g mayonnaise 

1 1/2 cups or about 190g finely grated Parmesan

1 can (14oz or 400g) quartered artichoke hearts, drained weight 8 1/2oz or 240g

1 small hot red chili pepper

Optional additions: Sometimes we like to add crabmeat, cooked shrimp or crispy bacon before baking the dip to bubbling richness. 

To serve: crackers or toasted baguette slices

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. 

Lay the drained artichoke quarters out on folded paper towels so they can dry while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Mince the chili pepper. 

Measure the mayonnaise and Parmesan into a mixing bowl. 

Chop the artichokes roughly, discarding any tough pieces of the outer leaves. 

Add them into the mixing bowl along with the chili pepper and mix all the ingredients together.

Spoon the dip into the baking pan. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes for a smaller, deep ovenproof dish. Or for a little less time in a bigger, shallow pan. The dip should be golden on the top and bubbling hot. 

Serve the dip with crackers or sliced baguette. Leftovers are great in a baked potato or piled on toasted baguette slices and warmed in an oven. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today, as I mentioned above, we are sharing appetizer recipes made with ingredients we usually have on hand (and hope you will too!) Check out the links below. 

• Baked Sweet Potato from Sneha's Recipe
• Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Celery from Palatable Pastime
• Go-to Queso Dip from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Jalapeño Popper Dip from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Savory Chevre Truffles from Culinary Cam
• Spicy Baked Artichoke Dip from Food Lust People Love
• Tomato and Boursin Bruschetta from Karen's Kitchen Stories

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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