Chicken Tender Nachos

 

Chicken Tender Nachos. Chicken tenders are one of my favorite pieces of the yard bird!  Always moist and tender, quickly cooked, and crazy adaptable to many tastes and flavors.

When I worked at the Manor I used to cook up a huge iron skillet of Chicken tenders to put into the refrigerator them to snack on every week.  Simply seasoned and quickly cooked, they were a real favorite! 

 

 

I had some chicken tenders I wanted to use up and spied this recipe for Texas Chicken Nachos on Real Food By Dad.  They not only looked delicious but are low carb and low GI. 

 

This makes them very Diabetic friendly. How could I resist!  As a Diabetic I am always looking for recipes which promise delicious flavors but are keto friendly, low carb and low GI as well!

 

Chicken tenders are one of those things that are really delicious and easy to cook and use. They do have a tough tendon running through them however.  I always ALWAYS remove this as I find it a bit unpalatable.  

The tendon is a white piece of connective tissue that helps the muscle of the meat attach to the bones.  It is not inedible, but it can be rather tough and rubbery when cooked. I find it best to remove it. This is very easily done.

 

Place the tender, top side up, on a cutting board, with the pointy end facing you. Using a piece of paper towel, firmly grasp the white end of the tendon between your pincher fingers.

Using a sharp knife at a 30 degree angle, trap the tendon between your knife and the cutting board. 

Slowly, holding the tendon firmly, wiggle the knife back and forth to reveal more of the tendon, and get a better grip on it. 

Once you have a solid grip on the first inch or so of the tendon, you should be able to hold it firmly and slide the angled knife against the board to cut the tendon out without damaging the meat.

You can also watch a video on how to do it here on YouTube. She uses a fork and a piece of paper towel.

 

I am a huge fan of Tex Mex flavors, and these chicken tenders are loaded with them.  From the spicy coating mix, to the cheese, to the crunchy mix of toppings you choose to load them up with!

I like a mix of peppers, bacon, onion and olives, but you can use whatever you enjoy.  I also served them with some tasty dips. Guacamole and Sour cream. Salsa would also be good. You could serve some rice or pasta with these as well,  if you are not watching your carb count.

 

I have to show you this new form of Guacamole I discovered in the grocery shop the other day.  It's in a tube!  I wish I could calculate how much ready made guacamole I have thrown away in my life time.

As a single person I just can't get it eaten up fast enough without it going brown and nasty. This squeeze tub of guacamole prevents that from happening and is so easy to use. Just squeeze it into a bowl and dip away!  

The leftovers are stored easily in the refrigerator and apparently it will stay nice and green for up to 14 days!  I am impressed and its delicious too! Love, LOVE, LOVE!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHICKEN TENDER NACHOS

It looks like a lengthy list, but most of it is spices.  Don't let that put you off!

For the spice mix:

• 3/4 tsp of fine sea salt
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

For the chicken:

• 3/4 pound (340g) chicken tenders, trimmed
• 1/2 TBS avocado oil (or whatever oil you like to use)

You will also need:

• 3/4 cup (65g) grated Tex Mex blend cheese
• 2 TBS chopped peppers
• 1 spring onion chopped or 1 TBS chopped red onion
• 6 kalamata olives pitted and chopped
• 3 slices of streaky bacon cooked and crumbled
• Guacamole, salsa, and or sour cream for dipping

This is the perfect mix of spices. Not too hot, just right. I do like to heat them up before using them in a dry skillet to help enhance their flavors.

You can use whatever cheese and toppings you enjoy on these. I like the Tex Mex blend of cheese. It is a mix of mozzarella, cheddar and spicy Monterey Jack cheeses.  Very tasty!

I use Kalamata olives. Did you know that the black olives you buy at the shops in cans are not naturally that color?  They are treated chemically to turn them black. I have only just learned this myself and so I have decided only to use Kalamata or some other naturally black olives.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TENDER NACHOS

They really are very easy to make.  A new favorite! 

Whisk together all of the spice blend ingredients. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until quite fragrant. Allow to cool

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a baking tray large enough to hold the chicken tenders in a single layer without touching.

Trim the tendon from all of the chicken tenders. Sprinkle with the cooled spice mixture and rub it in to coat them. Drizzle with the oil and rub the pieces together to evenly coat them with the oil.

Place them onto the baking sheet in a single layer without touching.  Roast in the preheated oven for about 4 minutes. Flip over and roast for a further 3-4 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7.

Place the chicken tenders in an iron skillet and sprinkle with the cheese. return to the oven until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes. (You can also just leave them on the baking sheet, just scrunch them closer together.)

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped peppers onions, bacon and olives.

Serve immediately with your choice of dips.

I enjoyed mine with some tasty guacamole and some dairy sour cream. They were absolutely delicious.  I will definitely be making these again.

If you are wanting to make a heartier meal, add some cooked rice or pasta.   Or even warmed tortillas to wrap them in.  But, to be honest, they are fabulously tasty just as they are! 

Some other tasty Tex Mex flavors in the English Kitchen are:

TEX MEX SMASHED POTATOES - When done these potatoes are golden brown and crispy with plenty of melted cheese on top. I serve them with a spicy yogurt drizzled over top and some chopped spring onions for the win!

TEX MEX PASTA SALAD - This easy to make salad is a delicious mix of cooked bow tie pasta and crisp fresh vegetables . . . .  peppers, onions, corn niblets . . . tinned black beans, ripe avocado, ripe garden cherry tomatoes  . . .  and a punchy tex mex dressing. 

SHEET PAN CHICKEN FAJITAS - Simple, simple, simple. Everything gets tossed together and baked to perfection on a sheet pan, ready to wrap up in soft warm tortillas.  Quite simply delicious.

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Chicken Tender Nachos

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

These make a fabulous starter or a main dish, depending on how you choose to serve them. Serve with guacamole and sour cream for dipping. As is they are low carb and keto, and might I add incredibly delicious!

Ingredients

For the spice mix:

• 3/4 tsp of fine sea salt
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

For the chicken:

• 3/4 pound (340g) chicken tenders, trimmed
• 1/2 TBS avocado oil (or whatever oil you like to use)

You will also need:

• 3/4 cup (65g) grated Tex Mex blend cheese
• 2 TBS chopped peppers
• 1 spring onion chopped or 1 TBS chopped red onion
• 6 kalamata olives pitted and chopped
• 3 slices of streaky bacon cooked and crumbled
• Guacamole, salsa, and or sour cream for dipping

Instructions

1. Whisk together all of the spice blend ingredients. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until quite fragrant. Allow to cool
2. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a baking tray large enough to hold the chicken tenders in a single layer without touching.
3. Trim the tendon from all of the chicken tenders. Sprinkle with the cooled spice mixture and rub it in to coat them. Drizzle with the oil and rub the pieces together to evenly coat them with the oil.
4. Place them onto the baking sheet in a single layer without touching.
5. Roast in the preheated oven for about 4 minutes. Flip over and roast for a further 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7.
7. Place the chicken tenders in an iron skillet and sprinkle with the cheese. return to the oven until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped peppers onions, bacon and olives.
9. Serve immediately with your choice of dips.

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