RECIPE: Chicken Tenders with Millet Flake Breading and Spinach Pea Cream Sauce

Foxtail millet flakes are my new favorite recipe ingredient!  The brand I buy are toasted so they're crunchy, and they make phenomenal 'breading'!  I first discovered them when I made Millet Patties.  In this recipe I use them to make breaded chicken tenders.  I think you must use foxtail flakes because they are smaller than the other millet varieties.  I have not tried the other varieties, but they are available.

Pasture raised chicken can be tough, even the breast and tenders, so I've been wet-brining ours which makes them tender and juicy.  

In this recipe I used leftover egg whites to make the breading.  Feel free to use whole eggs.

Chicken Tenders with Millet Flake Breading and Spinach Pea Cream Sauce

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 chicken tenders 
• salt
• garlic powder
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 2 egg whites, or one whole egg, lightly beaten
• 1-2 cups foxtail millet flakes
• 1/4-1/2 cup ghee or avocado oil for frying
  
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1.5 cups frozen baby peas, defrosted
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 t. pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

Remove the white tendons from the tenders - they will cook up tough.

Salt the tendons on both sides, sprinkle them with garlic powder, and layer them in a glass container with a lid.  Cover them with water and add a little salt to the water.  Let them sit in the brine at least 30 minutes.  I left mine for 2 days and they were fine.

When you're ready to cook them, remove the tenders from the brine and rinse them.  Lay them out on paper (or cloth) towels and pat them dry.

Set out three plates, one for each of the breading components.  Put the flour on one, the millet flakes on another, and the beaten egg whites on the third.  

Dredge the tenders in the flour, shake off the excess; dip them in the egg white, let the excess drip off and then coat them in foxtail millet flakes.

Set the breaded tenders on a rack for about 20 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

OPTIONAL: combine the remaining flour with the remaining egg white and form into patties.  Dredge them in the remaining flakes and saute them with with chicken.  I found them to be very dry, but my husband said they were OK soaked in the sauce.

In a medium saute pan heat the avocado oil (or ghee) on medium.  Saute the tenders until lightly browned on both sides, about 3- minutes per side.  Remove to a towel-lined plate and keep warm in a 250-degree oven while you make the sauce.

If there are dark millet flakes left in the pan, wipe them out.  If they're merely brown you should leave them.  Add a little oil to the pan and saute the spinach until wilted.

Add the pepper flakes to the pan then stir in the cream.  Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil.  Simmer until slightly thickened.  Stir in the peas, season with salt, and return to boil.

Serve!

Breading the chicken tenders

Foxtail Millet flake breaded chicken tenders (breading patties on the left)

 

Sauteed foxtail millet flake breaded chicken tenders (breading patties on the right)