I hate to admit that sometimes my co-workers and I have meetings at McDonalds. It’s convenient for our different locations, clean, and has speedy wi-fi. I have to combat my desire to get a cheeseburger everytime I am there, as I guiltily love them to pieces. On one afternoon a sweet, older McDonalds worker came over to have us sample the new McBites. Since it was just one “bite” I gave it a try. It was actually fairly good (but also really bad ). The size is perfect for little fingers. So…I got to experimenting how I could make a skinny and healthy version for my whole family. We are huge fans of finger food, so these Healthy Chicken Bites were in fact a big hit paired along with green bean fries. We just got back from a week-long family trip to FL. I am not sure what it is about vacation, but if feels like the free pass to throw healthy (and skinny) choices to the wind. Thank thank goodness for meals like this that feel vacation worthy, but are heart healthy….
Here’s What You Need: (Serves 3-4)
1lb chicken tenderloins (preferably organic)
Extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (storebought is great)
1/2 tsp each dried fennel and dried basil
Salt + Pepper
1 egg white
Here’s what You Do:
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and toss into a large zip lock bag with 1TBS of extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to marinate. After marinating for at least 15 minutes and up to overnight, add in the egg white to coat. Place the bread crumbs on a plate and stir in the seasoning. Preheat a pan over medium high with 2 tsps of olive oil and wait until it is hot. Then divide the chicken egg white mixture into two and toss the first half with the bread crumbs to coat, allowing the access to fall off. Add to the pan and heat for about 2/3 minutes per side. Set aside and repeat with the second half. Season to taste with more S+P.
Dip ideas: The dip is half the fun here. Some ideas are-honey mustard, organic bbq sauce, Frank’s Red Hot tossed with honey, or sweet and sour sauce.
My little "bites" fan!
Kid Tip:
Paired with organic ketchup, this should be a pretty easy sell for your kids.
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Mmm I also love finger food and these look great! I especially like the seasonings you used in there.
These look great! Easy way to get kiddos to enjoy healthy foods! Not to mention, I love the simplicity of a finger food, too!
What a delicious and easy recipe, Bree! I love your use of dried basil and fennel, too. Perfect for the whole family, like you said!
These look divine. I have never heard whole wheat bread crumbs. I normally use panko bread crumbs and bake them…less mess
I have not made them in for ever so maybe now I will.
I recently found & started using whole wheat bread crumbs. I love them! I prefer their flavor to regular, and I like using whole wheat products. I will be making these soon & I know the kids will love them. Who am I kidding, I’ll love them too.
I hope you do like it. Let me know how it goes. This was my first time using whole wheat and I loved them too!
I think we’re all a lot like that. In fact, I was just looking at pics of mylsef that were taken about a year after my first kid was born. I got lucky with breast-feeding and got down to about my college weight without making any effort at all. (Of course, I wasn’t fit at all, but thin? Yes.) And even now, about 12lbs heavier than that and wishing I were that small again, I was still looking at those pictures thinking, “oh, why was I wearing those short shorts? My thighs look awful ” etc, etc, and I know that’s how I felt then, too.Is it a cliche to blame modern ideas of beauty? Maybe. But what else could it be? I don’t know a single woman who is 100% happy with how she looks.