Recipe: Everything Chicken Tenders with Vegetable Cream Cheese Dip

"EVERYTHING" CHICKEN FINGERS
with Vegetable Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce and Homemade Everything Seasoning

"Yup, here's another recipe for chicken fingers. This one is a riff on everything bagels (my favorite). With a vegetable cream cheese sauce for dipping, it's high-protein, low-carb fun!"


1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
FOR THE EVERYTHING SEASONING:
3 tablespoons dehydrated minced onion
3 tablespoons garlic flakes
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt or sea salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
FOR THE VEGETABLE CREAM CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup buttermilk
4 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 celery ribs from the heart with leafy tops, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle the EVOO over the chicken tenders and toss to coat. Set aside.

Combine the minced onion, garlic flakes, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, black pepper, and coarse salt on a plate and toss with your fingers to mix.

Press the chicken pieces into the seed mixture to coat on a all sides. Place the chicken on a nonstick baking sheet.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once about halfway through.

Meanwhile, to prepare the Vegetable Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce, combine the cream cheese and buttermilk and stir until smooth. Stir in the scallions, carrots, and celery and season with a little salt and pepper.

Serve the chicken tenders with the Vegetable Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce alongside.

THE ITTY BITTIES CAN:
- mix coating blend
- peel carrots
- stir dipping sauce

Makes 4 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: Yum-O! The Family Cookbook by Rachael Ray