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Kevin Curry

Smokin’ Low Carb Chicken Tenders

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Let it be known, I love kitchen gadgets and food trends.

With the summer time right around the corner, two things are happening – 1) people are itching to fire up the grill; and 2) they are looking for low-carb recipes to shed some excess water weight for their hard-earned vacation.

So, today we’re making smokin’ crispy, low-carb chicken tenders!  It’s a mouthful to say, but they should be because these bad boys are packed with so much personality.  And yes, they are keto-friendly.

One of the trends right now is smoking food using a small, minimal “smoking gun” that can be used almost anywhere.  It doesn’t emit heat – just pure flavored smoke.  The only thing you have to do is find some way to trap the smoke around the food so that it infuses the flavors.  I’ve tried and seen a few variations of this but I’ve discovered this is best achieved by covering the food in quality plastic wrap while simultaneously smoking it.

This is why I’m so proud to partner with Reynolds Kitchens Quick Cut Plastic Wrap! The main hiccup I’ve had with traditional plastic wrap dispensers is that I can never seem to neatly cut it, so some edges are longer than others and/or stretched too thin in other places.  Reynolds Kitchen is eliminating that headache with a built-in slide cutter!  This makes each cut sheet of plastic wrap more uniform so it’s easier to cover surfaces.   Further, this particular plastic wrap has a long lasting seal to keep food fresh (for meal prepping), but in our case today, to trap in the smoke to infuse the chicken tenders.

Each bit is crispy, crunchy and smoky flavored – just like at a family cookout!  Enjoy!

Show full recipe

Smokin’ Low Carb Chicken Tenders

Ingredients for 4 hearty servings

* Optional Substitution Note
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream OR coconut cream
  • 1 1/4 lb chicken breast tenders, skinless
  • Reynolds Kitchen Quick Cut Plastic Wrap
  •  Coating
    • 2/3 cup almond meal
      • Substitute: almond or coconut flour
    • 3/4 cup sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • pinch sea salt & pepper
    • pinch cracked red pepper for heat
  • coconut oil spray

 

  • Quick Garlic Aioli Dipping Sauce (NOT included in macronutrient count)
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used olive oil mayo)
    • juice from 1 lime
    • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (OR 4 garlic cloves)
    • 1/2 bundle cilantro (no stem), finely chopped
    • sea salt & pepper to taste

Special Utensils

  • Smoking gun
    • Substitute:
      • Add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke to egg and heavy cream mixture
      • Place the bowl in conventional smoker with very LOW or NO heat, then add the bowl of marinated chicken for 1 to 2 minutes, then seal in as much smoke as possible using the plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

STEPS

Step 1

Set oven t0 400F.

Step 2

In a bowl, beat egg with the cream, then add chicken tenders.  Push them down so they covered in the mixture.  Neatly cut a sheet of Reynolds Quick Cut Plastic Wrap, large enough to tightly cover the bowl.   Make a small pocket to insert the hose from the smoking gun, then close the area around it to trap in the smoke.  Fire up the smoking gun for 2 minutes, remove the hose and quickly reseal the bowl to trap in the remaining smoke – it should look foggy inside and you should not be able to see the tenders.  Marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Step 3

Mix together the ingredients for the coating in another bowl and set aside.

Step 4

Once the tenders are marinated to your liking, remove the plastic wrap.  Grab a tender using some tongs and shake off any excess marinade.  Note: This is very important to do, otherwise, the tender will be too wet and make the coating of your baked tenders soggy.  Place the tender in the bowl with the coating and mix it around until it fully coated.  Place the coated tender on a baking sheet lined with parchment, OR on a baking rack.  Repeat.

Step 5

Spray the tenders with a little coconut oil before baking.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the outside is golden brown and crispy, and the juices of the chicken run clear.

Step 6

In a bowl or mini food processor, add the ingredients for the quick ailoi. Thoroughly mix (or blend) together.  Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.

Step 7

Enjoy!

Smokin’ Low Carb Chicken Tenders

Kevin Curry


Prep 20min
Cook 15min
Total 2h 35min

Category
Calories 462


  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream OR coconut cream
  • 1 1/4 lb chicken breast tenders, skinless
  • Reynolds Kitchen Quick Cut Plastic Wrap
  •  Coating
    • 2/3 cup almond meal
      • Substitute: almond or coconut flour
    • 3/4 cup sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • pinch sea salt & pepper
    • pinch cracked red pepper for heat
  • coconut oil spray

 

  • Quick Garlic Aioli Dipping Sauce (NOT included in macronutrient count)
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used olive oil mayo)
    • juice from 1 lime
    • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (OR 4 garlic cloves)
    • 1/2 bundle cilantro (no stem), finely chopped
    • sea salt & pepper to taste

Special Utensils

  • Smoking gun
    • Substitute:
      • Add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke to egg and heavy cream mixture
      • Place the bowl in conventional smoker with very LOW or NO heat, then add the bowl of marinated chicken for 1 to 2 minutes, then seal in as much smoke as possible using the plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

  1. Set oven t0 400F.

  2. In a bowl, beat egg with the cream, then add chicken tenders.  Push them down so they covered in the mixture.  Neatly cut a sheet of Reynolds Quick Cut Plastic Wrap, large enough to tightly cover the bowl.   Make a small pocket to insert the hose from the smoking gun, then close the area around it to trap in the smoke.  Fire up the smoking gun for 2 minutes, remove the hose and quickly reseal the bowl to trap in the remaining smoke – it should look foggy inside and you should not be able to see the tenders.  Marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.

  3. Mix together the ingredients for the coating in another bowl and set aside.

  4. Once the tenders are marinated to your liking, remove the plastic wrap.  Grab a tender using some tongs and shake off any excess marinade.  Note: This is very important to do, otherwise, the tender will be too wet and make the coating of your baked tenders soggy.  Place the tender in the bowl with the coating and mix it around until it fully coated.  Place the coated tender on a baking sheet lined with parchment, OR on a baking rack.  Repeat.

  5. Spray the tenders with a little coconut oil before baking.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the outside is golden brown and crispy, and the juices of the chicken run clear.

  6. In a bowl or mini food processor, add the ingredients for the quick ailoi. Thoroughly mix (or blend) together.  Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.

  7. Enjoy!



Nutrition per serving

Calories462cal
Protein44g
Fats29g
Carbs9g
Fiber5g
Sugar1g
0
(Based on 0 reviews)

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Details

Prep 20min
Cook 15min
Total 2h 35min

Nutrition per serving

Calories462cal
Protein44g
Fats29g
Carbs9g
Fiber5g
Sugar1g
About Kevin - author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hey, I'm Kevin

My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle.

By experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my meals on Tumblr, I learned healthy eating is not boring! By making a few adjustments to my favorite foods, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my wellness goals while satisfying my desire for BANGIN food! 😅 Now I try to help people around the world realize that same level of freedom in eating regardless of budget. Welcome, let's #DemocratizeWellness together!