The Breading

• Coating a chicken tender in a heavy, white flour-based breading, then dropping it into a pan of hot oil produces a dish that’s high in fat and calories, and low in nutrition. For the breading, substitute crushed cornflakes or whole grain cereal, uncooked oatmeal or panko -- Japanese finely crushed bread crumbs, found in the Asian foods section of the supermarket or in the baking aisle. Season the breading with a combination of your favorite flavors. Salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and even crab seasoning work well with chicken. You can also season the chicken rather than the breading; just sprinkle your favorite herbs and spices over the chicken and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before breading.

Techniques

• Each cook seems to have her own method for making perfect fried chicken, and most are variations on dipping the chicken in milk or beaten eggs and then in the breading. Some recipes call for multiple dips in the wet and dry ingredients before frying. Keep it light by substituting skim milk and leaving out the beaten egg. Dip a chicken tender in the milk, then in the breading, making sure that the breading is evenly distributed over the chicken. Gently shake off the excess breading and set the chicken on a greased oven-safe pan. Using one hand to dip the chicken in the milk and the other for the breading cuts down on the mess. Or fill a plastic bag with the breading, dip the chicken in the milk and add it to the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken.

Cooking

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the chicken tenders evenly on the baking pan and put them in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The baking time depends on the size of your tenders. Chicken is cooked thoroughly when the internal temperature is 165 F. If you don’t have a probe thermometer or are uncertain about the chicken’s doneness, slice one piece open. The meat should be white through the center. Take the chicken tenders out of the oven and serve immediately.

Variations

• Southern cooks soak the chicken overnight in buttermilk in the refrigerator to give it a tangy flavor. If you soak the chicken, shake off all of the excess buttermilk, skip the milk bath and bread the tenders. Pan-fry the chicken instead of baking it. Add about a half-inch of oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the tenders for four to five minutes on each side. Lower the heat if the chicken starts to burn before it’s cooked through, although cooking at too low a heat produces soggy breading. Deep frying adds fat and calories, but if the oil is hot enough, the chicken will cook before it absorbs too much of the oil. Heat the oil to 375 F. Keep in mind that the temperature of the oil drops when you add chicken, so don’t overcrowd the fryer. Add coconut to the breading for a sweet flavor and added crunch, or parmesan cheese for a Mediterranean take.