baked chicken fingers with copycat raising cain's dipping sauce

 

This post is for my son.  After he personally and his team won state (tennis) they went to Raising Cane's, just as they did in 2025 when his team won state.  My son LOVES Raising Cane's.  He had never known of its existence before 2025.  Now I think he thinks about it every day.

I decided to try a healthier version for dinner and he loved it.  He was disappointed at first to see that the chicken wasn't deep fried but he quickly forgot about it.  The crunch of the chicken fingers is satisfying.

baked chicken fingers (healthy seasonal recipes)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided (I think it needs more salt next time)

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

5 teaspoons oil

1 pound chicken tenders

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil.

Mix flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.

Beat eggs in a second shallow dish.  Set next to the flour.

Stir panko breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a third shallow dish.  Drizzle oil over the breadcrumb mixture and then mix thoroughly with a fork until all of the oil and spice coats the breadcrumbs.  Set to the side of the egg mixture.

Use one hand for dry ingredients and one for wet ingredients while dredging the tenders.  Dip a chicken tender in the flour mixture, turning to coat completely.  Dip into the eggs, coating completely.  Press into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat completely.  Set on the prepared baking sheet.  Continue with the remaining tenders one at a time.  Discard any left-over dredging mixtures.

Transfer the baking sheet of breaded tenders into the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through, 22 to 25 minutes.

copycat raising cain's dipping sauce (allrecipes.com)

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper

Stir all ingredients together until combined.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld.

the best low FODMAP salsa recipe

 

Lucky me- I get to occasionally experiment with FODMAP diet recipes to accommodate one of my children.  I started with this recipe and it's SO good!  I finished making it just in time for my youngest and two friends to come home during the school day (I guess nothing is happening at school anymore??) so I invited them to have some and opened up a fresh bag of tortilla chips.  Grant's friend said it's the perfect amount of spice.  They ate every drop of what I had put out for them.  The onions and garlic are not missed at all!  It's a great salsa.

the best low FODMAP salsa recipe (slightly adapted from red sauce white apron)

1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 scallions, sliced (greens only!)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lime juice, to taste

black pepper (I used 1/4 teaspoon)

Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse. until you get the desired consistency.

cream of celery soup

 

I got a big bunch of celery from my produce co-op and it was accumulating because I got a big bunch the time before so I made this easy, healthy celery soup (I lightened it up) and we all really liked it!  I'll make it again because how many ants on a log can one family eat?

cream of celery soup (adapted from allrecipes.com)

6 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 pounds celery, coarsely chopped

1/4 pound carrots, julienned

1/4 pound onions, chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used a little less)

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper

6 cups hot milk (I used about 4 cups)

1/2 cup butter (I used 2 tablespoons butter)

dill for serving

Pour chicken stock into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Add celery, carrots and onion to the pot.

Whisk flour, salt, pepper and milk together in a bowl; add to the pot along with butter.

Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. 

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables into the soup.

Serve and sprinkle a little dill on top.

stuffed mini peppers

 

A friend shared this recipe and it is SO good!  It's quite possibly my very favorite way to eat mini sweet peppers.

stuffed mini peppers (adapted from fifteenspatulas, suggested to me by my friend Tiffany)

1 pound mini sweet peppers

8 ounces light cream cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (1/3 cup measured)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

De-stem peppers then cut each in half. 

In a large bowl, stir to combine the cream cheese, parmesan, garlic, jalapeno and black pepper.

Fill the cut peppers with small spoonfuls of filling.

Roast the peppers for about 20-25 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the cheese is golden on the edges.