Chicken tenders used to be (like 10 years ago) my go to meal at restaurants. You can ask my family members! I would always order the chicken tenders with a side of ranch dressing and barbecue sauce! Well, that was before I really realized how bad fried food, dipping sauces and the calorie packed breading was for my body! I gave this recipe a shot, adapted it a bit to clean it up and LOVE it! It's also husband approved (which in my case doubles as kid approved! )
INGREDIENTS: 2 medium (1.5 lbs) chicken breasts ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 clove garlic 2 Tbsp olive oil (divided) Salt & pepper to taste 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 3 Tbsp honey DIRECTIONS: 1. Slice the chicken breasts on a diagonal into six strips each. Place the strips in a quart sized zip top bag along with ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar, two cloves of garlic (minced), 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients in the bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 2. When you’re ready to cook, heat the second tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the strips until browned on both sides (about 2-3 minutes each side). Place the cooked chicken on a clean plate. 3. Turn the heat down on the skillet to medium-low and add the last 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the skillet. Use a spoon to stir the mixture and dissolve the sticky bits off of the bottom of the skillet. Once the mixture has dissolved together, add the honey, increase the heat, and allow the sauce to simmer until thickened (about five minutes).Once the sauce has thickened, season to taste with salt and pepper (I just used a pinch of each). Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat in the warm balsamic sauce. Serve immediately. Enjoy! Tip: I served these with a side of sweet potato fries and asparagus! Perfect combo!