Garlic and Herb Crusted Chicken Tenders / GF / DF / Whole30

My family LOVES these chicken tenders. Every time I make them my husband says I’m the best cook ever. They really are that good! I’ve included 3 ways that you can make these: in a skillet (preferred), in the air fryer, and baked in the oven. If you don’t mind working harder and making extra dishes to get juicy, crispy chicken tenders, then follow the instructions for pan frying. If the thought of oil splattering all over your kitchen is too much to handle, then follow the baking or air fryer instructions. Whichever method you choose, be sure to dip these in some Whole30 ranch or ketchup!

This recipe is meant for batch cooking, but can be adjusted for less servings. I figure if I am going to have to do a lot of dishes, I better make the most of it and cook 2-3 times what I need for one meal.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs. chicken tenders

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup cassava flour

• 1 tbsp. dried parsley

• 1.5 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1 tsp. paprika

• 1/2 tsp. coriander

• 1/2 tsp. cumin

• 3 eggs, whisked

• 2 tbsp. almond milk

• Avocado oil

Directions:

1. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium heat (OR preheat oven to 425°F).

2. Combine all flours and spices in a bowl and mix with a fork.

3. In a second bowl, whisk eggs and almond milk.

4. If pan frying, pour just enough avocado oil to cover the bottom of the skillet.

5. One at a time, pat a chicken tender dry with a paper towel and dip it in the flour mixture.

6. Shake off excess flour, then dip the chicken tender in the egg wash.

7. Allow excess egg wash to drip off, then put the chicken tender back in the flour mixture, being sure to coat it well.

8. If pan frying, add the chicken tenders to the skillet and cook on each side for about 4 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the breading is golden.

9. Set cooked chicken tenders on a paper towel-lined cooling rack.

10. Continue for the rest of the chicken tenders, being sure to add more oil as the skillet gets dry.

11. If baking, place the breaded chicken tenders on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes at 425°F. Flip the tenders over, and bake for an additional 9 minutes, or until fully cooked.

12. To make these in the air fryer, cook at 370°F for 15+ minutes.

Whole30 Copy Cat CPK BBQ Chicken (Pizza) Spaghetti Squash Bake

Ok, I admit the title is a little confusing, (feel free to send me your ideas LOL) but hear me out . . . Prior to changing my diet and lifestyle with the Whole30, I used to LOVE the BBQ Chicken Pizza at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). While I am all about treating myself to my favorite foods, if and when I feel they’re worth it, I wanted to come up with a healthier, gluten-free and dairy-free recipe that would satisfy. This spaghetti squash bake checks all those boxes, it’s perfect for utilizing leftovers, AND can be doubled or tripled for batch cooking. Winner, winner, CPK chicken dinner!

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 small spaghetti squash

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 small red onion, finely diced

• 3-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used leftovers from Whole roasted chickens I made earlier in the week)

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 cup mayo

• 1 cup bbq sauce (I love the Smoky BBQ Sauce from The New Primal)

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus some to garnish

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp tapioca starch

• 5 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the seeds.

3. Drizzle spaghetti squash flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then place them flesh-side down on the parchment paper.

4. Bake squash for 30-35 minutes.

5. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil.

6. Once the squash have cooked, use a fork to scrape out the spaghetti flesh, and then add to the baking dish. Lower the oven temp to 350F.

7. Add the chicken, diced red onion, salt, nutritional yeast, mayo, BBQ sauce, cilantro, lemon juice, and tapioca starch into the baking dish and stir well.

8. Whisk the 5 eggs and then add them to the baking dish. Stir well, being sure the egg gets evenly distributed, and you don’t see big pockets of it.

9. Bake the dish uncovered for 1 hour at 350F. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes before devouring.

Notes:

• This recipe warms up like a dream, making it perfect for part of your meal prep! Try it for breakfast when you’re tired of eating eggs on your Whole30.

• I used The New Primal Smoky BBQ sauce, but any sauce will do. If you want to save 15% on your order at The New Primal, you can use my affiliate link and code “COACHKELLY” at checkout.

• I highly suggest drizzling some BBQ sauce on top of your slice before serving. I didn’t think about it until after I took some of the pictures of the bake, but it definitely gives a flavor punch.

EASY Whole30 Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

With four kids at home, I need dinners that are quick, easy, and enjoyed by all. I don’t always win at meal time, but this Italian Chicken checks all of the boxes. With simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, it only takes a few minutes to prep, and once your oven is preheated, it cooks in 15 minutes! Throw it on top of a salad for a super easy, minimal prep meal. For a balanced, hot meal ready in under 30 minutes, add a second sheet pan of potatoes and veggies to the oven 10 minutes before the chicken, and finish cooking them at the same time. This is also a great recipe to batch cook, making it a perfect candidate for your weekly meal prep. Drop a comment if you make it and love it, and be sure to share it with your Whole30 accountability group! Enjoy!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Cut chicken breasts into large chunks/slices. Make them bigger than bite-sized, but smaller than a chicken tenderloin.

3. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well, being sure to evenly distribute the oil and seasonings.

4. Spread out chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, so there’s space between each piece of chicken. (if you’re batch cooking, make sure you spread out over multiple sheet pans).

5. Bake the chicken at 425F for 15-16 minutes. Cut into a few of the largest pieces to make sure that the meat is white throughout.

6. Serve warm over rice (not Whole30, but part of your reintroduction), cauliflower rice, baked potatoes, or a bed of greens. You can’t go wrong!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds chicken breasts

• 2 tbsp. EVOO

• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper (use less if you or your kids don’t like strong peppery flavors.)

Whole30 Cilantro and Spinach Mini Turkey Meatloaves

My family survives on batch cooking! Our breakfasts are almost always prepped ahead, and I usually double my dinner recipes so that there are plenty of leftovers for the week. Meatloaf, though, is usually a “one and done” meal in my house because I only own one 9x5 loaf pan. Then I found a Mini BBQ Meatloaf recipe and it changed the game for me! My family loved that recipe so much that it inspired my Cilantro and Spinach Turkey Mini Meatloaves. With ground turkey being a more affordable protein option than organic ground beef, this recipe has become a regular in our house. I love that I can now batch cook meatloaf!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ghee

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 2 tsp minced garlic

• 1 cup chopped cilantro

• 3-4 cups chopped spinach

• 2.5 pounds ground turkey

• 1/4-1/2 cup almond flour (I’ve included a range here, because some ground meat is fattier than others, and will require more flour)

• 3 eggs

• 1 tbsp coarse grain stone ground mustard

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 tsp garlic powder

• 3/4 tsp onion powder

• 3/4 tsp paprika

• 3/4 tsp dried dill

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Warm a skillet over medium heat while you prepare your onion, garlic, cilantro, and spinach.

2. Add a large spoonful of ghee, about 2 tbsp, to the skillet and let it melt completely.

3. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.

4. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.

5. Add the cilantro and spinach and sauté until wilted.

6. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool while you prepare the meatloaf mixture.

7. Preheat the oven to 350F.

8. Combine the remaining ingredients (ground turkey, almond flour, eggs, mustard, and spices) in a large mixing bowl, and stir until well combined.

9. Add the sautéed onion and greens to the mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

11. Scoop out about 1/2-3/4 cup of meat mixture, form into a mini loaf, and place on the baking sheet. You should be able to get about 10-12 mini loaves total.

12. Bake the mini meatloaves at 350F for 23-25 minutes, or until they are no longer pink.

13. Top with your favorite ranch dressing before serving.

Notes:

This recipe is a meal prep recipe and intended to produce leftovers. If you don’t want 10-12 mini meatloaves, simply halve all of the ingredients to make a smaller amount.

Whole30 Stuffed Acorn Squash

Whole30 Stuffed Acorn Squash

Want to be fancy but still keep it simple (ME!)? Here’s a recipe that’s great for entertaining this holiday season, requires only 6 ingredients, and can be cooked in under 45 minutes!

I’ve used this recipe as a main dish at my holiday gatherings and received lots of compliments. I always make more than I need so that I have leftovers, because it reheats well and is great for breakfast! If you’re tired of eggs on your Whole30 you could totally make these to fight food fatigue, too.  No need for a side dish, since this has squash and sausage, but if you want more variety on your plate you could roast some veggies on a separate baking sheet in the oven, or throw together a salad.

Ingredients:
- 2 acorn squash, halved, and seeds removed
- EVOO
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb. #whole30 compatible ground breakfast sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 apples, chopped
- Ground cinnamon to taste
- Ground sage to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut your squash in half and remove the seeds.
3. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place your squash on the parchment paper so that the flesh side is down.
5. Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, warm a skillet on the stove on medium heat.
7. Begin browning your ground breakfast sausage in the skillet.
8. While the sausage is cooking, dice your onion and two apples, keeping them in two separate piles on your cutting board.
9. When your sausage is almost completely browned (but still has a little pink left), scoot it to one side of your skillet. Soak up or pour off the excess grease, leaving a little for sautéing.
10. Add your diced onion to the skillet and sauté it for 3-5 min.
11. Mix your sausage and onion together and then scoot it to the side of your skillet.
12. Add your chopped apples to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
13. Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon and sage to taste, then give everything in the skillet one final stir.
14. When your squash is done cooking, take it out of the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350F.
15. Flip the squash over so the the flesh side is up, and scoop the sausage filling into the squash.
16. Bake the squash for an additional 10-15 minutes at 350, or until it begins to caramelize.

I just love the seasonal flavors of sage and cinnamon in this dish, and that it makes me feel like a sophisticated cook.  Fake it ‘til ya make it, y’all!