Baked Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

My husband loves chicken strips, but since he has to eat gluten-free it's hard to find them on a restaurant menu.  As a treat, I sometimes make them for him at home.  To make them healthier, I bake them in the oven instead of frying them.  This recipe is gluten-free friendly, kid friendly, and super easy with only a few ingredients.  Give it a try!

Here's what you'll need:
1 pound chicken tender strips
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup bread crumbs (I use gluten-free)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (sometimes I use 1 cup if I want them extra cheesy- don't judge!)
olive oil

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Makes 4 servings

Here's what to do:

Put the chicken strips into a bowl with buttermilk and let sit for about 20-30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil and brush foil with olive oil.

Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together in a shallow baking dish.

Dip chicken strips into bread crumb mixture.  Place on baking sheet.

Before putting into oven, drizzle strips with olive oil.  Don't skip this step if you want crispy strips on both sides!

Bake at 500 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until chicken strips are golden and crispy.

Let sit for a few minutes before transferring to plates or a platter for serving.

To make the dipping sauce:  use a whisk to combine honey, mustard, lemon juice and mayo in a small mixing bowl.  If you have leftover sauce, store in fridge for up to a week.  This honey mustard sauce could be used as a salad dressing too.  It really does taste like a restaurant version!  You could use other dipping sauces like ketchup, Ranch dressing, or BBQ sauce.  Or eat them plain!

This recipe is so easy.  My husband loved it.  In fact, he took leftovers for his lunch the next day!  Enjoy!