Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Strips

Nick loves chicken wings. Buffalo especially and the boy needs a drop cloth every time he eats them. I would like them more, but they are so unhealthy, so I'm always trying to find ways to make wings in a better-for-you way. When I saw this recipe on Steamy Kitchen, I knew I wanted to try it, but I didn't have any wings. Enter the wonderful thing that is the chicken tenderloin. A piece of white meat chicken, cut in a strip that is healthy and delicious. So I used these instead of wings. And they were delicious! Very herb-y and flavorful. Even Nick's brother, who only eats pizza and burgers, loved them! Score!

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Strips
*Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Crushed black pepper
8 chicken tenderloins
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (make sure you use fresh!)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
For the dip:
1 cup blue cheese dressing
1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard
(We skipped the dip.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine oregano, rosemary, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Lay the chicken in a baking dish and season with the mixture.

Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes. While the chicken is baking, mix together the oil, fresh basil, garlic, parmesan, and seasoning salt.

It should look something like this:

In a separate bowl, mix together the blue cheese and dijon mustard as your dipping sauce. When the chicken is cooked through, toss in the garlic, cheese, oil sauce.

We served this with reworked mac and cheese. Use the boxed stuff, but add about a 1/4 cup more milk and a handful or two of extra cheese. Top with breadcrumbs and toast under the broiler. Easy and semi-homemade!