Quick Dinner Of Soul-fulfilling Goodness - Parmesan-crusted Chicken Fingers With Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce And Mashed Potatoes

The Colonel had a very long day last Friday, and didn't have a chance at all to stop for lunch. He was hungry, hungry, hungry upon walking in the door. We had a package of chicken tenders, picked up from the Used Meat section at Safeway a few days before, and some taters, and a bag of frozen peas. I decided on Chicken Fingers. Fried, savory goodness, with mashed potatoes and a side of peas.

The fingers are just a wing-it kind of thing, and I have no recipe to consult, but here is my take on them. I have a new potato ricer, and while I really like to make mashed or smashed potatoes with chunks and peels, I thought I'd give the ricer a whirl and have smooth, dreamy, creamy taters.

Instead of gravy, I made a simple pan sauce to go with the potatoes and a Honey Mustard dipping sauce for the chicken. Buttered peas on the side make you feel virtuous about serving a vegetable although it's really just another excuse for butter.

Mangia!

Parmesan-crusted Chicken Fingers With Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2' inch chunks
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk, or more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a stockpot and add water to cover by a couple of inches. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Drain potatoes and transfer to bowl. Return stockpot to heat, and reduce to very low. Working in small batches, add some potato chunks to the ricer and squeeze into the stockpot. Repeat until all potatoes are riced. add butter and milk and stir to melt the butter. Salt and pepper to taste and hold on very low heat.


Chicken Fingers

1 pound chicken tenders
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2  cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons butter

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup mayo
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey

Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce and set aside.

Beat the eggs with Worcestershire sauce in a bowl big enough to dip tenders into. Combine the panko, Parmesan, and next 4 ingredients in a separate bowl big enough to dip tenders into. Dip each tender in the egg mixture, and then into the coating mixture, and set aside on a plate.

Heat the oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Working in batches, fry the tenders on one side for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn once and cook for about another minute. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels and repeat with remaining tenders. Transfer to oven to keep warm on very low heat. Return saute pan to heat.

Add wine to deglaze pan, scraping up browned bits. Add shallots and capers and cook until slightly reduced. add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time until butter is melted and incorporated.

Serve the chicken fingers with the dipping sauce and the potatoes with the pan sauce.