Meal Idea: Healthy Chicken Strips and Fries

I get cravings...crazy cravings for unhealthy junk food.  It sometimes can become difficult to avoid these foods when trying to eat healthy.  Thus, it becomes very important for me to come up with healthy alternatives to these food items.  One of these items (don't worry I will have plenty more of these ideas) is chicken strips and french fries.  Who doesn't love crispy chicken and greasy fries?!  I know I do. 

So I have come up with a healthier version of this favorite: Breaded and baked chicken nuggets or strips and spicy baked french fries.  Here's the recipe:

Healthy Chicken Strips

I ate half of it before I remembered to take the picture...oops!

Ingredients:

 

Italian bread crumbs
Panko
Parmesan cheese, grated
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Olive oil

Directions:

 

1. Cut skinless chicken breast into desired size.  Season with black pepper.  For extra spicy chicken strips (I told you I love spicy), also season with cayenne pepper.

2. Combine Italian bread crumbs, panko, and parmesan cheese together to form the dredge.  For spicy chicken add cayenne pepper to dredge.  Note: I always add cayenne to the dredge for a little bit of heat.  Seasoning the chicken with cayenne with make the chicken even spicier).

3. Coat the chicken pieces with olive oil and then coat in the bread crumb mixture.  Continue until all pieces are coated.  Spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil (I use PAM Olive Oil spray).

4. Cook chicken on a greased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Then flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes.


Oven Baked Cajun Fries

 

Ingredients:

 

Russet Potatoes
Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Salt
Cayenne Pepper

 

Directions:

1. Cut the potatoes in strips.  Note: The skinnier the cut of the potato, the faster they will cook.  I also like my fries crispier as opposed to potato wedges.

2. Soak the potatoes in hot water for 15 minutes.  Then soak in salted cold water for 15 minutes.  Then lay out potatoes and dry with paper towel to absorb excess water.

3. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle salt, black pepper, and cayenne on the baking sheet.  Once fries are done soaking, lay out on cookie sheet and sprinkle the top with more salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Then spray the tops with olive oil (again, I use PAM).

4. Cover the cookie sheet with foil and cook at 475 degrees for 5 minutes.  Then remove foil and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Be sure to keep an eye on the fries as they can cook differently depending on thickness. 
4. Cook the fries