Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

3 cups fresh breadcrumbs*

3 Tbsp. poultry seasoning

1 cup safflower oil or other vegetable oil

Equipment:

2 cookie sheets or freezer safe tray

Tin foil, parchment paper, or professional baking mat

Whisk

A platter

2 shallow vessels: one large, one medium

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet or freezer-safe tray with tin foil.

Set up three stations: 1. platter of prepared chicken; 2. medium-sized shallow vessel for oil; 3. large shallow vessel for breadcrumbs.

Using a whisk, mix the breadcrumbs with the chicken seasoning.

Take chicken pieces in batches of 3 to 4 pieces at a time and dip them into oil. Then coat both sides and edges with breadcrumbs. Press breadcrumbs onto chicken firmly, alternating sides.

Place the chicken pieces on the prepared tray in a single layer. Continue this process until all chicken is coated.

Cover the trays with plastic wrap and place in the freezer overnight.

When the chicken pieces are frozen, put them in a labeled freezer bag and return to the freezer for use in the future.

To cook: Remove the amount you want to cook (2-3 per child) and cook on a cookie sheet (with parchment paper, a professional baking mat, or sprayed with cooking spray) at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes. For a crunchier coating, flip the pieces over about half way through the cooking process.

Serving suggestion: Cook the chicken tenders the night before and send them to school cold, with carrot sticks, an apple, and a piece of cheese.

*Tip: Fresh breadcrumbs allow you to choose what ingredients go into your dish. Choose healthy whole-grain breads. If you are allergic to wheat, choose potato bread or alternative bread. Fill a food processor with bread, crust and all. Process until the bread is reduced to small crumbs. Empty the bowl and continue with more bread. You can do this with a whole loaf of bread and put the unused, unseasoned crumbs in a re-sealable bag then into the freezer.

Information provided by Beth Ann Bentley, www.ilunchbox.com. Beth Ann is a management and marketing professional focusing on the food and beverage industry and website marketing. Her experience has concentrated in restaurant management, sports marketing and special events, public relations, and field marketing. Beth Ann has managed, marketed and consulted with restaurants and companies in Manhattan, San Francisco, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. She holds a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administrations from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Currently Beth Ann is founder and president of iLunchBox.com, an online media company dedicated to the pursuit of a healthy lunch for school-aged children.