I have some frozen chicken tenders. When I fix them plain they are very dry. I would like some gravy or sauce to put on them. The package gravy mix is legal except to the thickening in it... any ideas?
I have just started phase 2.
Thanks for any advice,
Dar

I wouldn't sweat it in phase two myself, but I can't say for certain that it would be allowed, yk? The corn starch is actually so little in the recipe. Maybe make it from scratch using whole wheat flour? It will be hard to make it without lumps, but it will certainly be allowed.

This is not a gravy recipe, but a favorite at my house with chicken tenders is to place them in a glass casserole dish (thawed), cover with a can of green chilies, and then pour salsa over them, salt and pepper to season, and then add chunks of light cream cheese all over the chicken (about 2-1 inch cubes per tenderloin). Cook at about 350 for 35 min. and they are absolutely fabulous! The heat from the chilies is calmed down by the cream cheese...such a wonderful balance. ENJOY

Chicken sure can turn out dry, can't it? Yecch!

I'm not on the Beach, but I've read a bit about it, and I definitely know about dry chicken bits.

Try cooking the pieces in stock. You'll add flavor, but no carbs/fat/calories to speak of. Stock is awesome for virtually any plan. Dice up some aromatic veggies (onions, celery, bell peppers, etc.) and brown them a bit, add your chicken pieces, let them develop a nice sear on them, then inundate the pan with some stock and let it cook down. Voila--instant "gravy" that tastes waaaay better than anything in a package.

Or borrow a trick from Indian chefs and baste the chicken with yogurt as it roasts. If you like Indian food, you could try a garam masala or tandoori spice mix with the yogurt; if it's not your cup of tea, try it with spices you prefer.

You can also try pan-sauteeing the chicken to sear, then popping it in the oven just to finish cooking. That's how I cook my steaks after my husband showed me the trick of it--that way they always come out beautifully seared on the outside, but incredibly juicy on the inside.

Are the tenders breaded (I'm guessing not, but just want to see if we're talking about the same chicken bits here)? If not, try a variation of chicken with forty cloves of garlic. Yes, it sounds like an unholy amount of garlic, but it tastes awesome and it will turn the driest, nastiest old bird into a succulent morsel of deliciousness. The recipe is very heavy on the wine, though--not sure how South Beach handles cooking with wine, so you'd want to check on that before trying it.

Same goes for coq au vin or any of its variations.

How about cooking them up in whichever way you prefer, then tearing them into bits for a chicken salad made SB-friendly? Not sure if you want to eat 'em cold, but if you do, that's one way to do it.

I usually just bake chicken with water to help keep it from getting too dried out, and then i just add some spices to it..i hate fixing chicken, i am always scared its not going to be done, and i usually bake it too long, the water does seem to help me though.

I finally tried the Salsa Baked Chicken a couple of weeks ago that is in the Recipe Section under Entrees, Phase 1. It really was worthy of all the praise from the other SB's. I am not a fan of chicken breast because of the dryness issue, but this came out moist and delicious. You will have to adjust the bake time for your tenders vs. the whole breasts, but it couldn't be easier to make. Even the leftovers stayed moist and it is Phase 1 friendly.
I hope you enjoy it, too!
MJMS
P.S. Thanks to Kiko for posting it originally!

Love the chicken with salsa. My usual way to fix chicken is sauteed with olive oil. Very tasty and healthy, and not dry at all! Sometimes I cook the chicken with onions, mushrooms, peppers, etc. and add a no sugar added pasta sauce after cooking and sprinkle some Mozzarella cheese on top for Chicken Parmesan. Very yummy!