Healthy Recipes: Oven-Baked Crunchy Chicken with Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
• 1 ½ - 2lbs. Chicken tenderloins
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• ¼ cup almonds or cashews, finely chopped
• ¼ cup panko crumbs
• 2 tablespoons spiced seasoning*
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Grill seasoning**

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into fries. The smaller the cut, the faster they will bake.
2. Liberally, sprinkle grill seasoning to taste. Mix well. Add ¼ cup olive oil and mix again.
3. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until soft. Baking time varies depending on cut size of fries.
4. While sweet potatoes are baking, prepare your chicken fingers. Add salt and pepper to taste to the chicken.
5. In a bowl, separate egg whites from the egg yolks and beat lightly with fork.
6. Place flour in a small bowl and In a separate bowl combine cornmeal, almonds, panko crumbs and spiced seasoning.
7. Dip chicken in egg, then dredge crumb mixture and place on a baking sheet.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
9. Serve with your favorite salsa.

Makes 4 servings

*Spice Seasoning – we used a combination of garlic powder, chipotle powder, sweet paprika and onion powder
**Grill seasoning – found in the spices aisle of your grocery store or to make your own, combine 3 tbls fresh coarse ground black pepper, 1 tbls coarse salt, 1 tbls onion powder, 1 tbls garlic powder, 1 tbls ground coriander, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Store with other spices and use as needed.

Elizabeth Carrion, a Dominican, co-founded Mi Cocina, a New Jersey-based catering service that also offers cooking classes, with her sister, Ana Martinez.