The Prompt
My kids hate eating dishes with mixed ingredients, dislike green vegetables, and especially hate saucy and stewy foods. Please give me a healthy, kid-friendly dinner recipe.
Picky Eater’s Delight: A Dinner Win for Every Family
Hello, dear readers! Today, I’m excited to share a recipe that will bring smiles to your dinner table—the “Picky Eater’s Delight.” We all know feeding kids (or adults with selective palates) can be a culinary conundrum. But fret not! This dish is designed to please those who prefer their foods simple, separate, and sans sauces.
The Challenge of Separate and Simple
Anyone with a picky toddler or a discerning eater of any age knows the struggle: mixed ingredients can be a big no-no, and don’t even mention green, leafy veggies! That’s where the beauty of the ‘Picky Eater’s Delight’ comes in. This meal respects those preferences while offering a balanced, delicious dinner option.
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders: A Universal Favorite
Starting with a classic favorite—chicken tenders—we go for a homemade version that’s golden, crispy, and baked to perfection. The breadcrumb coating is the key, seasoned with paprika, salt, and pepper. It’s all about achieving that lovely crunch without frying. For the best results, ensure your oven is preheated correctly and don’t overcrowd the baking sheet—each tender needs space to achieve that ideal crispiness.
Honey-Glazed Carrots: Sweetness Wins
Now, let’s talk vegetables. We sneak in some nutrition with honey-glazed carrots. Their natural sweetness, enhanced with a touch of honey, can make them a hit with the kids. The trick is to cook them until just tender—you want that slight bite to remain. This can be an excellent gateway for introducing more veggies in the future.
Crispy Roasted Potatoes: Comfort in a Bite
Finally, the crispy roasted potatoes are a simple yet satisfying addition. Roasting baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper until they’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside makes them irresistible. It’s a great way to add a comforting element to the plate.
Serving it Up
The presentation can be everything for fussy eaters. Serve each component separately on the plate. This respects the eater’s need for clear boundaries between different foods, making the meal less intimidating and more inviting.
The ‘Picky Eater’s Delight’ isn’t just about catering to specific preferences. It’s about finding a middle ground where simplicity meets nutrition and taste. The simplest dishes can sometimes bring the greatest joy and satisfaction to the dinner table.
So, there you have it—a meal that respects the rules of picky eating without compromising flavor and nutrition. Whether you’re serving this to kids or adults, it’s a dish bound to unite everyone. Bon appétit!
Three Recipes in One!
I’ve made about a dozen Gippity Kitchen recipes; this was the first time Gippity gave me three recipes in one. It could have been something to do with the prompt, though I didn’t specify that I wanted separate recipes.
It’s convenient because if you want to make just one of these dishes, you can scroll down to that recipe. You can skip any recipe if your picky eater hates carrots or potatoes (or chicken?).
I asked Gippity to give me individual prep and cook times for each one, but if you make all three, there will be some overlap. All in all, it took me about 35 minutes to make all three dishes, but I cooked the potatoes and chicken simultaneously (a note below).
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
This is the most complicated of the three recipes, but it’s still pretty simple. Dredging the chicken in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs is a little messy, but it’s worth it.
Gippity warned me not to overcrowd the chicken.
As you can see, I overcrowded the chicken.
To compensate, I added a wire rack to prevent them from getting soggy. This worked out just fine, and the chicken came out super crispy.
I Used an Air Fryer For the Potatoes
Gippity told me to roast the potatoes in the oven at 375°F, but I just got this new air fryer for Christmas, so I cheated and used that instead.
This will not make a great deal of difference for my kids’ palates, but it did make the potatoes crispier.
This also reduced sequential cooking time because I could simultaneously cook the potatoes and chicken. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook the potatoes in the oven as the recipe states, and it will turn out fine.
Simple Ingredients, Simple Instructions
The best part about these recipes is that they’re simple. The ingredients are simple, the instructions are simple, and the results are simple. I mean that in a good way.
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
Savor the crunch with these oven-baked chicken tenders, coated in a perfectly seasoned breadcrumb mixture for a golden, crispy exterior and a juicy, tender interior.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika (for a little color, but it’s not spicy)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Mix the breadcrumbs with paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg.
- Dredge each chicken tender in flour, then dip in the egg, and then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the chicken tenders on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Honey-Glazed Carrots
These carrots are transformed into a sweet, tantalizing side with a glossy honey glaze, enhancing their natural sweetness while retaining a delightful, tender bite.
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the carrots and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the honey and a pinch of salt, and cook for another 5 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Enjoy the comforting taste of these crispy roasted baby potatoes, seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Their golden, crunchy exteriors give way to soft, fluffy centers.
Ingredients
- 1 lb baby potatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread them on a baking sheet.
- Roast in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden.
The Verdict
This was a total win.
Cooking for my two picky kiddos can be an impossible mission, but this was a success. I mean, you can’t go wrong with chicken tenders, right? And these were super crunchy and way better than the frozen ones (which we cook when we’re desperate or tired).
The two sides were fantastic. Butter and honey make everything better, but—despite the risk of sounding like an absolute pleb—I have to give a particular shout-out to the salt on the carrots, which added enough depth to keep them from tasting like candy.
The potatoes were the simplest of the three recipes, but simple can be good. The air fryer certainly helped, but I’m sure they would have been good in the oven, too.
