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Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers – baked chicken fingers with a fun, colorful, crunchy coating, perfect for a wholesome family dinner that kids will have a great time helping to prepare.
I have three young kids, and as anyone with kids in their lives will surely agree, kids love snacks. My kids love crunchy snacks that taste great. As a mom, I want snacks that are wholesome.
A snack that we all agree on is Goldfish® crackers. My kids love their crunchiness, cheesy taste and fun shape. And, in the case of Goldfish Colors, they love the bright, fun colors. I love that Goldfish crackers are baked and that the colors come from natural ingredients.
When I go shopping at our local Walmart, I like to stock up on the 30oz cartons of Goldfish crackers. This past week, I picked up 30oz cartons of Goldfish Colors and Cheddar Made with Whole Grain, they are located in the crackers aisle at Walmart.
My kids also all love chicken fingers. When we go out to eat, they will often order chicken fingers. The chicken fingers served at restaurants tend to be fried, this is all right for an occasional meal out. However, at home, I like to prepare healthier meals for my family, thus when I make chicken fingers, I bake them in the oven.
I thought it would be fun to use the Goldfish Colors to create a colorful, crunchy coating for chicken fingers for a family dinner. I like to keep kids in the mix when I’m cooking at home and knew that my 8-year old son would love to make these chicken fingers with me. My son loves to help in the kitchen and I know that when he helps to make something, he is much more likely to want to eat it.
My son was delighted to help me make these Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers. First, we put the Goldfish crackers and some pecans, for added crunch and protein, into the bowl of a food processor. I secured the lid and then my son had a great time processing the mixture. He processed the mixture until it resembled fine crumbs.
Next, I set up a chicken finger dredging station. I set out the chicken fingers, a shallow bowl of flour, another shallow bowl of milk, a plate on which I poured about half of the cracker and pecan mixture and a greased baking sheet.
First, I dipped a chicken finger into the flour, ensuring it was thinly coated, then dipped it into the milk, and then placed it on the plate of cracker and pecan mixture.
My son then enjoyed covering the chicken finger with the mixture so that it was completely coated. I then placed the coated chicken finger on the baking sheet.
We repeated this process with the remaining chicken fingers. As needed, I put more of the cracker and pecan mixture, a handful or so at a time, onto the plate.
Once all the chicken fingers were coated and on the baking sheet, I placed the baking sheet in the preheated oven. The chicken fingers take about 12 – 16 minutes to bake in the oven.
When the Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers were done baking, it was time for our family dinner. I served the chicken fingers along with ketchup for dipping and cut up fresh fruit and veggies, for a wholesome meal.
When my twin girls saw the colorful Goldfish cracker coated chicken fingers on their plates, their faces lit up into huge smiles and they were absolutely delighted. One of my daughters exclaimed, “Look at the colors, these are my favorites!”
Everyone, the kids and parents alike, enjoyed these crunchy Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers. And, since we baked these chicken fingers, they are “better for you” than typical store bought or restaurant chicken fingers.
The next day, my son had a friend over for a playdate. At lunch time, we served some of the leftover Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers.
My son, with a big smile, proudly told his friend that he had made the chicken fingers with his mom. Both boys agreed that these colorful chicken fingers are delicious.
Goldfish crackers with their great taste and fun shape are perfect for a wholesome snack and a win-win for parents and kids. Goldfish crackers are also great for use in snack and mealtime recipes, such as these delicious Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers.
These Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers with their fun, colorful, crunchy coating are perfect for a wholesome dinner that kids will have a great time helping to prepare and the whole family will enjoy.
Do you have a favorite recipe using Goldfish crackers? Please let me know in the comments below!
And, be sure to visit Keep Kids In The Mix for more great snack and mealtime recipe ideas using Goldfish crackers.
Rainbow Cracker and Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers
Ingredients
- 3 cups Goldfish Colors crackers
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 lbs chicken breast tenders
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet.
- Add Goldfish crackers and pecans to bowl of food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Set up a dredging station. Pour flour into a shallow bowl. Pour milk into another shallow bowl. Pour about half of the cracker and pecan mixture onto a plate.
- Dip a chicken tender into the flour and ensure it is evenly and thinly coated. Then dip the chicken tender into the milk and ensure it is evenly coated.
- Place flour and milk coated chicken tender on plate on top of cracker and pecan mixture. Cover chicken tender with cracker and pecan mixture and ensure it is completely coated. Place the coated chicken tender onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 with remaining chicken tenders, adding more of the cracker and pecan mixture, a handful at a time, to the plate as needed.
- Place baking sheet with coated chicken tenders into the preheated oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 12-16 minutes total, flipping chicken tenders over about midway through baking time.
This looks delicious! I found you from the Friendship Friday linky, and I’m so glad I did. You’ve got a wonderful blog!
How neat to use rainbow gold fish crackers. It gives the chicken a fun crust and I’m sure my family would love these.
This recipe certainly seems kid friendly! I love the addition of the pecans to add extra crunchiness and taste. Will have to try this sometime soon!
What a fun idea for a coating. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at Snickerdoodle Sunday! Pinned and tweeted to share.
These look great, Joy and what a fun cooking activity to do with your children! Thanks for sharing at Snickerdoodle Sunday.
Yum! We made something very similar and used the chicken fingers to dunk in homemade tomato soup. The kids loved it!
What a great idea! I bet the kids would enjoy this! Heck I think I would enjoy this lol!
You have quite the sous chef helping you out in the kitchen. Fantastic that you get to cook with your kids. Looks like those chicken fingers turned out beautifully.
I like the crackers plain, but using them as a coating sounds super! This would be a favorite for my big kids too!
How fun and happy chicken fingers you made! And the little chef seems to enjoy not only eating them but making them as well!
Thanks, we all had a great making and eating these!
Ha, never thought of this before but I bet that’s super delicious! Great recipe idea!
Thanks, it is really good!
So colorful and delicious looking! Thanks for sharing on the “What’s for Dinner” linky!
Thanks Helen!
These sound so fun to make!
Yes, they are!
What an awesome idea and use of goldfish crackers. I don’t know a kid (or adult) who wouldn’t love this dish.
Thanks Denise, it was a big hit with the whole family, the kids are still talking about it, so we’ll have to make more soon!
Joy, I love the contrast from the pecans to the salty, cheesy crackers–this would go over so well at our house!
Thanks Kristen, it is a great combo!
What a fun idea, and your assistant looks like he’s enjoying it so much – so cute!
Thanks Caroline, we both had so much fun making these!
I usually use egg to coat my meat! But its so messy and sticky and I thinkI will use milk next time! Very nice to see this as I learned something new!
Thanks Merlinda, hope you give it a try and enjoy!
What a fun idea and your little guy is so cute! Isn’t it fun to have little helpers in the kitchen?
It sure is, thanks Carlee!
I love doing homemade chicken tenders and this is such a fun twist! I’m sure my little ones would love it 🙂
Thanks Kathryn!
Hi Joy, arent you clever to use the colored Fish for a coating. My grandson does not eat things that are of certain colors, crazy!!
Thanks for sharring on the #OMHGWW this week, hope to see you next week!
Have a great night!
Karren
@Oh My Heartsie GIrl
Thanks Karren!
I love to see kids in the kitchen! I raised 4 sons – all grown now, and all wonderful cooks! The youngest is in culinary school. This recipe for chicken fingers looks like a great way to interest children in cooking. Bravo!
Thanks Tamara, I love cooking with my 3 kids too!
Looks so tasty I want some of these too heheh! cute photos with your son too 🙂
Thanks Steve, my son and I had such a great time making these!
The rainbow crackers adds such a neat color. And you got your son in the kitchen. that is a double win!
Thanks Peter, my kids really loved the colors!
This is such a cute idea! My kids would absolutely love these! Great recipe! 🙂
Thanks Sherri, these were a big hit with my family!
So colorful! I never thought to use goldfish crackers! My niece will LOVE this.
Thanks Mica, my kids really love them!
Great idea to use up those goldfish crackers. The grandkids will love smashing them up and maybe even eating them. Thanks for sharing.
Wishes for tasty dishes, Linda
Thanks Linda, hope you give it a try and you and the grandkids enjoy!
I love when you can take a favorite food and make it better for you! These look fun AND yummy! [client]
Thanks Summer, the whole family really enjoyed these, we will be making them again soon!