Cooking with Colm O'Gorman: Almond-crusted chicken tenders

My exercise regimen meant I had to eat more — serve these chicken tenders with a salad if you are being healthy or some homemade chips if you are being more indulgent.

Almond-crusted chicken tenders with a sweet chilli and lime sauce: These are baked, not fried, and they are delicious.

In late 2018 I found myself in a bit of a crisis. I was very burnt out, physically and mentally after what had been an especially challenging few years both professionally and personally. While a lot had been achieved, the price of it all was very high. I was so burnt out that it took three weeks off for me to realise just how bad it was. 

I was a wreck. I decided that I had to do something to build in a more rigorous self-care regimen. A few years earlier I had gotten into a pretty good exercise routine. I had been fit enough to complete a few serious endurance events, but due mainly to workload and other demands, that had fallen away. 

So here I was facing into winter, knowing that it would be hard to get myself on track with the dark evenings and short days and a lengthy daily commute. I needed a structure, a more rigid routine. I decided to see a personal trainer, to seriously invest in my own wellbeing. I knew I needed that discipline and support if I was to get on top of my health and wellbeing. And it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

A few years on and I am fitter and stronger than I have been. I have learnt a huge amount about what my body can do and been genuinely surprised by what I have found myself to be capable of. 

Most importantly, I developed a deep and enduring commitment to my own physical and mental wellbeing. I now exercise pretty much every day, be it a run, a hike, or a weights session. I have managed to keep that going over the past year, and it has kept me sane and well despite all the restrictions and stresses of this past year. I know that this has also been possible because I have the privilege and freedom to do it, and I am grateful for that. 

I know that this is not true for everyone, and I passionately wish that it were.

You will not be surprised to hear that food has been a big part of this journey. To my delight, my exercise regimen meant that I had to eat more, and more often, not less. I also had to eat well. Clean, fresh, healthy food. Well-balanced meals, often with quite a lot of protein. Healthy fats… oily fish, olive oil, avocado, and, in moderation, butter, of course. 

When I started working with my trainer, he gave me a diet plan which set out what I needed to eat every day. That plan was my basic guide to the nutrients I would need to fuel my workouts and improve my strength and fitness. I developed recipes to make that diet plan interesting and varied, and I found that fit food, for want of a better term, does not have to be boring. I came up with a healthier take on a spice bag, a burger and chips, and even a cheesecake.

One of my favourites is this week’s recipe, almond-crusted chicken tenders with a sweet chilli and lime sauce. These are baked, not fried, and they are delicious.

Ingredients

• 60ml buttermilk
• 400g chicken breast mini fillets
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons cornflour
• 1 tablespoon water
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 200g flaked almonds

Mix the buttermilk and salt in a bowl and add the chicken fillets. Stir well to coat the chicken and let them rest for at least an hour, or more if you can. This will help to tenderise the chicken.

Combine 2 tablespoons of cornflour, the soy sauce, and water in a bowl. Add the marinated chicken and coat it well. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Remove it from the bowl. Whisk the egg, add it to the mixture along with the paprika, cayenne pepper, and the last tablespoon of cornflour.

Warm your oven to 185C. Put the almond flakes on a plate. One by one, roll the chicken fillets in the batter, then the almonds, getting them well coated. This can be a bit fiddly; you may need to press some more almonds in when you put them on a non-stick baking tray. It is easy enough though, just a little messy.

Bake for 15-20 minutes depending upon size. When they are cooked, they will be lovely and golden, but still tender. You can also cook these in an air fryer. They will cook in 10-12 minutes at 185C, which is how I usually cook mine.

While the chicken is cooking, make your sauce.

Ingredients

• 30g butter
• 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoons of red pepper chilli flakes
• 80ml of apple cider vinegar
• 20ml runny honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
• Juice of one lime

Melt the butter in a small pan over a high heat. When it starts to foam, add the finely chopped garlic, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or two, then add the apple cider vinegar and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a soft boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is nice and sticky, but still a little runny. You may have more of this sauce than you need, but it will keep very well in a jar in the fridge. Taste and adjust the spice or sweetness to your own taste.

Serve the chicken tenders with a salad if you are being very healthy and the sauce on the side, or some air-fried/oven-baked homemade chips if you are being a little more indulgent.