By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on October 3, 2026
Serves 5
772 cal · 80 min
Ranch Quinoa Encrusted Chicken Fingers with BBQ Mustard
Recipe GLPR72e36bb7971756
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Average rating: 4.3 (1)
Crispy quinoa-crusted chicken tenders with a savory ranch coating, baked until golden and served with a tangy BBQ mustard dipping sauce. These protein-packed fingers are gluten-free and dairy-free, making them a perfect meal for lunch or dinner.
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Ingredients
1½ cups uncooked quinoa
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix
2 lbs chicken tenders
2 egg whites
½ cup gluten-free flour
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Directions
Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Once cooked, stir in the ranch seasoning mix until evenly combined. Set the seasoned quinoa aside to cool slightly.
Preheat your oven to 415°F. Spread the cooled quinoa evenly on a parchment-lined or silicone baking mat.
Bake the quinoa for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally if needed, until it becomes golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes so it firms up.
While the quinoa toasts, prepare three shallow bowls: one with the gluten-free flour mixed with garlic powder, salt, and pepper; one with the egg whites lightly beaten; and one with the cooled crispy quinoa.
Set up a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack on top. Lightly spray the wire rack with cooking spray.
To coat the chicken tenders, dip each piece into the flour mixture, tapping off any excess. Then dip it into the egg whites, and finally coat completely with the crispy quinoa. Place each breaded tender on the prepared wire rack. Repeat until all chicken tenders are coated.
Bake the coated chicken tenders in the preheated 415°F oven for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the coating is golden and crispy.
While the chicken bakes, whisk together the BBQ sauce and mustard in a small bowl to create the dipping sauce.
Remove the baked chicken fingers from the oven and serve hot with the BBQ mustard sauce on the side for dipping.
Comments
The ingredient list is straightforward and available at any Charlotte chain—quinoa and gluten-free flour are common now at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart—but the stated 80 minutes is misleading; you're looking at roughly 50 minutes once you account for cooking and resting time, not the padding. At five servings, the cost per serving runs about $2.50 to $3.00 depending on whether you buy bulk quinoa or conventional chicken, and that's reasonable for a weeknight protein. This is a set-it-and-go dish with no stovetop babysitting once the pan is hot, so it works for families, though the gluten-free flour and quinoa crust is less forgiving than standard breadcrumb coatings if you overcook. Leftovers reheat okay in a 350-degree oven but lose their crisp; eat the same night for best texture.
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