Pepita seeds might not be what you ordinarily think of as chicken coating material, but these nutty, chewy kernels are every bit as tasty and versatile as almonds or pistachios in cooking.
Many people use the words pepitas and pumpkin seeds interchangeably, but they are actually two different things. A pepita is harvested from specific hull-less pumpkin varieties, known as Styrian or Oil Seed pumpkins. Any other variety of pumpkin produces a hulled seed that’s slightly fibrous and less tender.
Pepitas are more versatile in the kitchen than traditional pumpkin seeds since they’re not as tough. Aside from using them as a garnish or a snack, pepitas make good pesto, or as a crust for meat or fish, as a topping on muffins, mixed in granola, baked in focaccia bread or made into brittle.
Crunchy pepita seeds are little powerhouses of nutrition, so using them instead of breadcrumbs along with a light, spicy ‘tempura’ batter to prepare this chicken breast, really takes it from ordinary to special. It’s the whole package …. moist, crisp with the toasty appeal of pepitas.
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- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sea salt OR to taste
- 1 tsp EACH oregano, cumin & garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 150 gm pepita seeds, whole
- 680 gm chicken breast tenders
Ingredients
Tempura Batter
Chicken Tenders
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- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside.
- In a bowl, combine all tempura batter ingredients (except pepita seeds), whisking until smooth.
- Pat chicken tenders dry & add to batter. Turn in mixture to coat evenly. Allow to stand in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Place whole pepita seeds on a large tray or plate. Lift chicken out of batter & coat evenly with pepita seeds.
- Place chicken on baking sheet & bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown & cooked through.
- Alternately, you could cook the chicken on a griddle using a combo of oil & butter.