Cheetos Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenders (about 7 pieces)
• 2 cups Cheetos (use rounded cups (about 4-5 oz))
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour if needed)
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk ()
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning (or dried basil or oregano)
• Optional: few tablespoons shredded Parmesan
• Oil spray (for air frying only)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350F.

2. 2

   Place Cheetos in a food processor and pulse ~20-30 times, or until the Cheetos are the size of breadcrumbs, with a few slightly bigger pieces.

3. 3

   Set up your dredging stations: In one bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. If you want to add more flavor to the chicken, add in some garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning (or dried oregano or dried basil). In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Place the Cheeto crumbs into a third bowl (optional: add shredded Parmesan to the Cheetos)

4. 4

   Use tongs (or your hands) to dredge the chicken tenders in flour, then in the egg wash, then in the Cheeto crumbs. Press the chicken tender into the Cheeto crumbs so that the crumbs stick to all the surfaces of the chicken tenders.

5. 5

   Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F, using a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

6. 6

   --- Air fryer Cheetos chicken ---

7. 7

   Place Cheetos-coated chicken on the air fryer tray and spray with oil spray. Air fry at 350F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165F. Keep an eye on the Cheetos topping to make sure it's not burning or turning too brown.