Honey Garlic Turkey Tenders with Sweet and Smoky Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

Marinade

1½ - 2 lbs (700 g – 1 kg) turkey breast, sliced into thin strips
½ cup (125 mL) buttermilk
2 Tbsp (30 mL) melted butter
few dashes hot sauce, optional
2 Tbsp (30 mL) honey
2 cloves garlic
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper

Crumb

1 cup (250 mL) goldfish crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
½ cup (125 mL) cornflake crumbs
¼ cup (60 mL) wheat bran, optional
¼ cup (60 mL) quick-cooking oats, optional
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat breadcrumbs
½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp (30 mL) whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

Sweet and Smoky Sauce makes approximately 1 cup (250 mL)

½ cup (125 mL) orange juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) ketchup
¼ cup (60 mL) white or rice wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) brown sugar
¼ cup (60 mL) soy sauce
¼ tsp (1 mL) smoked paprika
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) cumin
2 Tbsp (30 mL) water
2 Tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch

Kelly Brisson says “I like to add wheat bran and oats to the crumb mixture because it’s a simple way to get more nutrition into these tenders, especially when we’re talking about kids. If you choose to leave them out, add another 1/2 cup (125 mL) of goldfish, cornflakes or bread crumbs.”

Directions

Place all the marinade ingredients except for the turkey in a blender/food processor and whir around for 10 seconds until smooth. Place into a sealable bag or container and add in the turkey. Toss to coat and let marinade 4 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment and place a rack on top. Pour all crumb mixture into a large shallow dish and stir to combine. Remove marinated turkey 1 strip at a time and coat it in the crumb mixture. Place on the rack above the baking sheet. Repeat with all the strips, you may need to use two sheets or cook them in 2 batches so they aren't crowded on the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden at the tips and internal temperature reads 180 ºF (82ºC).
While the turkey fingers cook, add all the Sweet and Smoky Sauce ingredients to a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and looks shiny and thick. Pour into a sealable jar and let cool to room temperature before dunking.