Preheat your oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that your chicken fingers will bake up crispy and delicious. While the oven heats up, line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray or brush it with some olive oil to prevent sticking.
In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk and chicken tenders. Toss them until well-coated. This step is crucial as the buttermilk not only adds flavor but also helps tenderize the chicken. Allow the chicken to soak while you prepare the dukkah.
To make the dukkah, heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Add the quinoa, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, and shredded coconut. Dry-toast these ingredients until they are slightly browned and fragrant—this should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to let them burn; keep stirring to ensure even toasting.
Once toasted, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool completely. This is important so that when you blend it, you won’t accidentally steam your chicken.
In a blender or food processor, combine the cooled quinoa and seed mixture with the pistachios, salt, and pepper. Pulse until everything is finely ground. You want a coarse meal texture rather than a paste—this will give your crust that desired crunch.
Now, take half the dukkah mixture and transfer it to a shallow bowl. Stir in the parmesan cheese. This will enhance the flavor and help bind the crust to the chicken.
Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk marinade, letting the excess drip off, then dredge it through the dukkah mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Place each coated piece on your prepared baking sheet. Make sure not to crowd the pan; if needed, use two baking sheets.
Once all the chicken is coated, lightly spray the tops with cooking spray or a mist of olive oil. This will help achieve that golden-brown finish.
Bake the chicken fingers in the preheated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, then carefully flip them using kitchen tongs. Spray the other side lightly and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes until golden and cooked through.
While the chicken is baking, prepare the sun-dried tomato pesto. In the same blender or food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes along with their oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and basil. Blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Once the chicken fingers are done, remove them from the oven and serve immediately with the sun-dried tomato pesto on the side for dipping.
