Rachael's Chicken Finger Parm with Tomato Basil Dipping Sauce

For dipping sauce, heat a saucepot or small Dutch oven over medium heat with EVOO. Melt butter into oil, and add onions, garlic, and salt. Cook until very soft but not browned, 5-6 minutes, then add stock and bring to boil, add puree and tomatoes, break up tomatoes, stir in basil and simmer at low bubble, 20 to 30 minutes. For a smooth dipping sauce, use immersion blender to puree.

For chicken, remove tenders and butterfly each breast into 2 cutlets then cut each cutlet in half lengthwise, the yield will be 5 tenders from each piece of chicken, 20 fingers total.

Preheat oven to 275˚.

Arrange breading station: flour seasoned with salt and pepper, eggs whisked with salt and pepper, combine breadcrumbs and panko with cheese and spices and fresh chopped parsley. Bread fingers in flour, egg and Parm breadcrumbs.

Heat the frying oil, about 1/8 inch, in large skillet over medium to medium-high heat and cook chicken in batches to deep golden, 6-7 minutes. Keep warm on wire rack-lined baking sheet in oven

Serve tenderloins with dipping sauce alongside.