Swap Hot Dogs Out For Chicken Tenders To Make Crispier Pigs In A Blanket

Although we love a good ol' classic pigs in a blanket recipe, we're also interested in any and every possible upgrade for this party favorite. For instance, swapping out the little hot dogs for chicken tenders? Say more!

Following the usual method of wrapping little hot dogs in crescent rolls, the final snack offers little by means of textural contrast. However, subbing in chicken tenders for the hot dogs adds crunch in the form of crispy breading — especially if you opt for a cornflake crust.

What's more, chicken tenders are arguably more customizable than hot dogs in terms of flavor. Whether you use frozen chicken tenders or a chicken tenders recipe, you can change up what seasonings are in the breading, ultimately changing the flavors of the entire snack. For spicier pigs in a blanket, add chili flakes to the breading. For buttery pigs in a blanket, bread your chicken with Ritz crackers. Delicious.

Don't get us wrong, we enjoy pairing our traditional pigs in a blanket with a simple Dijon mustard or a cheese dip, but sometimes we want something a little bit more elevated. Using chicken tenders in place of the little hot dogs provides the perfect opportunity for new sauces because, as mentioned previously, the chicken breading can be customized. As such, different seasonings can be paired with different dipping sauces.

For example, if you were to use chili powder, garlic, and black pepper in your chicken breading, you could pair the snack with a sauce that also uses chili powder, garlic, and black pepper. After all, who wouldn't be intrigued by a nice buffalo sauce with a secret ingredient of garlic? Similarly, you could add parmesan cheese and garlic to your breading, pairing it with a blue cheese honey mustard sauce. At the end of the day, using chicken tenders in your pigs in a blanket allows much more room for flavor contrasts while heightening textures, and your guests will certainly appreciate it.