Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
With this recipe you just follow a standard breading process. Dip chicken tenders in flour, egg, and then panko bread crumbs. Then instead of frying in a pan in oil, they are baked in a hot oven over a wire rack until golden brown and cooked through. So we skip the vegetable oil and just use a little olive oil to add some flavor and encourage browning. Then the real game changer is the parmesan. It gives them a delicious boost of flavor. People of all ages will love these simple baked chicken tenders! They’re easy to make and perfect for dipping.
Sauces to Serve with Chicken Tenders
There’s endless options here. This is a list of ideas to get you started:
Honey mustard or creamy honey mustard BBQ sauce Marinara sauce Ketchup Aioli Ranch Pesto Chimichurri Sweet chili sauce Or just spritz with lemon juice right before serving.
Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe Ingredients
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 large eggs 1 1/3 cups panko bread crumbs 2/3 cup (1.7 oz) finely shredded parmesan cheese 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil 2 lbs. chicken tenders (about 12) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (optional)
See below for recipe with print option.
How to Make Baked Chicken Tenders
Possible Variations
If preferred, you could fry the chicken tenders (instead of baking) in a skillet with 1/2 cup of olive oil until cooked through on both sides. Cook in batches to not overcrowd and cook over medium heat. Use 1/2 tsp each basil and oregano if you don’t have Italian seasoning. For more intense garlic flour use 1 Tbsp minced garlic (add to the panko) rather than using garlic powder. Make them spicy by adding 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. Add a citrus flavor by seasoning (panko) with the zest of two lemons.
Are Tenderloins and Tenders the Same?
Chicken tenders and chicken tenderloins are the same thing coming from the same portion of the bird. They just have a slightly different name, you’ll see them labeled either way and can use either one.
Chicken Tenders Substitute
Chicken tenders and chicken breasts are actually different portions of a chicken. The tenders come from the underside of the breast, but chicken breasts make a great comparable substitute for tenders. The can just be slightly less tender. To substitute just slice chicken breasts into small strips rather than using chicken tenders. It’s a good cheaper alternative. Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, you may want to slice across if they are larger, if the chicken breasts are smaller you can slice on a bias or from top to bottom.
Helpful Tips for the Best Chicken Tenders
For the crispiest chicken tenders, stick with panko bread crumbs rather than standard fine bread crumbs. I recommend cutting off the tough white tendon that’s attached at the top of the chicken tenders for a better chewing experience. I just use kitchen shears and cut off the upper portion, but you can remove the whole thing as done here. Don’t skip the wire rack. It ensures the chicken doesn’t end up with a soggy bottom side and allows heat to more evenly circulate. Use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness in center of chicken. It should be 165 degrees, don’t cook over or they’ll start to dry. If some are smaller you may want to check those first and remove early. For better flavor don’t use the shelf stable powdered parmesan in this recipe, grate it fresh from a wedge. If you want a little more richness, spray with olive oil cooking spray near the end of baking.
More Tasty Crispy Chicken Recipes to Make
Baked Chicken Nuggets Chicken Parmesan Honey Mustard Pecan Crusted Chicken Oven Fried Chicken (Thighs) Parmesan Crusted Chicken
