Description
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders turn your weeknight dinner into a crunchy, wholesome treat without the deep fryer mess. Grab some pantry staples and bake these golden, tender strips that your whole family will devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken breasts or tenders
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Flavor Enhancers:
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Coating Helpers:
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts into 1-inch strips, ensuring each piece is uniformly sized for even cooking. Pat your chicken completely dry with paper towels to help breading adhere perfectly.
- Create two separate mixing bowls: one with 2 beaten eggs, another with 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Season each chicken strip lightly with additional salt and pepper. Dunk each piece into beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip away smoothly.
- Roll the egg-coated strip through breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure complete coverage. For extra crispiness, repeat egg and breadcrumb coating process.
- Arrange a wire rack on top of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Position chicken strips across rack without touching, providing maximum air circulation.
- Spritz chicken strips lightly with olive oil spray to enhance golden crispness.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Position rack in middle position for consistent heating.
- Bake chicken tenders for 20-25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking time. Ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer.
- Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 3-4 minutes. This helps maintain crispy exterior and redistributes internal juices.
- Serve immediately with preferred dipping sauces like ranch or honey mustard.
Notes
- Always pat chicken strips completely dry before breading to ensure maximum crispiness and help breading stick perfectly.
- Using a wire rack on the baking sheet allows hot air to circulate around the tenders, creating an evenly crisp exterior that mimics deep-frying.
- For gluten-free options, swap regular breadcrumbs with almond meal or gluten-free panko, which deliver similar crunch and texture.
- Measuring the internal chicken temperature with a meat thermometer guarantees food safety and prevents overcooking, keeping the meat tender and juicy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Oven-Fried
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg