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These crispy baked chicken tenders are coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs and baked until golden and juicy—no frying needed. Made with simple pantry spices and ready in about 30 minutes, they’re an easy weeknight dinner or kid-friendly meal. Perfect for dipping and great as a healthier oven-baked chicken tender recipe.
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Baked Chicken Tenders
There is nothing better than some crispy chicken tenders, and because these are oven baked rather than deep fried, you can feel great about enjoying them.
Coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, they come out so crispy and perfectly juicy. They make for a great sharing appetizer for game day, or serve them up with your favorite sides for a well balanced main meal.
Be sure to check out my Buffalo Chicken Dip and BBQ Chicken Wings too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Healthier: If you love crispy fried foods, but don’t love deep frying, these are a great alternative. Still super flavorful, but made with no oil, these tenders are low in saturated fat and high in protein.
- Kid-friendly: Kids of all ages adore these homemade chicken tenders, even your picky eaters will love them!
- Make ahead: These chicken fingers can be prepped ahead of time and are freezer friendly too!
Ingredients for baked chicken tenders
- Breadcrumbs: Use panko breadcrumbs for the crispiest coating. In a pinch, you can use fine breadcrumbs, but they won’t be as crunchy.
- Seasonings: Parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Chicken tenders: Chicken tenders are found behind the breast of the chicken. They taste the same as breast meat but are more tender and juicy. You can also use chicken breasts, just slice them into strips
- Eggs: The tenders are dipped in the beaten egg so that the breadcrumbs stick to them and form an even coating.
Gluten-Free Breading
You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko, finely chopped almonds or pecans. For this baked chicken tenders recipe, you don’t need to use flour when breading the chicken tenderloins.
How to Make Baked Chicken Tenders
- Preheat the oven to 400 F to brown the Panko breadcrumbs.
- Add panko breadcrumbs to a parchment-lined large baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Bake for 2 -3 minutes, then stir breadcrumbs, and then bake for 2-3 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. (Watch them closely so they don’t burn.) Immediately, remove breadcrumbs from the oven and add them to a small bowl. Add parsley, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to the bowl, and toss to combine. Increase oven temperature to 425 F.
- In another medium bowl, add eggs and beat lightly.
- Pat chicken tenders dry, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add tenders to beaten eggs allowing excess eggs to drip off, then add to the bowl with panko mixture. Coat each chicken tender with seasoned panko, then transfer it to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tenders.
- Lightly spray tenders with cooking spray if desired, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Baked Chicken Tenders
- Make sure you brown the panko breadcrumbs before breading the chicken tenders with it. Baking the panko breadcrumbs really gets the tenders nice and crispy, it’s worth the extra couple of minutes! Browning them ensures you get that nice golden color and broiling at the end is not required. When broiling them you risk burning the chicken if you don’t watch them really carefully.
- Try mixing up the seasonings with different dried herbs and spices.
- Any leftovers of baked chicken tenders will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes till heated through.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage
You can bread the tenders up to a day in advance and keep them covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook. You can also freeze them before cooking and then cook them right from frozen for an easy bite. Once breaded, freeze the tenders solid on a baking sheet before transferring to a container or freezer bag and they will keep well for up to 3 months. You can then bake from frozen at 450F for around 30 minutes till cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
These healthy baked chicken tenders can be serve with a variety of sauces and your favorite easy sides or salads. Try them with:
Dipping sauces
- Blue cheese dressing
- Fry sauce
- Thousand Island sauce
- Honey mustard sauce
Sides:
More Chicken Recipes
If you loved this baked crispy chicken tenders recipe, be sure to try these other reader favorites:
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Baked Chicken Tenders
Save This Recipe
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By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ lbs. chicken tenders
- 2 eggs
- Cooking spray
- Dipping sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F to brown the panko breadcrumbs.
- Add panko breadcrumbs to a parchment lined large baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Bake for 2 -3 minutes, then stir breadcrumbs and then bake for 2-3 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. (Watch them closely so they don’t burn.) Immediately, remove breadcrumbs from the oven and add them to a small bowl. Add parsley, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to the bowl, and toss to combine. Increase oven temperature to 425 F. Add oven safe wire rack to top of baking sheet, and set aside.
- In another medium bowl, add eggs and beat lightly.
- Pat chicken tenders dry, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add tenders to beaten eggs allowing excess eggs to drip off, then add to the bowl with panko mixture. Coat each chicken tender with seasoned panko, then transfer it to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tenders.
- Lightly spray tenders with cooking spray if desired, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you brown the panko breadcrumbs before breading the chicken tenders with it. Baking the panko breadcrumbs really gets the tenders nice and crispy, it’s worth the extra couple of minutes! Browning them ensures you get that nice golden color and broiling at the end is not required. When broiling them you risk burning the chicken if you don’t watch them really carefully.
- Try mixing up the seasonings with different dried herbs and spices.
- Any leftovers of baked chicken tenders will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes till heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
These chicken tenders look amazing! I’m always on the lookout for healthier versions of my favorite dishes, and I can’t wait to try this recipe. The crispy texture and those seasonings sound perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow, these crispy oven-baked chicken tenders look amazing! I love how healthy they are while still being delicious. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my family dinner this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
I tried this recipe last night and it was a hit with my family! The chicken tenders came out crispy and full of flavor without all the guilt. Definitely adding this to our regular dinner rotation. Thanks for sharing!
I just made these crispy oven-baked chicken tenders, and they were a huge hit with my family! The seasoning was spot on, and I loved how healthy they were without sacrificing flavor. Thanks for sharing this recipe; it will definitely become a regular in our meal rotation!
I tried the crispy oven-baked chicken tenders recipe and they turned out amazing! The texture was just perfect and the seasoning was spot on. It’s great to have a healthier version of such a classic dish. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
These crispy oven-baked chicken tenders look amazing! I love that they’re a healthier alternative to frying. Can’t wait to try this recipe at home. Thanks for sharing!
These chicken tenders look absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I love that they’re baked instead of fried, making them a healthier option without sacrificing that crispy texture. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my family!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you love the idea of baked chicken tenders! They really do turn out super crispy without the extra oil. I’d love to hear how they turn out for your family—hope you all enjoy them! 😊
I can’t wait to try these crispy oven-baked chicken tenders! They look delicious and I love that they’re a healthier option. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Oh my gosh, these tenders were so good. I have tried many recipes similar to this and the breading always falls off, then it’s slimy and gross. Not this recipe, chicken came out crispy, and all came together in no time. I have a soy allergy, so cook almost everything from scratch, this recipe is a keeper for sure.
I am so glad to hear that you loved the recipe! 🙂
These crispy oven baked chicken tenders sound delicious and healthier than deep fried ones! I can’t wait to try them out at home.