Easy, crispy baked chicken tenders are great for a quick weeknight dinner or game day snack!
I’d be lying if I said these baked chicken tenders were created just for the boys because honestly, I love chicken tenders as much as they do. At restaurants, I’m always tempted by the chicken tender platter or the chicken tender salad. There’s just something about crispy coated chicken that can be dipped in all kinds of sauces or drizzled with dressing, that gets my taste buds excited!
We very rarely fry things here at home, so when I’m craving chicken tenders, I bake them. And just because I bake them doesn’t mean I’m going to settle for anything less crispy or flavorful.
These baked chicken tenders are crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and so full of flavor that you wouldn’t even have to dip them in anything. But I’m a dipper, so…
Let me show you how they’re made.
It all starts with the chicken soaking in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes…
The tenders are then transferred to a large resealable baggie to be coated in a mixture of flour, panko bread crumbs and seasonings that will create that perfectly crisp and flavorful coating…
The chicken tenders are then placed on a baking sheet and baked at 450°F for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top…
Serve with barbecue sauce, ranch, honey mustard or gravy for dipping. Some of our favorite ways to eat these yummy chicken tenders are with some sweet potato fries and steamed veggies or with mac & cheese and a salad or on top of a big veggie-packed salad with a drizzle of ranch and barbecue sauce. Yum! Yum!
You can’t go wrong with these baked chicken tenders. Everyone loves them!
xoxo,
Maegan
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Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main
Description
Easy, crispy baked chicken tenders are great for a quick weeknight dinner or game day snack!
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken tenders (about 1.25 pounds)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Place the chicken tenders in a shallow bowl and cover with 2 cups buttermilk. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large resealable baggie, add the remaining ingredients, seal and shake around until well mixed together. Remove each chicken tender from the buttermilk with a fork, letting excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl, and place the chicken in the resealable baggie. Seal and shake the chicken until each piece is completely coated. Place chicken tenders about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle each chicken tender with a little olive oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bake until coating starts to crisp and brown, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve with barbecue sauce, ranch, honey mustard or gravy for dipping, if desired.
Have you ever tried freezing these to pop out some quickly to eat? Would love to freeze a larger batch to pop out for my kids if we don’t eat them all first.
★★★★★
Hi Emily! Absolutely…let the baked tenders cool completely and then arrange them on a platter or baking sheet and freeze until hard, 1 to 2 hours. Transfer them to a resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month. It’s best to reheat them directly from frozen to avoid the crumb coating turning mushy. Set your oven to 400°F and bake them for 18 to 20 minutes or until they are crispy on the outside and warm to the center. Use a wire rack and coat them lightly with oil for extra crispiness. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
can you use lactaid milk instead of buttermilk? or?
Hi jp! Yes, just add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add the lactose-free milk to the 1-cup line and stir. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Could you use self rising flour ? would it make a puffier crust on them ?
Hi Bette! I haven’t tried using self-rising flour with this recipe, but it’s certainly worth a try and I think it would make the tenders puffier crisp. Enjoy!
These look awesome! Can’t wait to try them. I’m excited that they don’t call for eggs–my niece has a severe allergy and I’m always searching for new recipes to try for her. Thanks so much!