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–+ servings
Four golden brown chicken tenders on a tray with ranch and bbq sauce.
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5 from 1 vote

Baked Chicken Tenders

Baked chicken tenders are a lightened-up version of the fast food favorite that’s easy to make, kid-friendly, and so delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Additional Time3 minutes
Total Time33 minutes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more if desired
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper, more if desired
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1.25 lb. chicken tenders, about 8 pieces (see note)
  • cooking spray or olive oil
  • dipping sauce for serving, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet, about 9 x 13 inches, with cooking spray or olive oil.
  • In a shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more if desired, ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper, more if desired
  • In another shallow dish, lightly beat the egg until combined. Place the panko in a third shallow dish.
    1 large egg, beaten, 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Dip each chicken tender into the flour mixture, coating completely. Next, dip the tender in the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Next, coat the chicken tender in the panko, pressing gently to adhere the breadcrumbs to the chicken.
    1.25 lb. chicken tenders, about 8 pieces
  • Place the breaded chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each piece. If you have a little panko left over after breading the tenders, lightly pat it on top of the tenders.
  • Lightly spray the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray, olive oil spray, or drizzle with olive oil. This helps them brown and crisp up in the oven.
  • Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken tenders are golden brown and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken tenders from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
  • Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, such as barbecue sauce, honey mustard, or ranch dressing.

Video

Notes

  • Cut your own tenders: Buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into evenly-sized strips. This is usually more economical than buying chicken tenders which are a specific cut of the chicken breast, taken from either side of the breastbone (also known as chicken fingers, chicken strips, or chicken fillets).
  • On a wire rack: If you prefer, the tenders can be baked on a wire rack. Line a sheet pan with foil, set a wire rack inside, and spray the rack with cooking spray. We found that tenders baked on a rack took more time to get done, about 27 minutes.
  • Seasoning: Feel free to adjust or change the seasoning in the flour as desired. We went with pretty basic seasoning mix that reflects purchased tenders but it can easily be adapted. 
  • Recipe retested and revised 10/2024 (originally published as Pizza Chicken Tenders).

Nutrition

Serving: 2tenders | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 902mg | Potassium: 610mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 361IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg

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