There is nothing better than crispy chicken tenders for dinner. Made with simple everyday ingredients, these mouthwatering chicken tenderloins come together quickly and easily. The best part is, they get so crispy and golden without needing to deep fry them. Baked to perfection, these pieces of chicken are so tender, juicy, and flavorful. Don’t feel like turning on your oven? Try making chicken tenders in the air fryer instead.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Eggs — Large eggs are best. If you only have small eggs, add an extra one as needed.
- Chicken tenders — You can purchase tenders at the store or you can slice your own from breasts. Use what you have on hand.
- Panko breadcrumbs — Panko gives the chicken strips a crispy coating while keeping them light and crunchy. Get the unseasoned ones as we want to work with a blank slate.
- Parmesan cheese — This adds a savory salty taste to the chicken strip’s coating.
How to Make Chicken Tender
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, garlic, and salt, and pepper. Set aside. In a separate bowl, add the panko, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Step 2: Dip the tenders into the egg mixture.
Step 3: Then dip the tenders into the panko mixture. Lightly press the panko mixture into the tenders to make sure they are evenly coated.
Step 4: On the prepared baking sheet, arrange the tenders so that there is some space between them.
Step 5: Lightly spray each tender with olive oil spray.
Step 6: Bake for 7 minutes and then flip. Spray the other side with a light coat of olive oil spray and cook for another 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the tender has reached 160°F.
Tips For This Recipe
- Want to give these a spicy kick? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the egg mixture.
- If you only have chicken breasts, cut the breast lengthwise into ½ inch thick pieces to make your own tenders at home.
- Make sure your pieces of chicken are dry before dipping them and coating them. If there is moisture on them, they will steam up instead of crisping up in the oven. If there’s moisture, pat them dry with a paper towel.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free panko crumbs.
- The secret to flavorful chicken tenders are the seasoning that's mixed into the whisked egg. Do not skip out on them and make sure the spices are fresh for the best flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the chicken tenders have cooled completely, place them into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days long.
This recipe makes for a great make-ahead frozen meal. You can freeze them cooked or uncooked. To freeze, place them on a lined sheet pan in a single layer and freeze until solid, approximately 2-3 hours. Then transfer them into a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 4 months.
When ready to eat, reheat cooked tenders straight from frozen at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until they warmed through. For uncooked chicken strips, bake them straight from frozen at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until they have reached 165°F.
I like to serve a few healthy sides alongside this chicken recipe. My go-to recipes are Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Mushroom Rice, Air Fryer Green Beans, and Broccoli Tots. For dips, I go with ketchup, ranch, and blue cheese, which are always crowd-pleasers.
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Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- olive oil spray to taste
Garnish
- chopped parsley
- squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat it with olive oil spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, garlic, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the Panko, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Parmesan Cheese. Set aside.
- Dip the tenders, one at a time, first into the egg mixture and then into the Panko mixture. Lightly press the Panko mixture into the tenders to make sure they are evenly coated.
- On the prepared baking sheet, arrange the tenders so that there is some space between them. Lightly spray each tender with the olive oil spray.
- Bake for 7 minutes and then flip. Spray the other side with a light coat of olive oil spray and cook for another 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the tender has reached 160°F. Optional: set your oven to broil for the last 2 minutes of the cook time to achieve a deeper golden color, but watch closely so that they do not burn.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Dip in your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- Want to give these a spicy kick? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the egg mixture.
- If you only have chicken breasts, cut the breast lengthwise into ½ inch thick pieces to make your own tenders at home.
- Make sure your chicken tenders are dry before dipping them and coating them. If there is moisture on them, they will steam up instead of crisping up in the oven. If there’s moisture, pat them dry with a paper towel.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free panko crumbs.
- The secret to flavorful chicken tenders are the seasoning that's mixed into the whisked egg. Do not skip out on them and make sure the spices are fresh for the best flavor.
Made this today and Yasss.. boi this was awesome thxx for the recipe ? my family loved it
So happy to hear that!