Breaded And Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe

Who doesn't love a good chicken tender? They're an absolute staple on restaurant menus across the U.S. and beyond, whether they be served as an appetizer or full meal. These breaded and baked chicken tenders are far tastier (and healthier) than something that you would get at a restaurant and we've got to appreciate the fact that they are baked instead of deep fried. The recipe is a cinch to put together and the only thing you ever have to worry about is figuring out which sauce you want to use for dipping — and, admittedly, that is a pretty daunting choice.

Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating knocked it out of the park with this recipe, which can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. "These chicken tenders are super crisp on the outside and tender in the middle. They so delicious and perfect for dipping," Brookes raves. "Making the chicken tenders yourself from scratch guarantees they're made with 100% meat and no unnecessary additives. Plus they're way more tasty made fresh!"

For this recipe, a few spices go a long way. All you will need from the store is panko breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, chicken breasts (cut lengthwise into tenders), all-purpose flour, and eggs.

Grab a bowl and toss in the panko breadcrumbs first. "Panko breadcrumbs give a much more crisp coating that standard breadcrumbs," Brookes notes.

Then, add the spices including onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix the ingredients together well, ensuring the spices are evenly distributed. "The breadcrumb mixture is crunchy, savory and a little salty," Brookes adds. 

For this step, you will need your chicken. As a reminder, you should have cut the chicken into strips ahead of time. Just add the strips to a mixing bowl and sprinkle the flour over the top and toss to coat. "Coating the chicken in flour first helps the egg to stick much better, otherwise it would slide off," Brookes shares.

Take out two large, shallow dishes and add the beaten egg to the first one. In the second bowl, dump in the breadcrumb mixture that you fixed in step one. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 400 F.

Grab the flour-coated chicken strips and place each strip into the egg mixture first, which serves as the glue. Next, dip the strip in the panko mixture, making sure that the strip is well-coated. Place the finished strips on the baking sheet and repeat those steps until you use up all the strips.

Once you have all the chicken strips lined up on the baking sheet, give them a few sprays of cooking spray to help them brown in the oven. Pop the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

When you remove the chicken strips from the oven, plate and serve. "These are great served alongside fries and salad, with your favorite dips such as ketchup, mayo, sweet chili or honey mustard," Brookes shares. These are so good, you may not have much left but if you do, don't sweat it. "Leftovers should keep well in the fridge up to 2 days," Brookes shares.