How To Make Baked Chicken Tenders:
- Dont skip the marinating time in the buttermilk. It helps to tenderize the meat. Soak the chicken for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Ive made these chicken tenders with both corn flake crumbs and panko breadcrumbs. Both are delicious and turn out very crispy so use your preference.
- We love the sriracha ranch dip with these. Its not overly spicy, but if thats not your thing, any dipping sauce that you like with chicken fingers would be good here too.
- I also have a recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Tenders if you prefer.
Best Baked Chicken Fingers
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My least favorite part about making breaded cutlets is standing at the stovetop frying them. Even with two large pans going, I can never get away with cooking all of the pieces at once. Stovetop frying demands monitoring adjusting the temperature here and there, replenishing oil as needed.
This is why I love the chicken fingers recipe in A New Way to Dinner, the latest cookbook from Food52s Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs. The breaded strips of chicken bake on briefly preheated sheet pans. After 20 minutes , theyre done theres no monitoring, no oil replenishing. Why have I never done this?!
In the recipe notes, Amanda describes these as the best chicken fingers on earth, crediting the use of thighs for more flavor and the inclusion of both parmesan and oregano in the seasoning.
I have to confess Ive yet to use the oregano the little people in my house might protest but even without it, these chicken fingers are utterly delicious. The crust gets incredibly crispy thanks to both panko and parmesan, which browns so nicely, and the meat remains juicy.
Ive been making a special sauce, A& Ms suggested condiment if you intend to make sandwiches for the adults and squirting ketchup out for the littles, who would be happy if I never made them anything else for the rest of their lives. Winner winner chicken finger dinner!
Special sauce:
Coat In Egg Wash And Breadcrumbs
Tip
For added crunch, use panko breadcrumbs, corn flakes or even crushed cheese crackers in your third bowl. You can also add more flavor to your seasoned breadcrumbs by mixing in grated Parmesan cheese. For a nutty flavor, sub in hazelnut or almond flour in place of all-purpose white flour, Polak suggests.
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How Do You Make Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
What Does Buttermilk Do To Raw Chicken
Buttermilk is slightly acidic, so it can be used to tenderize the meat. If you use a strong acid like lemon or lime juice, it will break down the meat after a few hours resulting in a mealy texture, but buttermilk isnt acidic enough to do that.
Soaking your chicken tenders in buttermilk for a few hours before cooking them will tenderize the meat and result in better chicken tenders.
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Why Youll Love This
- Seasoned with butter or oil and chicken rub, our baked chicken tenders no breading recipe is the perfect canvas for you to build a great-tasting meal on.
- Our plain baked chicken tenders is the perfect recipe for those following gluten-free, keto, low-carb, and paleo lifestyles, as well as those who are looking for sugar-free meal ideas.
- With a cook time of just 10-minutes, these chicken tenders ready faster than traditional breaded varieties.
- The whole recipe needs just 3 ingredients and less than 20-minutes of your time.
Serve your gluten-free baked chicken tenders no breading with herbed potatoes and coleslaw for a quick and easy dinner that is bursting with flavor! If you want to stay low-carb, check out this amazing oven-roasted radish recipe in place of the potatoes.
Make meal-prep a breeze when you use our baked chicken tenders in this chicken crack soup or this cheesy chicken divan. Both of these recipes are low-carb and designed to help you meet your healthy eating goals without sacrificing flavor!
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The Best Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders
This easy chicken tender recipe is made in the oven but they come out crunchy because of the breading. Every layer of the coating is seasoned so theyre super flavorful and theyre the perfect oven-baked alternative to fried chicken tenders or chicken strips.
Easy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders are the perfect weeknight meal, done in under an hour. All the kids will love these too, even the picky eaters!
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How Long Does It Take To Bake Chicken Breast At 325
Bake at 325F uncovered for about 60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F. To make sure the chicken tops are nicely browned and do not dry out, baste the chicken breasts in the juices 30-40 minutes into baking. Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes and serve your perfectly baked chicken breast.
Air Fryer Breaded Honey Bbq Fried Chicken Wings Is A Quick
Coat your chicken tenders with oil then sprinkle or brush the chicken rub on the chicken. Cook at 370 degrees for 12 minutes.
Air fryer breaded honey bbq fried chicken wings is a quick. Air fry at 400°f/205°c for 10 minutes.
Air fryer breaded honey bbq fried chicken wings is a quick. Air fry at 400°f/205°c for 8 minutes.
Air fryer chicken tenders instant pot vortex instant. All you need is an air fryer and 12 minutes of cooking time.
Air fryer chicken tenders recipe air fryer chicken. Arrange the breaded frozen fish fingers in the air fryer basket making sure they are not overlapping.
Air fryer everything chicken fingers sandwichesonabagel. Coat your chicken tenders with oil then sprinkle or brush the chicken rub on the chicken.
Easy air fryer parmesan breaded fried chicken tenders. Each air fryer brand is different.
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How To Store & Reheat
Store leftover chicken tenders in the an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat them in the oven or air fryer so they can get crispy again. You can reheat them in the microwave, but they might be a little soggy. My boys dont seem to mind though:)
You can freeze chicken tenders BEFORE you bake them. Chicken tenders are a great freezer friendly meal!
- Place the breaded chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Freeze for several hours until the chicken tenders are firm and frozen.
- Transfer to a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to bake, remove the chicken tenders from the freezer and preheat heat the oven. You dont have to thaw them first. Follow the baking instructions, but add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
- If you want to freeze chicken tenders that are already baked, you certainly can. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months too. Reheat the frozen tenders in the oven.
How Long Does It Take To Bake 325 Chicken Breasts
Bake at 325F, uncovered, for about 60 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165F. To make sure the chicken tops are well browned and not dry, soak the chicken breasts in juices for 30-40 minutes after baking. Remove from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes and serve the perfectly baked chicken breast.
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Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
With this recipe you just follow a standard breading process. Dip chicken tenders in flour, egg, and then panko bread crumbs. Then instead of frying in a pan in oil, they are baked in a hot oven over a wire rack until golden brown and cooked through.
So we skip the vegetable oil and just use a little olive oil to add some flavor and encourage browning. Then the real game changer is the parmesan. It gives them a delicious boost of flavor.
People of all ages will love these simple baked chicken tenders! Theyre easy to make and perfect for dipping.
Should I Cover The Chicken While It Bakes
You dont have to worry about covering the chicken because it is baking, because it is good to bake it open and once the chicken is in the oven, hands free until you need to check the temperature. This allows you to whip up an appetizer, side dish, or dessert without cooking if youre feeling ambitious.
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How Do You Cook Raw Chicken Fingers
How do you cook raw chicken fingers?
How long does it take to bake chicken tenders at 350? Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. If your tenders are thinner, theyll be done sooner, thicker ones will need more time.
What temperature should chicken fingers be cooked at? Place each chicken tender on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Once all tenders are coated, discard any extra flour, eggs, or breadcrumbs. Bake at 400 on the lower oven rack for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through
Are frozen chicken tenders already cooked? Most frozen breaded chicken products like chicken nuggets, strips, burgers, chicken fries and popcorn chicken contain raw chicken. They may look pre-cooked or browned but they are raw inside. To protect your family, cook the breaded chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 74°C .
How To Make Baked Chicken Tenders
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How Long Do I Cook Frozen Breaded Chicken Tenders
Cooking Instructions
Other Favorite Chicken Recipes:
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Oven Baked Chicken Tenders are crispy and healthy, better than fried. These breaded tenders are picky eater approved and can be baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer.
All text and images © DOROTHY KERN for Crazy for Crust. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
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How Do You Cook Frozen Chicken Nuggets In The Oven
Why Make This Recipe
- Oil Free Yes, you can have crunchy baked chicken tenders in oven without oil.
- Perfect for Parties This easy family dinner recipe can be doubled or tripled, so you can serve these chicken tenders for game day or a party.
- Easy Just mix, dunk, coat and bake. In about 20 minutes, you have crunchy oven fried chicken tenders.
- Kid-Favorite and Mom-Approved When the kids love something that mom knows is healthy and inexpensive, everybody wins!
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How To Make Homemade Chicken Tenders
It takes 3 simple steps to make these delicious homemade tenders, fresh from the oven!
Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce or make a dipping station with a whole assortment of delicious options!
Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders
Since these chicken tenders are baked, theres no need for oil or excess fat. I use a little nonstick spray to coat the baking rack, but otherwise, its a healthy chicken recipe. I do give you the option to use crushed tortilla chips or pankobreadcrumbs and of the two, we LOVE the tortilla chips. So do try that route if you have them on hand.
Theyre perfectly seasoned and just the right level of saltwithout the need for any additional seasoning in the breading.
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Is It Better To Bake Chicken At 350 Or 400
There are two options for baking chicken: Baking at 350 °F: This is the traditional method whereby a 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast is roasted at 350 °F for 20-30 minutes, according to the USDA. Baking at 400 °F: Baking for less time at a higher temperature is a great way to get juicier chicken!
Whats The Difference Between Chicken Breast And Chicken Tenders
Technically, theyre both breast meat. The chicken breast it attached to the ribs, and the tender is a strip of breast meat that is connected but not completely attached. When you buy commercial boneless skinless chicken breasts in a package , usually the tender is still attached. You can flip the breast over and see the strip of chicken tender.
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Secret For Crispy Chicken Tenders
The secret to making oven baked chicken tenders juicy and crispy is the coating.
This recipe has a three-step process for coating your chicken breast tenders:
I love using Panko breadcrumbs in this recipe. Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb thats a bit lighter and fluffier than a traditional breadcrumb. Coating chicken tenders with panko ensures a crispy crunchy coating, but you can use regular breadcrumbs if you prefer.
How To Cut Chicken Tenders
- Use a dedicated cutting board and a sharp knife.
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breast and trim off any excess fat.
- Slice the chicken against the grain and cut it into strips of equal length and thickness.
- Wash your cutting board and knife with hot, soapy water.
Ready to make this breaded chicken tenders recipe? Gather your ingredients and I will show you
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Making Breaded Chicken Tenders