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Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

Published April 29th 2015 Updated Jan 3rd 2024

These Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are a lighter take on a Southern classic. They bake crispy and golden perfect for serving with your favorite dipping sauces any night of the week. Air Fryer instructions included!

baked Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

Easy Oven Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe

We Southerners are known for our love of fried chicken and everything you’ve heard is true. We do. However, we all know we can’t eat it everyday. So, we have to come up with ways of enjoying the crunchy breading we love without the guilt. These oven fried chicken fingers are my choice to serve my family on such an occasion. They’re lighter, but not lacking in flavor. Each chicken tender is crusted with panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, they’re simple to make and flavorful. How to make Oven Fried Chicken Tenders: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Oven – Preheat the oven to 425°F. Liberally spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Set Up Dredging Station:1st – In a shallow bowl whisk together all purpose flour with 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 2nd – In a separate shallow bowl whisk 2 large eggs with 2 Tbsp of milk. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste
  • 3rd – In a third shallow bowl whisk together the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped chives and dry Italian seasoning.
  • Coat the Chicken Tenders in Breading – Dredge the chicken pieces through the flour, then the egg wash. Roll in the panko-Parmesan breadcrumbs. Press the breading onto the chicken tenders.
  • Arrange on baking pan without touching. Spray the chicken liberally with cooking spray.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes drizzling with melted butter halfway through baking.
  • Rest on the pan for 5 minutes then serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
breaded chicken tenders on a pan

How to Make the BEST Oven Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Oven Fried Chicken Tenders: Chicken tenders, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, chives, dry Italian seasoning, all purpose flour, garlic salt, large eggs, milk, salt and black pepper, cooking spray, melted butter.
  • Kitchen tools you’ll need: Sheet pans, 3 shallow bowls, measuring cups and spoons.
  • You can spray these chicken tenders with butter flavored cooking spray to keep them on the lighter side and skip melted butter. You could also use light butter or oil to drizzle on top.
  • I recommend spraying them with cooking spray first, then lightly drizzling them with light butter halfway through baking. The reason I choose that technique is, that it gives the breading time to adhere to the chicken. In the case of oven frying, a light drizzle is best.
  • You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips for this recipe.
  • How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders:
  • Prepare the chicken tenders per the recipe.
  • Spray on all sides with cooking spray or an oil mister. 
  • Spray the basket of an air fryer with cooking spray. 
  • Cook the chicken tenders at 400°F for 5-6 minutes per side turning halfway through. Spray any dry spots with cooking spray. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
  • Serve these crispy chicken tenders with your favorite dipping sauces such as comeback sauce, ranch dip, or with warm pizza sauce as an entree or an appetizer.
  • Store Oven Fried Chicken Tenders after baking in an airtight continaer chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat in a 375°F oven on a sheet pan for 6-8 minutes or in a 350°F air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
easy recipe for Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

More Easy Oven Fried Recipes to Make

panko paremsan Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

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Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Rest time5 minutes
Total Time42 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Poultry
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: oven-fried-chicken, oven-fried-chicken-fingers
Servings: 12 pieces [May vary]
Calories: 162kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb chicken tenders
  • 1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp chopped chopped chives
  • 1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • salt and black pepper
  • cooking spray
  • 2 Tbsp butter or light butter melted

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Liberally spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Set Up Dredging Station:
    1st – In a shallow bowl whisk together all purpose flour with 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 2nd – In a separate shallow bowl whisk 2 large eggs with 2 Tbsp of milk. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste
  • 3rd – In a third shallow bowl whisk together the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped chives and dry Italian seasoning.
  • Dredge the chicken pieces through the flour, then the egg wash. Roll in the panko-Parmesan breadcrumbs. Press the breading onto the chicken tenders.
  • Arrange on baking pan without touching. Spray the chicken liberally with cooking spray.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes drizzling with melted butter halfway through baking.
  • Rest on the pan for 5 minutes then serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

Notes

a) To brown the chicken breading further at the end of baking turn the oven to broil for 2-3 minutes.
b) Adjust the baking time according to the size and thickness of the chicken tenders being prepared.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders:
  • Prepare the chicken tenders per the recipe.
  • Spray on all sides with cooking spray or an oil mister. 
  • Spray the basket of an air fryer with cooking spray. 
  • Cook the chicken tenders at 400°F for 5-6 minutes per side turning halfway through. Spray any dry spots with cooking spray.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

 

10 Comments

  1. Could sliced chicken breast be used in place of tenders? Those tend to be very pricey and sometimes hard to find.

  2. I made these last evening. They were so good especially for being baked instead of fried. I followed the recipe exactly and they were perfectly done, crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Thank you – I’ll be making this one again.

    1. Hi Stacy my kids, too. It’s nice to make this at home for them and they’re just as happy with it. Hope he likes it!

  3. These look delicious! It’s always great to see recipes like this that incorporate a healthier side of the dish. Thanks for sharing!

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