Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

This Oven Fried Chicken Tenders recipe makes perfectly crispy baked chicken tenders with a crunchy seasoned coating and juicy chicken inside.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Poultry

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword oven-fried-chicken, oven-fried-chicken-fingers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 22

Rest time 5

Total Time 42

Servings pieces [May vary]

Calories 162kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Liberally spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
Set Up Dredging Station:
1st Bowl- In a shallow bowl whisk together all purpose flour with 1/2 tsp garlic salt and onion powder.
2nd Bowl - In a separate shallow bowl whisk 2 large eggs with 2 Tbsp of milk. (Season with salt and black pepper to your taste, around 1/4 teaspoon each)
3rd Bowl - In a third shallow bowl whisk together the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped chives and dry Italian seasoning.
Dredge the chicken pieces coating on all sides with flour, then dip chicken in the egg mixture. Roll in the panko-Parmesan breadcrumbs. Press the breading firmly onto the chicken tenders.
Arrange coated tenders on prepared pan without touching. Spray the chicken liberally with cooking spray.
Bake for 20-22 minutes stopping to drizzle the chicken with melted butter halfway through baking. (Pro Tip: Char under the boiler at the end of baking to brown further.)
Rest on the pan for 3-5 minutes then serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders:
Prepare the chicken tenders per the recipe.
Spray liberally on all sides with cooking spray or an oil mister being careful not to disturb the breading.
Spray the basket of an air fryer with cooking spray.
Air fry chicken tenders at 400°F for 5-6 minutes per side turning halfway through. Spray any dry spots with cooking spray, then serve.

Chicken - You could adapt this recipe using boneless chicken breasts cut into strips for this recipe or chicken thighs. Adjust the baking time according to thickness and when in doubt, test the thickest portion for doneness using an instant read thermometer looking for 165°F internal temperature and juices run clear.
Garlic Salt - You can use plain table salt and garlic powder in place of garlic salt.
Panko Bread Crumbs - You can use standard breadcrumbs or dried Italian breadcrumbs in place of panko.
Spice - You could add cayenne pepper for a hint of spice or paprika for a smoky flavor.
Butter Spray - 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 olive oil to drizzle on top.
Use Cooking Spray First Before Drizzling with Butter - I recommend spraying the chicken with cooking spray first, then lightly drizzling them with light butter halfway through baking. The reason I choose that technique is, that itgives the breading time to adhere to the chicken. In the case of oven frying, a light drizzle is best.