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These Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders are the ultimate parent-approved, kid-friendly recipe! They are made with simple ingredients, come together quickly, and bake up golden and crunchy without the mess (or grease) of frying.
My mom's homemade chicken tenders were one of the few dinners she could count on to please all four picky kids (Amish Chicken and Pizza Meatloaf were two more). Years later, I'm making that same recipe for my own picky crew and it still delivers every time.
Kristen's Keys for Homemade Chicken Tenders
This chicken tender recipe has stood the test of the time because the breading is well-seasoned and perfectly crispy, the chicken stays juicy, and the prep (and ingredients) are simple.
- Use panko for the crunch. Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and flakier than traditional breadcrumbs, which means they crisp up better in the oven. That's how you get that golden, crunchy coating without frying.
- Season every layer. It may feel like overkill, but seasoning the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs ensures every bite has flavor. Otherwise, the coating can taste a little flat. And rather than using plain salt, I recommend seasoned salt for a bit more depth.
- Save money by preparing your own chicken tenders. Rather than purchasing chicken tenders, slice chicken breasts into 1-inch thick strips.
- Use a rack if you have one. Baking the breaded chicken tenders on a rack allows air to circulate underneath, which helps the breading crisp evenly without needing to flip.
5-star Reader Review
Tuesdays are usually chicken for dinner days and I made these for my kids tonight and it was a HIT! Thank you for the delicious recipe and for making my kids bellies happy😇 - Vanessa
How to Make Baked Chicken Tenders
Trim the chicken, coat in breading, and bake until crispy. And watch your family (picky eaters included) devour dinner.
Step One: Set Up Breading Station
Before handling the raw chicken, prepare the breading station by setting out three shallow dishes. Add the following to each dish:
- Flour + Seasoned Salt
- Eggs + Water + Seasoned Salt
- Panko Bread Crumbs + Seasoned Salt
Step Two: Prepare Chicken Tenders
If using chicken tenders, remove the small white tendon, as it can turn tough and chewy when cooked.
If using chicken breasts, slice into even strips. Uniform size matters here so everything cooks evenly.
Step Three: Bread Chicken Tenders
Working one at a time, bread the chicken by coating flour, then eggs, then finally the panko. Use your hands to press the breadcrumbs gently onto the chicken to helps the breading stick.
Step Four: Bake Chicken Tenders
Place the breaded tenders on a lightly greased baking rack over a rimmed sheet pan. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray (I like avocado oil). This will help the breading to become golden brown and crispy.
Serving Suggestions
These chicken tenders check ALL the boxes. Wholesome ingredients, reliable results, and a dinner everyone will eat without a second thought. And on a busy night, that's about as good as it gets. Serve them straight from the pan or dress them up to for the parents. You really can't go wrong!
- With a Sauce. Everyone loves to dip chicken strips into a sauce. Homemade ranch, BBQ sauce, bang bang sauce, honey mustard, or sweet chili sauce are all great options.
- The Ultimate Family-Friendly Dinner: Pair with a side of crispy baked fries or air fryer fries and a simple fruit salad.
- Add to a Salad: Turn a side salad into an entree, by topping a BLT salad, Caesar salad, Greek salad, or tossed Italian salad with diced crispy chicken tenders. Go the extra mile and add some of those fries to the salad as well. So good!
- Make Crispy Chicken Tacos: Place one crispy chicken tender on a warmed tortilla and top with your favorite toppings.
- Make a Sandwich. Serve the crispy chicken tenders on a buttermilk biscuit or bun topped with creamy coleslaw or honey for one satisfying chicken sandwich.
Recipe Modifications
- Boost the Nutrition: Swap the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour and use whole wheat panko bread crumbs.
- Gluten-Free: Use an all-purpose gluten-free 1:1 flour blend and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Egg-Free: If you happen to have an egg allergy, use something moist like buttermilk, plain Greek yogurt, or mustard in place of the eggs.
- Air-Fryer Option: Use my recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
- Use Less Breading: Some readers have mentioned that they have excess breading leftover after breading the chicken tenders. You can reduce the amounts slightly, but it is much easier to have excess than run out midway through the process.
How to Store Chicken Tenders
Keep in mind that baked chicken tenders freeze and reheat beautifully. So go ahead and make extra batches to save for busy weeknights.😉
- Refrigerate: Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat at 400°F for 5-6 minutes (or longer if frozen) to bring back that crisp texture.
- Freeze: Bake as directed, let cool, then flash freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 18-22 minutes.
More Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipes
You can browse all of my kid-friendly recipes here, or pick from some favorites below.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins, or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch thick strips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, for seasoning flour
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, for seasoning eggs
- 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, for seasoning breading
- cooking spray, I recommend olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉ (215℃). Place an oven-safe baking rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Prepare the Chicken Tenders. Trim off all fat and tendons (white stringy or hard pieces) from the chicken tenderloins. If using boneless skinless chicken breasts, trim any fat from the breasts and then cut them into 1-inch wide strips.
- Prepare the breading station. Whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt in one shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, whisk 3 large eggs with ¼ cup water and ½ teaspoon seasoned salt. In a final shallow dish, combine 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
- Bread the Chicken Tenders. Dip each chicken strip into the flour, tossing to coat. Shake off excess flour and then dip into the egg wash. Remove from the egg wash, shaking off excess and place the chicken tender into the panko mixture. Use your hands to ensure the panko coats the chicken strips evenly. Place each breaded chicken strip onto the prepared baking rack and repeat the process.
- Bake Chicken Strips. Lightly spray the surface of the breaded chicken tenders with additional cooking spray to achieve a golden exterior. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (74℃). There is no need to flip during the baking process if using a baking rack, as the air will circulate around the chicken, evenly crisping it up.
- Serve. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or straight off the pan.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet with Rack one of my most used kitchen tools!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in August 2017 but has since been updated in 2026.
I made this for the first time to feed 12 people staying at our church, a group working on houses in Western North Carolina that were impacted by Hurricane Helene in the Fall of 2024. These folks are HUNGRY when they come through the door! It was a great success and much appreciated!! I had to triple the recipe but this terrific website made the changes easy. I added the coating into the plate only when I needed to add some. As a result, I ended up with some extra coating and, other than the eggs, I am ready for the next batch when family come next month! Thank you, Kristen!
What a blessing you are to that group -- and what a wonderful thing they are doing! I am so thrilled they enjoyed the chicken tenders as well.
Wil try this today. Bought frozen chicken tenders not a healthy enough choice for a diabetic and high cholesterol patient. Can’t wait for the result and I will probably pig out on them!! Lol
HA! Enjoy pigging out on these, Rosalie!
Wayyyyy too much of the prep ingredients called out for this. Reduce by 2/3rds so your not tossing all that money away.
Hi Kevin! Thanks for sharing that with me. This is quite a bit of ingredients for breading, but a lot of people end up needing it and the last thing you want to do is be mid-breading chicken and have to get out more ingredients. If anything, you can reduce by 1/3 or 1/2 but I would not cut by 2/3rd.