Made with a crispy breading and baked until golden, this easy recipe for Homemade Chicken Tenders produces a healthier, yet just as delicious, version of deep-fried chicken strips.
Make the ultimate kid-friendly dinner by serving these Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders with a side of Homemade Baked Fries or Air Fryer French Fries, and a side of ranch dressing or ketchup for dipping.
Every kid, and most adults, loves chicken strips. The contrast between the salty crispy exterior to juicy, tender chicken is simply irresistible.
While delicious, most chicken strips, whether ordered out or baked from frozen, are often high in fat and calories, which may make many of us think twice before consuming them on a daily basis.
Thankfully, you can easily make crispy breaded chicken tenders at home that are healthy enough to be enjoyed with abandon any night of the week!
why you will love homemade chicken tenders
- Perfect Results. Thanks to a few pro tips, they bake up to crispy perfection, while the chicken remains juicy and tender.
- Better for You. Baked Chicken Tenders are MUCH lower in fat and calories than fried chicken strips, yet just as delicious.
- Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipe. Crispy chicken strips--need I say more?!
- 30-Minute Recipe. This recipe for homemade chicken strips is on the table in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Tenders: You can purchase chicken tenderloins for this recipe, or use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been cut into 1-inch strips. If using tenders, be sure to clean off all fat and tendons from the chicken strips.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs, not regular breadcrumbs, are best for creating the crispiest of textures. Be sure to use unseasoned panko breadcrumbs to control the seasoning yourself.
- Flour: A bit of flour will help the breading to stick evenly to the chicken. Use all-purpose, whole wheat, or even a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Eggs: The eggs will help to bind the breadcrumbs to the chicken tenders.
- Seasoning: It is crucial to season every layer of the breading on these chicken strips. Instead of using salt and pepper, I recommend using store-bought or homemade seasoned salt as it adds more flavor to the chicken.
Recipe Modifications
- Air-Fryer Instructions: Use my recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
- Make Healthier: Use whole wheat flour and whole wheat panko bread crumbs in place of all-purpose flour and regular panko breadcrumbs for a serving of whole grains.
- Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders: Use an all-purpose gluten-free 1:1 flour blend and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in place of the all-purpose flour and breadcrumbs.
- Egg-Free Option: If you happen to have an egg allergy, dip your chicken strips into flour first, then something moist, like buttermilk or mustard, and finally panko.
Tips for Crispy Chicken Tenders
The following tips will help to ensure the crispiest, best-tasting homemade chicken tenders. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Use Panko Bread Crumbs. Panko gives chicken strips a crunchy coating that is reminiscent of a deep-fried restaurant chicken tender. They keep the coating light and crispy. While you can use traditional bread crumbs, the results will not be the same.
- Use a 3-step breading process. This means dipping the chicken into flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs. This process allows the breadcrumbs to adhere to the chicken evenly and ensures every bit is crispy and delicious.
- Bake chicken strips on a baking rack. By placing the breaded chicken tenders onto a baking rack instead of directly onto a sheet pan, the air is able to circulate evenly around the chicken, allowing the breading to get crispy on all sides without flipping.
Serving Suggestions
These crispy chicken strips can be served plain, or as most kids prefer, with a dipping sauce. I love pairing these homemade chicken tenders with a side of ketchup, Homemade Ranch, BBQ Sauce, honey mustard, or Sweet Chili Sauce and a side of baked fries and a fruit salad, for a kid-friendly meal everyone will rave about.
However, don't just limit these baked chicken tenders for dipping! They are delicious when cut up and served on a salad or served whole on a homemade biscuit or bun with coleslaw for a tasty crispy chicken sandwich.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Leftover Chicken Tenders will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container
- Freeze: See below for detailed instructions on freezing homemade chicken strips.
- Reheat: Place the chicken tenders on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 5-6 minutes. This will keep the breading crispy. If you try to reheat the chicken tenders in the microwave, the breading will become soggy.
How to Freeze Homemade Chicken Tenders
Instead of stocking your freezer with pre-made chicken nuggets or chicken strips, freeze a batch of these homemade chicken tenders for a fast, wholesome meal.
- Place baked, cooled chicken strips on an oven sheet lined with wax or parchment paper and place them into the freezer until frozen solid. This will take an hour or two and helps to keep them from sticking together.
- Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Prepare Chicken Tenders from frozen, place frozen chicken tenders onto a baking rack over a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until warmed through.
More Kid-Friendly Meals
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
- Baked Ravioli Lasagna
- Homemade Fish Sticks
- Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Pizza Meatloaf
I would love it if you tried this recipe for chicken tenders for you to leave a comment and review below.
Homemade Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch thick strips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup water
- 2 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt divided
- 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Place an oven-safe baking rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Prepare the breading station. Place the flour and 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt in one shallow dish and mix well. Whisk eggs and water together with an additional 1 teaspoon of salt in a second shallow dish. Place panko bread crumbs in a third shallow dish and mix with the remaining ½ teaspoon of seasoned salt.
- Prepare the Chicken Tenders. Trim off all fat and tendons from chicken tenders. Or if using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them into 1-inch strips.
- Bread the Chicken Tenders. Dip each chicken strip into the flour, tossing to coat. Shake off excess. Dip into the egg wash, and then finally into panko breadcrumbs, using your hands to help panko coat chicken strips.
- Place the breaded chicken tenders onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray the surface with cooking spray to achieve a golden exterior.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉. 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.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August 2017 but has since been updated in January 2023.
Valerie
This recipe was AWESOME! However, I needed to bake my tenders way more than 13 min. Perhaps my pieces were too big. (This was my first time making tenders.) My husband loved them. I made some country gravy for dipping, and some zesty-like sauce. Partay! Are all of your recipes this incredible? Way to go!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Valerie! I am so glad you enjoyed. And yes, it may have been the sizes of your chicken tenders that caused the increase for cook time. Anyways, I do hope you find many more recipes here to enjoy!
Diena
thank you so much for all of your amazing recipes !!!
Kristen Chidsey
Awe, thank YOU for taking the time to thank me Diena!
Marilyn Jess
My recipe tweak was cutting the boneless chicken thighs into nugget size pieces. We were out of Panko, so I used plain breadcrumbs, mixed with cornmeal--3/4 crumbs, 1/4 cornmeal. These came out crispy, with the last 5 minutes of cook time (20 min total) on Speed Bake--the convection oven option on our range. Delicious--we don't buy processed meat, and a bit of extra work is worth it. Kids will love these.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed this Marilyn! Great tweaks!
Jill Lucas
I've never made chicken tenders before (I'm not real big on them). My family likes them, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. Came upon this recipe and my 18 year old daughter who is the pickest eater loved them! She actually claimed the leftovers at the dinner table and called her friend to come over to try them! Thank you! I have a happy teen!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh this makes me so happy Jill! I am so glad you found my recipe and that they were a huge success at your house. Thank you for sharing.
Amy Anderson
These were SO good! My teenage boys loved them!
I used them the second night to make barbecue pizza-cut up the chicken tenders and added red onion and cheddar cheese.
Tracy
These are fantastic! I breaded these in French's Crispy Fried Onions. What a difference. So good!!
Kristen Chidsey
What a great idea Tracy to change up the flavor! So glad you enjoyed!
Barbars
Made them tonight. Very good. Husband loves chicken tenders and with this recipe, it is now one of my favorites.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed! And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Debbie
These turned out great. I didn’t have the Panko crumbs as I thought in my pantry so I used a bag of stuffing which we pounded into crumbs. That worked great and my daughter said it Gave the chicken a “Thanksgiving Flair”!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I LOVE how you improvised Debbie! Thanks for sharing!
Marilyn Jess
Love that recipe tweak. I looked around for a good chicken tenders recipe, and this one is just that. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and good for you for using your stuffing mix.
Jane of Upton
This one's a keeper! Hubby polished his off with great enthusiasm! I'm a reluctant cook, so if someone else had made them, I would have voted 5 or more stars. The breading process is one of my least favorite things to do, but gosh darn these were good! For these, I will actually do the 3 step breading - it was SO worth it! Thanks for sharing a very straightforward and satisfying recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed Jane!
Alice
Best recipe ever.
Kristen Chidsey
Ah, thanks so much Alice!
sandy
Wonderful recipe. I did not have the panko bread crumbs, so i was skeptical and almost done a recipe, that called for frying in oil, but it worked just plain Italian bread crumbs worked. amazing recipe thank you
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you persevered with what you had on hand and you still enjoyed Sandy! Thanks for taking the time to let us know your results with substitutions.
Graciela Southall
This was the best chicken I've ever made! I will use this recipe again and again!
Kristen Chidsey
That makes me so happy you enjoyed so much! I hope it remains a favorite!
Micki
Instead of egg are used gluten-free rice flour, mayonnaise, and gluten-free Panko. Kept the same temperature and length of time and it was yummy.
Kristen Chidsey
I love those modifications! I use gluten-free Panko myself at times and it works wonders. And my mom always used mayo to dip chicken nuggets in too 😉
Sarah Vance
These were delicious!! 🤤
Ashley
Is it possible to do these for a meal prep? Any idea how long they’ll last in the fridge?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ashley! I love to make a big batch of homemade chicken tenders. I will bake and keep in fridge 3-4 days. And then broil before serving (to keep crunchy) But if you freeze after they have cooled completely on a baking sheet until frozen solid then pop in a freezer bag--they will last 3 months! Just bake at 300 for 10-12 minutes from frozen. Enjoy!
Cathy Homan
Can I use butter/margarine vs eggs???
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Cathy! Melted butter will help to hold the bread crumbs for sure, especially if you dip in flour first. Enjoy!
Cathy Homan
I do flour, butter, bread crumbs
Kristen Chidsey
PERFECT!!!!!
Amy
Made these for dinner tonight. Easy and they were quite good. Thanks for the recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad your family enjoyed Amy!