These crunchy baked chicken tenders are life changing! The secret to truly golden, truly crunchy baked breaded chicken is to toast the breadcrumbs in the oven first. Bonus: No dirty fingers with my quick crumbing technique!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Really crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders
There is no feel-good story behind these crunchy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders. Quite simply, I am yet to meet anything deep fried that I didn’t love, but a) my waistline can’t afford the real thing every time I feel like it; and b) I reserve deep frying for “special occasions”. Because… well, you know.
Mess, oil wastage, gluey fingers.
Waistline. Bottom expansion.
Etc etc.
It also irritated me no end that the breadcrumbs always came out splotchy, no matter how much oil I used.
So this is how I make baked crumbed chicken.
Baked breaded chicken – my way
Toast the breadcrumbs in the oven for just a few minutes. This is the path to truly golden, truly crunchy baked breaded chicken even with a short bake time (max 20 minutes for chicken tenders). PS Much MUCH easier than pan frying!
One dredge batter – the usual process for crumbing is flour then egg then breadcrumbs. For this quick ‘n easy recipe, I combine the egg with flour plus mustard and mayo for flavour + oil (attempt to replicate deep fried) to make a thick batter in which the chicken is dredged. This stuff is great glue for the breadcrumbs!
Clean fingers! Use tongs to transfer the batter slathered chicken into the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over breadcrumbs to cover, press down to adhere. Transfer to tray. Marvel at clean fingers!!
Give it a light spray of oil, bake for 15 minutes and voila! This is what you get:
LOOK HOW GOLDEN THEY ARE!! Just imagine that crunch when you bite into the juicy chicken inside!
Dipping Sauces
It’s pictured above with a Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Just like Maccers. Only homemade. 🙂
Other Dipping Sauces: Try the Pink Steak Sauce from the Beef Kebabs, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Thousand Island, Tartare or even a classic Seafood Cocktail Sauce.
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
Breadcrumb
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
- Oil spray
Batter
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard (or other mustard)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Chicken
- 500 g/1 lb chicken tenderloins (or breast cut into 2/3″ / 1.5cm thick slices, lengthwise)
- Oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180° fan-forced).
- Toast panko – Spread panko on a baking tray, spray with oil (spray vertically to avoid blowing the panko off the tray), then bake for 3 to 5 minutes until light golden. Transfer to bowl.
- Place a rack on a baking tray (not critical but bakes more evenly).
- Dredge batter – Place the Batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk with a fork until combined. Add the chicken into the Batter and toss to coat.
Crumbing (see video & photo in post)
- Pick up chicken with tongs and place it into the panko bowl.
- Crumb – Sprinkle surface with breadcrumbs, then press down to adhere. Transfer onto baking tray. Marvel at clean fingers, repeat with remaining chicken.
- Spray & bake – Spray lightly with oil, sprinkle with a touch of salt (optional). Bake 15 minutes (medium) or up to 20 minutes if gigantic. Any longer = dried out chicken.
- Serve – Remove from oven and serve immediately, with Sauce of choice (Honey Mustard pictured, see Note 2) and sprinkled with fresh parsley, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published April 2015, updated with new photos, video, words in post. No change to recipe, though some minor writing tidying up has been done.
More crunchy crumbed chicken
A crunchy golden crumb takes any chicken from bland to delicious!
LIFE OF DOZER
That hopeful sparkle in his eyes…. (it was false hope) (Oh wait, I lied. I gave him a bite!)
Ah-mazing. Best homemade chicken tenders I have ever made.
This review is for the Ranch only—DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!
I live in The Netherlands (but originally from California) and can’t find Ranch dressing anywhere. Omg SO good! Thank you
Nagi, you are the best cook on the planet!!!
Would this batter work for flounder as well?
Yes 100% Rosie! N x
This was just awesome, we will make this over and over again. A new favourite.
Hey Nagi … I would like to try this recipe using these crumbs but unfortunately breadcrumbs arent available my country so i wanna make sure if i did the following, ill get exactly the same results as yours :
1) Buy some bread
2) Remove the crusts
3) Grind them coarsley
4) Spread them on a baking sheet
5) Spray with oil
6) Bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes just like u did
would i get exactly the same result? or there is something i should do which i didnt mention above?
i would be thankful if u help
Hi Moussa, I always make breadcrumbs from stale bread, just process in a food processor to produce a rough crumb then use as per the recipe 🙂 N x
This recipe deserves every star. I love chicken tenders but can’t tolerate the oil anymore as I get older. This recipe quite frankly outdoes any fried version I’ve come across and, bonus, I don’t get ill. Double bonus, it is prepped and cooked in almost the same amount of time it would take to cook frozen from a box far inferior ones!
Came out tender, juicy, super flavourful and crunchy! I was a bit iffy about a batter approach but it worked perfectly. Absolutely inspired.
Picky darling husband made one of his few “wow this is good” comments, so this one is going on the regular rotation!
Thank you so much!!!
What temperature do I cook the tenders after breading them?
Hi Tami, the oven stays at 200. Enjoy! N x
Great recipe,chicken was simply delicious,
thank you Nagy! Hugs for Dozer 🙂
Great chicken strip recipe! My guys loved this!
Wahoo that’s awesome Christina! N x
This is amazing!!!!! So crunchy!!
A few other dip ideas: marinara, blue cheese dressing, creamy mushroom sauce.
Yes all of these are great!! N x
My 4 y/o granddaughter’s comment was, “these are delicious Nana!” Enough said!
Amazing! My kids were arguing over the last one! And that ranch- so good, too! Yet another amazing recipe – thank you!
Hello, would it be okay if I make this overnight (marinate and crumb the chicken) and then cook in the oven the next day? Thank you for a lovely recipe! Linda
Hi Linda, I would crumb just before cooking to ensure they stay crispy 🙂 N x
I have never posted a reply on a recipe. But this one deserves the pioneering. I didn’t even have Dijon mustard. I used yellow mustard and some garlic/herb seasoning with some kickin’ chx for heat. It came out great. And you taught me how to bread chicken so that it actually sucks AND has flavor. Thank you!!
My family loved this and ate every last piece. I can’t believe I never thought to use tongs before. Such a great idea!
This is an amazing recipe. Velveted the chicken first and had to cook up the second batch the next day. Whole family loved it. It was so easy and quick served with crunchy Asian salad.
Prepared this tonight and it was soooo good!! My husband loved it….telling me many times how good it was and not to change a thing about the recipe. He thought it was fried. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Have these in the oven as we speak and it smells amazing. Was very easy too. I just realised I forgot to add the flour to the batter. Oops. Will post back to share if it worked ok or not! I also made the honey mustard with a freshly opened jar of hot English mustard instead of Dijon! Can’t wait to eat these.