Truly crispy and golden oven-baked chicken tenders. Healthier than fried tenders, with the perfect crunch and amazing flavor. Paired with irresistible honey mustard dip for an extra special meal!
These baked chicken tenders are extra crispy from the outside but succulent and moist from the inside. Serve these chicken strips with homemade ranch sauce or honey mustard sauce for a healthier version of Chick-fil-A or Slim Chickens tenders and dips.
They’re loved by adults and kids alike, so enjoy as an appetizer, snack, finger food (think Superbowl/Game Day!), or even a main!
You should also try these easy and unbreaded garlic butter chicken tenders, or my Air fryer chicken tenders if you’re an air fryer fan, or if you’re grilling, then make grilled chicken tenders (they’re unbreaded), so good! And if you love Olive Garden, then try my copycat recipe of chicken scampi.
Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make these healthy baked chicken tenders:
- Panko breadcrumbs: Whilst you can use regular breadcrumbs, I like panko better as they’re larger and give a crunchier texture. If you can’t find them at the supermarket, they’re available at Asian food stores at a cheaper price (at least 30%!). Or just order them from Amazon.
- Chicken tenderloins: I usually buy a tray or fresh chicken tenders, if you can’t find them, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 3/4-inch strips.
- Mayo and mustard for flavor, and seasonings (I use smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper).
- Egg, flour, and oil spray.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
The Directions
- On a sheet pan, spray the panko with oil.
- Toast the panko breadcrumbs in the oven at 375°F (190°C), for 7-8 minutes or until they’re golden.
- Make the egg mixture, and dip the chicken tenders until they’re well coated.
- Dredge the chicken tenders in the toasted panko and press it so it sticks well.
- Arrange the breaded tenders on a sheet pan (I like to also use a rack so they cook evenly).
- Bake in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-17 minutes depending on the size of the chicken tenders used.
Seasoning Ideas
You can change up the seasonings if you like, and use your favorite seasoning instead of paprika and garlic powder.
Make cajun chicken tenders by using cajun seasoning, or use Italian seasoning and serve the chicken tenders with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
If you like hot chicken, you can always make the special sauce just like I did in my Air Fryer nashville chicken recipe.
Dip Ideas
A homemade dip is a must with these delicious chicken tenders! Below are my favorites:
- Honey Mustard dip – scroll down to the recipe card for the recipe.
- Ranch – so much better than store-bought!
- Tartar sauce – typically served with crispy fish, but works great with tenders too.
- Yum yum sauce – the dipping sauce that you get at Hibachi restaurants, sooo good with chicken tenders!
- Guacamole – not exactly a dip that you normally get with chicken tenders, but this recipe is amazing and I would never say no to a good guacamole!
How to Keep Chicken Tenders Crispy
If you make these chicken tenders, but don’t want to serve them right away. Just spread them on a sheet pan, and leave them in the oven at a low temperature around 250°F (120°C) until you’re ready to serve.
This is a great way to keep the chicken tenders crunchy and fresh as you work on your other dishes or sides. But obviously, you can’t leave them in the oven the whole day as they will eventually dry out.
Recommended Tools for This Recipe
- Half sheet pan – This is the pan sheet that I use and love, and I also have the quarter sheet that is great for smaller quantities of food. Perfect for sheet pan dinners, roasting vegetables, baking cookies, you name it!
- Sharp knife. This is the knife that I use all the time, a sharp knife is so important and if you want to invest in a new knife then a high-quality chef knife is what I recommend. This one is also currently on sale and well worth the money.
- I love these stainless steel measuring cups and use them every time I cook, as well as those measuring spoons.
- Stainless steel locking tongs – a kitchen essential!
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Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 pound and ½ chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 3/4-inch strips (about 12 strips total)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Honey Mustard Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- On a sheet pan, lightly spray the panko with oil.
- Toast the panko breadcrumbs in the oven at 375°F (190°C), for 7-8 minutes or until they're golden.
- To make the egg mixture, combine the egg with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until it's well combined.
- Dip the chicken tenders in the egg mixture until they're well coated, then dredge in toasted panko and press the tenders in the panko so that it sticks well.
- Arrange the breaded tenders on a sheet pan (I like to use a rack so they cook evenly – optional).
- Bake in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-17 minutes depending on the size of the chicken tenders used.
To Make the Honey Mustard Sauce:
- Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
Notes:
- Serve 2-3 chicken tenders per person.
- If you make these chicken tenders, but don’t want to serve them right away. Just spread them on a sheet pan, and leave them in the oven at a low temperature around 250°F (120°C) until you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Colleen signorelli says
Hi, the tenders turned out crispy and delicious. It was easy to prepare. Toasting the Panko bread crumbs first was a great idea. I’ve made many versions of breaded chicken tenders in my time but these were the best. I served it with homemade honey mustard sauce the second night with the leftovers.