Recipe For Baked Chicken Tenders

Tips For The Best Oven Roasted Bbq Chicken

• For even cooking, make sure the chicken breasts are the same thickness throughout. You may need to pound some of the breasts to create an even thickness. The breasts should be around 1 inch thick.
• Use the parchment paper. Its a lot easier to clean up than scrubbing caramelized BBQ sauce off the sheet pan.
• Be careful with cross contamination from the chicken. Once you brush the chicken with the BBQ sauce the pastry brush is contaminated. If you put that brush back in the bowl of sauce, the sauce is now contaminated and can not be eaten unless it is cooked.
• Use an instant read thermometer so you dont overcook your chicken. Cook chicken until the thickest part reaches 160°F and then let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
• If you are using thinner chicken pieces or chicken cutlets, reduce the cook time so it doesnt get overcooked, and then check it with thermometer.

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Baked Breaded Chicken Tenders

So much for the superstitious practices. Lets talk about this dish right here.

I hope you wont forget though to add this incredible baked chicken tenders on your party menu tonight. They make a wonderful appetizer along with different dips and sauces OR serve them for dinner with salad and roasted veggies. And theyre soooo easy to prepare!

First off, you have to lightly season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper then roll it into the highly seasoned flour mixture before dipping it in the buttermilk mixture, and finally into the bowl of breadcrumbs.

One way to work on this recipe smoothly is to prepare everything in bowls from the flour, buttermilk, and sauteed breadcrumbs. This way, it will be easy for you to just coat and dip every piece before you line them on the baking sheet. I advise using tongs to avoid messy fingers.

The selling point of this recipe is the amazing crunchy, buttery and herb-y sauteed breadcrumbs that coats the chicken well. It delivers that perfect crunch to every bite and they look pretty great on the table, too!

See what Im talking about?

How To Prepare Chicken Tenders

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lay chicken tenders on a sheet tray lined with foil for each cleanup.
• Mix together the mayonnaise, spices, and cheese. Spread on top of the tenders evenly.
• Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the chicken tenders reach an internal temperature of 165°F and they are golden brown and bubbly.
• Thats it you cant get any easier!

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Can Homemade Chicken Tenders Be Frozen

Yes, whether youre meal prepping or have leftover chicken tenders, these homemade chicken tenders can be frozen. You can do this by placing the chicken tenders in a freezer storage bag or air-tight container and keeping them in the freezer for up to four months.

To use frozen chicken tenders, transfer them to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Then, carefully transfer the tenders to a baking sheet and bake them in a 350°F oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Now that you know how to make this easy chicken tenders recipe, learn how to make the best French fries at home.

Tips For The Perfect Baked Chicken Tenders

• Chicken tenders are sometimes called chicken tenderloins, and can be found with all the other types of raw chicken in the meat department. If you cant find chicken tenders, you can also use chicken breasts that have been cut into strips.
• I use a blend of breadcrumbs because the Italian style breadcrumbs add a lot of flavor, but the panko crumbs add that fabulous crispy texture were looking for.
• These baked chicken tenders will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven or in a toaster oven until theyve crisped back up.
• You can serve these tenders as-is with a sauce, or offer them on top of a salad or pasta. You can also top your baked tenders with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese to make an easy chicken parmesan.

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Oven Roasted Bbq Chicken

This Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken is an easy way to enjoy sticky, finger licking chicken that turns out tender and juicy every time. Seasoned chicken breasts are roasted, then smothered in BBQ sauce, and baked to perfection. This will be a family favorite recipe, guaranteed!

This post was originally posted on 8/3/2020 and updated on 7/29/2022.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Click HERE to read my policies.

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These 5-ingredient Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are so simple, but full of flavor! I love easy recipes that the whole family can be excited about and these tenders are sure to please kids and adults alike. Sweet, spicy and smoky with brown sugar, chili powder, barbecue sauce and bacon, these tenders have all the flavors you crave. I didnt list a serving size for these, instead just listing the nutrition info and points per tender, so you can select the right number for you. You can also easily double this recipe to make more if needed. Each tender is just 106 calories or 2 Green, 1 Blue or 1 Purple myWW SmartPoints, so feel free to indulge! To view your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, !

What Ingredients Do I Need

These baked BBQ chicken tenders is a simple recipe using a small handful of ingredients you likely already have available in your kitchen. Lets take a look at them:

• Chicken Tenders I buy the boneless skinless chicken tenders. They usually come in packs of 1 or 2 pounds. This recipe is for one pound, but you can scale it up as needed to fit the size of your group. Most chicken tenders will come with a white tendon visible on the end. This tendon is edible but can be quite tough and chewy when cooked, so I usually use a sharp knife just like the ones included in the best butcher knife set and cut it out.
• Olive Oil Rubbing the chicken with a little olive oil will prevent it from sticking to the oven rack and will also promote lovely caramelization of the chicken and seasoning rub.
• Garlic Powder & Smoked Paprika I like these two seasonings as they pair well with barbecue sauce and are pretty basic pantry staples. I dont measure how much I use just give the tenders a light sprinkle.
• Salt and Pepper Again, I dont measure, just sprinkle it on. I typically go light on the salt and a little heavier on the pepper.
• BBQ Sauce Use your favorite! I used a smoky, spicy sauce, but this is really a matter of personal tastes, so if you have one you love to use go for it! Youll need about of a cup.

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Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders Already

Thank you so much for your eagerness to view my recipe.

If you would rather not hear my super helpful tips and tricks, FAQ, and my overall awesomeness and get straight to this delicious Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders recipe you can very easily scroll all the way to the bottom of this post for the full printable FREE recipe! Bon appetit.

• Parmesan cheese
• Breadcrumbs, I love using panko breadcrumbs for this recipe because it gives them such a nice crunch! But, regular breadcrumbs are fine, or even Italian seasoned, whatever you got will do!

How To Bake Chicken Tenders

Step one: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Step two: Combine spices in a small bowl. Place chicken tenders in a zip top bag.

Step three: Pour olive oil in the bag. Move the tenders around to cover in oil. Pour in spice mixture. Close the zip bag and shake so that the chicken tenders are covered in the spices.

Step four: Place chicken tenders on prepared baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

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How To Store & Reheat

Store leftover chicken tenders in the an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat them in the oven or air fryer so they can get crispy again. You can reheat them in the microwave, but they might be a little soggy. My boys dont seem to mind though:)

You can freeze chicken tenders BEFORE you bake them. Chicken tenders are a great freezer friendly meal!

• Place the breaded chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Freeze for several hours until the chicken tenders are firm and frozen.
• Transfer to a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
• When ready to bake, remove the chicken tenders from the freezer and preheat heat the oven. You dont have to thaw them first. Follow the baking instructions, but add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
• If you want to freeze chicken tenders that are already baked, you certainly can. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months too. Reheat the frozen tenders in the oven.

What Are Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders are an actual part of the chicken. They are the little strips of meat that are attached to the underside of a chicken breast.

You can make your own tenders by taking a boneless, skinless chicken breast and cutting it lengthwise into pieces about ½ inch thick or you can purchase chicken tenders already packaged from your grocery store.

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How To Make This Easy Chicken Tenders Recipe Your Own

Since this is a basic chicken tenders recipe, its easy to customize to your own tastes. Here are some ideas to get you started:

If you want more spices:

• Add a dash of parsley, oregano and grated parmesan to the breading mixture for an Italian upgrade.
• Go southwest by omitting the basil and sprinkling a teaspoon each of chili powder and cumin to the bread crumbs.
• Try something new by substituting the basil for curry powder in your crumb mixture.

If you want to add heat:

• Squeeze a bit of hot sauce in the egg mixture. Cholula is our go-to, but you can use any brand thats your favorite.
• Add chili flakes or ground cayenne to the dry breading. But be careful, a little bit will go a long way!

If you want more texture:

• Instead of dry bread crumbs, crush pretzels in a food processor or in a plastic bag for a coarser crumb with added saltiness.
• Crumbled cornflakes also make a great breading for chicken tenders, them a crisp texture.

Check out even more alternatives to dry bread crumbs.

Best Tips For Success

• Do bake them on a wire rack as instructed. This allows air to circulate underneath so the tops and the bottoms are perfectly crispy.
• Coat the chicken well through the flour, egg, and crumbs to ensure the best results.
• If using the tortilla chip option, be sure to totally crush them to create an even crumb.
• If using panko, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
• Serve as strips or cut into pieces according to what will work best for your child.
• Reheat in the oven to return the chicken to crispy, or pack in a lunch and enjoy chilled.
• Air Fryer: Coat the rack with nonstick spray. Prepare the chicken as directed in the recipe, then air-fry at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes, turning halfway through.

Also Check: Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Reasons Youll Fall In Love With Baked Bbq Chicken

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How Do We Make Sure The Chicken Is Crispy

There are three main steps that will ensure the final baked chicken strips are crispy:

• Three coatings on each chicken strip: flour mixture, egg mixture, and cereal mixture. Each coating is essential in helping the other coatings stick. When each coat works as it should, the end result is a crispy chicken tender.
• High oven heat will allow the coating to dry on the outside of the chicken and become crispy. If you have a convection setting on your oven, now is the time to use it!
• Fit the baking sheet with a wire rack. During baking, air will freely move under and over the wire rack, which makes sure all sides of the chicken are evenly crispy. This also helps to prevent a soggy bottom!

The ingredients are simple and can be found in most pantries. In fact, I often have Chex cereal leftover from making batches of party mix during the holidays and need ways to use it up! Maybe youre in that same boat too.

To make this recipe extra special, I created a quick homemade honey mustard sauce. It may require a little more effort, but its totally worth it.

Heres what I love: I love the idea that we can make good food at home and do not need to rely on the frozen food section at the grocery store.

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Why This Recipe Works

How To Make Oven Baked Chicken Tenders Without Breading

1. Melt the butter. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Slice the butter into 1 tbsp cubes and place it in a shallow dish. Melt the butter by microwaving in 30-second increments.

2. Make the seasoning. In a small mixing bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh parsley, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper.

3. Season the chicken. Dredge the chicken tenders in the melted butter. Lay the coated tenders in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over both sides of the chicken tenders.

4. Bake the chicken. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165° F. When finished, garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

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Tips On Getting That Golden Crust

When you look at the chicken baked for 22-25 minutes, you are going to think, what did I do wrong? Not to worry, once you turn on the ovens broiler, youll see the magic happen before your eyes. Once the broiler is on, watch carefully. Youll see the Parmesan bubbly and then all of the sudden it turns that beautiful golden brown. Remove once you are satisfied with the color. Mine took about 2-3 minutes. Each oven will be different.

Why Make This Recipe

• Oil Free Yes, you can have crunchy baked chicken tenders in oven without oil.
• Perfect for Parties This easy family dinner recipe can be doubled or tripled, so you can serve these chicken tenders for game day or a party.
• Easy Just mix, dunk, coat and bake. In about 20 minutes, you have crunchy oven fried chicken tenders.
• Kid-Favorite and Mom-Approved When the kids love something that mom knows is healthy and inexpensive, everybody wins!

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What Is The Difference Between Chicken Tenderloins And Tenders

Tenderloins are from a specific section of the chicken breast. This cut is located under the breast and is actually a thin muscle. It doesnt get much exercise, hence the tenderness of the meat.

Chicken tenders can either be made with tenderloins or are pieces of the actual breast itself cut into strips. These breast meat cuts dont get quite as juicy or, well, tender, as true tenderloins.

You can use either tenderloins or chicken breast strips to make this recipe!

How To Cut Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts are healthy protein that can get a little boring to eat sometimes. Cutting the breasts into tenders makes the chicken a finger food that appeals to all ages! To cut chicken breasts, get out a long, sharp knife. Before cutting, either pat the chicken dry with a paper towel or let it sit on a plate in the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will make the chicken not so slippery and easier to handle.

When you are ready to cut the chicken breast into pieces, place it on a cutting board. Cut the pieces against the grain . I was able to cut between eight and ten pieces per chicken breast. Each piece ended up about 1/2 inch thick. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw chicken.

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