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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!)
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now and just can’t get over how juicy and delicious the tenders are. My family’s favourite chicken tender recipe by a mile. A must make!
I made this for dinner tonight in the air fryer. We have picky kids & we all loved this recipe! I only had Italian bread crumbs & it came out crisp & flavorful. I used chicken thighs & added salt to the bread crumbs. Love this recipe!
HI Nagi, thank you for an amazing chicken tender recipe. I wanted to try baking my chicken tenders versus frying them, and your recipe will be the only one I need, they are soo moist and flavorful!!!! Thank you xoxoxo
Made these on Sunday while watching football games. They were really good, I did use high quality Bell and Evan’s white meat tenderloins and toasted the panko but also used Kellogg Corn Flake Crumbs for added flavor. I do have a convection oven setting and used that they came out quite crispy but still moist inside. My Husband loved them and I will make them again. Thank you for posting this recipe.
i,ve made these tenders numerous times. Other then adding my own choice of seasonings I follow the recipe as is. It totally annoys me when others change the recipe so much that its a complete different recipe and then say how good they are…. go print your own page and post it. There is no need to change anything other seasoning to your taste if you so wish. these tenders are the most tender and easiest i,ve ever made. keep them recipes coming Nagi. i sometimes use this method to cook fish now.
I use this recipe all the time. I add a bit of Cajun seasoning into my batter and panko crumbs. The honey mustard is great too!
Perfectly delicious, crunchy, juicy and it tastes like it’s fried! I added a little lemon pepper and paprika to the dredge and panko, but that’s just because my family likes those seasonings. This is a keeper! I printed it out and put it in my recipe box. Thank you
My sons and my husband are picky eaters and they loved this recipe. I was nervous with the mayo and mustard because they don’t like either but they ate every drop. It was a great meal.
This was a great recipe
Everyone loved it
My QUESTION is. My breading sort of fell off when it was cut into
I feel like I did something wrong
?
All I have to say is wow!! I made these tonight and they turned out so juicy and crispy. I often put the chicken tenders in the air fryer, but not after this oven recipe. A must try and a keeper.
My whole family loved these, they are so so good!. And I agree with Sherry you are a genius. I as well will never set up the 3 part breading station again.
I do think you are weird and wonderful. Why be normal when you can be yourself. I’m going to try your combined egg and flour batter. I’m 71 and absolutely hate marshmallow fingers. This the true Australian mentally. I’m using Chicken Thigh fillets, as I not fond of chicken breats. Regards Cathy
Delish! I used the exact ingredients, I did not precook the panko crumbs; instead sprayed oil on cast iron pan and cooked chicken in skillet 5 mins (flipped half way), then put skillet in the over for 15 minutes.
Family loved this recipe, will be making it often.
I made these for dinner tonight. The chicken was absolutely delicious. The recipe was easy to follow. The dijon mustard sauce was so good!
So good! They really are super tender – hubby asked if I had poached the chicken before crumbing and baking!
Mine turned out awesome. Everyone loved the crisp panko. Great idea to toast the panko first. I will incorporate that genius idea of yours forever when cooking with panko. Thanks
My adult son would not leave these alone. Moist and tasty. I used Grey Poupon (which I normally don’t) and the taste was magnificent. Perfect for the not time to cook night.
outstanding recipe easy to follow. The tenders came out moist, crunchy and delicious. My wife absolutely loved them as did I. This is a keepe, thank you for the recipe.
These turned out wonderful! Great for kids and grownups! Had the perfect amount of batter to bread crumbs, so no waste. Another weeknight keeper for your recipe box!
Thank you Nagi!