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!)
What temp to cook chicken? Ty
Hi Debbie! Oven temp is in step 1 🙂
WOW! The best panko “fried” chicken we’ve ever had! Husband, who has been good about not eating seconds lately (getting healthy and all that!), actually had seconds tonight. We all loved it. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Absolutely amazing! As suggested, I cooked the chicken strips on a wire rack placed over a sheet pan. Will definitely be my goto recipe!
My 16 yo son said these are the best chicken tenders EVER! He went on to tell me that he wants this as his new birthday dinner. Fingers crossed on that because for the past four years, it’s been beef Wellington. You may have just saved me a lot of money!!
So great to hear Julia!! That’s quite a compliment – replacing Beef Wellington!! – N x
This method is the best I’ve come across for making crunchy oven baked chicken! I can’t wait to play with different seasonings.
Love hearing that Anne! So pleased you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
Will cooking spray give same result instead of spray oil?
Made these last night and they were fabulous! The chicken was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Also, what a genius idea to combine the ingredients in one bowl and then dip in the panko. This will be a staple dinner in our home.
🙌🏻 Love hearing that Angie! N xx
Jmade
Made this for dinner and this recipe was amazing! Moist chicken and excellent flavor!!!
I absolutely love hearing that Nancy!! Thanks so much for letting me know – N x
These are the moistest, tenderest, best chicken strips ever! I cooked mine on parchment paper for easy clean up.
I made these for dinner tonight and they were so tasty as well as easy. Served them atop of a nice tossed salad with ranch dressing. Will definitely make these again.
That’s so great to hear Karen! Thanks! N x ❤️
Perfect and easy!
SOO happy I tried this recipe, will be a quick go to. Thank you for putting photos, details and new edits!
It’s so versatile too!
I will defiantly be coming back to your website/blog for more recipes. This is bookmark material.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this Marie! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! N x
These were so delicious! My kids and husband loved them also! Thank you for sharing!
LOVE hearing that Sara!!! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Made these and my whole family LOVED them! Best oven-fried chicken we’ve ever had! So crunchy! Thinking about trying this with boneless chops tonight!
So glad you enjoyed this Denise! N x ❤️
Fantastic!
I substituted the mayo with yoghurt (and a bit more) and used a fork pinched at the corner of the chicken strip throughout, so no sticky fingers at all 🙂
Thanks, it is going to become a staple around here!
So glad you enjoyed this Maria! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
I use this recipe every week, I love it. Super easy, healthy and extremely fast and satisfying. I’ve told a lot of people about this recipe and they all tried it and loved it too! I also like that the ingredients aren’t crazy and I always have it on hand.
I’m going to try this method on some fish tonight, fingers crossed it works too! Maybe with some parm in the breadcrumb 🙂 I also don’t even pre crisp the crumb and it still turns out fine!
Love hearing that CT! So pleased to hear it’s such a staple in your meal rotation! ❤️
hello can i substitute something else for mayyonnaise or eggs? thanks alot
i meant can we substitute something instead of the mayonnaise and eggs
Hi Dima – sorry, I can’t think what I would sub both of these with! 🙂
These were amazing! The batter method was genius, thanks so much
That’s wonderful to hear Kerry! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
They taste GREAT!!!!
So pleased to hear that Cindy! N x
What if you don’t have oil spray? Can you use something else.. Like sprrad butter or oil on cookie sheet? Excited to try 🙂
So easy and soooo good!! No mess either!. Mom can’t have much salt so used garlic powder and onion powder instead. Panko works better this way, too. Also, no dry chicken. Thanks!