How To Make Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
What Goes With Chicken Fingers
When it comes to chicken fingers, the sky is the limit. Whether youre in the mood for classic buffalo wings or something a little more creative, theres sure to be a finger-friendly option out there. Here are some of our favorite ideas for what goes with chicken fingers:
Tangy dipping sauce: If you want something a little more substantial than just dip, try a tangy dipping sauce like blue cheese dressing or ranch.
Salads: Chicken fingers can easily become an afterthought when it comes to salads, but thats absolutely not the case. A mix of chopped greens, chopped tomatoes, and crumbled bacon is perfect paired with tender chicken fingers.
Sides: Another great way to enjoy your chicken fingers is by pairing them with sides like mashed potatoes or veggie sides.
How To Freeze Homemade Chicken Tenders
It gets better! These homemade chicken tenders can be frozen before cooking by placing them on a parchment-lined tray, feezing them, and then transferring them to a freezer-safe bag.
Make sure to label the zip bag with the oven temperature and time and you now have a recipe that yields leftovers for another meal.
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Allrecipes Community Tips And Praise
Served this evening with honey mustard dipping sauce, and they were a hit, says Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat. As a side note, this recipe could be easily adapted to an air fryer. Thanks for sharing your recipe, I will make this again.
Super easy to make, according to wrcitizen94. I didnt have a spray bottle for oil, so I lightly brushed oil with a basting brush on each side. Cooked for 9 min on each side . Received thumbs up at dinner. Well make it again!!!
How Long Do You Cook Chicken Tenders In The Oven

I like to bake my chicken fingers in a 425 degree oven for maximum crispness. Depending on how thick your chicken is they should be done in approximately 20-25 minutes. If you have thicker cut chicken tenders you may need to add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
Check your chicken breast tenders for doneness at about 15 minutes, especially if your tenders were cut on the thinner side.
Now you can enjoy your chicken fingers with your favorite sides and dipping sauces.
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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.
How To Cook Chicken Tenders In Oven
Place seasoned meat on baking tray in double layer and bake for 30-35 minutes until browned. Then remove from heat and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Serve with rice or noodles. This dish is easy to make and tasty. You can also add a little water to thicken the sauce. If you want to add vegetables, you should add them after the chicken is cooked. I usually add some sliced carrots and onions to this dish. But you could add mushrooms, peppers, or even broccoli. Just make sure that the vegetables are cooked before adding them to stir-fry.
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How To Make Baked Chicken Tenders
Chicken Tenders Baked In Oven
Step 1: Prep the breading
First, preheat your oven to 400°F.
Then, in a shallow bowl or pan, combine the egg, mustard and minced garlic with a whisk. In another shallow bowl or pan, mix the bread crumbs, basil, paprika, salt and pepper.
Test Kitchen Tip: Feel free to use panko bread crumbs instead of regular dry bread crumbs. Panko crumbs are larger and more coarse, giving the tenders more of a crunch.
Step 2: Dredge the chicken
Taste of Home
Give your chicken tenders a good pat with some paper towels. Drying the tenders will help the breading stick and prevent it from getting soggy, so make sure you get the tenders as dry as you can.
Next, use a pair of tongs to dip a chicken tender fully in the egg mixture, shake off excess and coat in the bread crumbs. While the tender is in the bread crumbs, use the tongs to gently press the crumbs into the chicken. This will again help the breading stick and ensure its even over the whole tender.
Transfer the tender to a cooking spray-coated baking sheet and repeat with the other pieces of chicken.
Test Kitchen Tip: To up the crunchiness of your tenders, give them a quick spritz of cooking spray on each side before they go in the oven.
Step 3: Bake the tenders
Taste of Home
After all of the chicken tenders have been breaded, bake them in your preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink and has reached 165°F.
Step 4: Cool and eat
Nutritional Facts:
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The Juiciest Oven Baked Chicken Breast Right Here
For years I tried so many recipes and techniques for a juicy baked chicken breast. Disappointed every single time and having to chew though mouthful of dry chicken, dipping each forkful in mayonnaise just to get through it. If you love food as much as I do, this is usually a completely heartbreaking experience.
Enter our recipe: easy, fast and simple. No weird steps, no wrapping, tenting, brining or marinating needed. Just a good flavoured seasoning rubbed all over our chicken and let your oven do all the work.
This is how I make the most incredible baked chicken breast that retain all of their natural juices!
The best part about this recipe are the pan juices that mix through the seasoning to give you a little something extra to drizzle them with when serving.
How To Store Leftover Chicken Tenders
Leftover chicken tenders are easy to store. Once they have reached room temperature, transfer chicken tenders to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge.
The leftover chicken tenders can be enjoyed the rest of the week for lunch, a protein-filled snack, or chopped up and cut into smaller chicken pieces and tossed on top of a salad.
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How To Make Them
Making crispy Chicken Tenders in the oven is really easy to do. Its almost like making Oven Fried Chicken Tenders but without all the butter required for the frying.
To make them:
Recipe Tips For Success

- Cut chicken into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Lightly toast the panko bread crumbs in a dry skillet for an even crunchier coating.
- Dry the chicken with paper towels before coating it in the wet batter.
- Lightly press the panko mixture into the chicken when coating to help the mixture adhere.
- If you prefer, you can spray chicken lightly with oil or cooking spray for a golden-brown crust.
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken should reach 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C before removing it from the oven.
- Feel free to sprinkle on some herbs like fresh parsley before serving.
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Are Chicken Tenders Healthy
Yes! The white meat used for this recipe is lean, low in calories and a good source of protein. But when fried, the calories increase.
Its a good thing that this recipe calls for baking rather than deep-frying. Not only is the cleanup easy, but you have more room for the increase in calories brought about by dipping in sauces.
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!
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How Do I Tell When Chicken Breast Is Done Cooking
Wed be remiss not to mention instant read thermometers, probably your best tool to determine whether or not your chicken is done. Insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast youre looking for a final temperature of 165 F. If you dont have an instant read thermometer, you can also cut into the thickest part of the chicken with a paring knife to make sure theres no visible pink meat.
How To Freeze Baked Chicken Tenderloins
To begin, wrap the chicken well in freezer paper or plastic wrap until it is completely covered. The next step is to cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil. If you take the entire thing and put it in a bag that can be frozen, it will keep for at least a month. When you are ready to cook the chicken, store it in the refrigerator while it is still wrapped.
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Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
Whether you call them chicken tenders, chicken tenderloins, or chicken fingers, this easy chicken recipe is a great way to enjoy juicy and tender chicken without the added calories of breaded or fried chicken tenders.
BONUS: these flavor loaded strips of white meat are kid friendly and a great main to a side of cheesy Grilled Cheese Roll Ups for a fun kids meal.
Looking for another cooking method to enjoy chicken tenders? Give these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders a try.
Is It Better To Bake Chicken At 350 Or 375
Chicken is a popular bird to bake at home because it is easy to cook and is not as high in calorie as other birds. However, some people feel that 375 degrees Fahrenheit is too hot for chicken, while others believe that 350 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for chicken. It all comes down to personal preference when it comes to baking chicken.
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How Do I Cook Breaded Uncooked Chicken
Cooking breaded chicken is a simple process that involves following a few simple steps. The first step is to heat your oil or butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Then, add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. After the chicken has cooked through, remove it from the skillet and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
The next step is to cook the breading for the chicken. First, take a bowl and mix together some flour, salt, and pepper. Next, add in some egg whites and water until well combined. Finally, coat the chicken in the breading mixture and place in the skillet with the cooked chicken.
Easy Breaded Chicken Tenders

Breaded chicken tenders are the perfect weeknight meal because theyre easy to prep and cook in about 20 minutes.
Plus, you can use the leftovers for lunch and snacks the rest of the week, which means you can skip the fast food line and save money at the same time.
Like my easy Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders and well loved Instant Pot Chicken Tenders, Baked Chicken Tender in oven really is the ultimate finger food.
And if you you pair them with fries and everyones favorite dipping sauces, then you are on to a winner! This is one of my favorite go to recipes.
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How Long Can You Store Cooked Chicken In The Fridge
Cooked chicken will be okay in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. After that I wouldnt recommend consuming. The good news is, you can prepare enough to last you 3-4 days and use this chicken in a variety of recipes. Lettuce wraps, tacos, salads and pasta dishes will be easy to prepare when your protein is already done!
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Want to turn this healthy baked chicken into an easy sheet pan meal? Add veggies like fresh or frozen green beans, mushrooms, bell peppers, diced potatoes or sweet potatoes, asparagus spears, or broccoli. Now you have a complete dinner with one pan!
- Baking chicken tenderloins from frozen? Sure you can! When baking chicken tenderloins from frozen just add a few minutes to the baking time. Check the chickens internal temperature to ensure it is 165ºF before removing them from the oven.
- Mix up the spices however you like. Feel free to swap or add spices, like Italian seasonings, chili powder and cumin, or cayenne pepper for some heat.
- Double the recipe as part of your weekly meal prep, and have plenty of chicken tenders for lunches or quick dinners.
- Air fry chicken tenders! After preheating your air fryer to 325ºF, bake or air fry chicken tenderloins for 10-15 minutes or until they reach 165ºF internally. See recipe notes for full details.
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How Do You Know When Chicken Tenders Are Done
Chicken tenders are often cooked in a frying pan or oven and when done, the chicken will be golden brown and crispy. There are a few ways to tell if chicken tenders are done: 1) The chicken should be
cooked through that is, the juices in the chicken should run clear when it is pierced with a fork. 2) The chicken should be golden brown and crispy. 3) The juices in the chicken should be clear when it is cut
into pieces. 4) The center of the chicken tenders should spring back when touched. 5) If cooked through, the juices in the chicken tenders should not be pink. 6) If cooked through, there shouldnt be any white meat left on the bone. 7) If cooked through, there shouldnt be any raw edges on the chicken tenders.
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Prep Bowls For Breading The Chicken
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Ingredients You Will Need
I like to use simple ingredients you can keep on hand for this recipe. Then you can whip them up at a moments notice. The ingredients youll need for this easy chicken tender recipe are:
- boneless, skinless chicken breast strips or tenders
The process for making the chicken tenders is so easy and fun, the kids can even help you get dinner on the table. The dredging process is a great task for them to take on.just make sure they have clean hands. Right?