These healthy baked chicken tenders get so crunchy without frying in the oil. They are made with simple ingredients and aren't deep fried! This is a good recipe for crispy chicken tenderloins that will save you a ton of calories! A quick and easy recipe that can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
Chicken fingers are my favorite comfort food that always reminds me of my childhood. I still remember how I always begged my parents to buy some KFC crispy fried chicken tenders every weekend.
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Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders - Crispy but Not Greasy!
So, today, I want to share this healthy baked chicken tenders recipe. These breaded chicken strips are great alternatives to store-bought chicken tenders. They are so tasty and you’ll be surprised at how uncomplicated the process is.
These chicken tenders are breaded in the traditional way. This classic three-step system involves egg, flour, and breadcrumbs to make sure you’ve got the crispiest and crunchiest chicken fingers.
Now, let's talk about the ingredients and cooking process!
Ingredients for Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders
To make this crunchy crumbed chicken recipe, you will need the following ingredients;
- chicken tenderloins
- grated parmesan cheese
- panko breadcrumbs
- egg
- all-purpose flour
- oil
- paprika
- a pinch of salt
What is Chicken Tenderloin
Chicken tenderloin is white meat. It's located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat.
For this recipe, I highly recommended using pre-cut chicken tenders. The pre-cut makes the cooking preparation so much easier and faster. However, if chicken breast is your only available option, feel free to use that.
How to Cut Chicken Breast into Chicken Strips:
To make chicken tenders from chicken breast, you just need to cut the chicken breast into long strips. Just be sure to cut the strips into the same size so they can cook evenly at the same time (about ½-inch strips).
Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders with Panko Breadcrumb
Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb. It's traditionally used as a coating for deep-fried foods such as tempura or tonkatsu.
Panko has a light, airy, and delicate texture that helps it crisp as it cooks. As a result, you will get crispier and crunchier food.
I purchased the Panko breadcrumbs at my local Trader's Joe for under $2 per 7oz bag. Please keep in mind that Panko is definitely not gluten-free.
How to Make Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders in the Oven
To make these crispy chicken strips, you need to follow these simple steps to make keep the breading from falling off the chicken.
- First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Second, dredge the chicken in flour until is completely coated on all sides. Don't forget to shake off the excess flour.
- Third, dip the chicken tenders into the egg-paprika mixture.
- After that, coat the chicken tenders with the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, and oil mixture.
- Lastly, you need to bake for about 8 minutes then flip the chicken and bake for another 8 minutes or more at 425°F or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF (75ºC).
Please keep in mind that the cooking times listed in this recipe are estimated times and may vary slightly based on the types of oven, chicken, and batch sizes being used.
I served the crunchy chicken strips with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce. This creamy dipping sauce is insanely delicious, my kids really enjoy this recipe and even asked me to make more for lunch the next day!
Check Out More Chicken Recipes:
- Air fryer whole chicken
- Tarragon chicken
- Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
- Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Chinese Roasted Chicken
- Oven-Roasted Harissa Chicken
- Creamy Chicken Marsala
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders, (about 6-7 medium pieces)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, (lightly beaten)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 cup panko breadcrumb
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
optional:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- a pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F
- On a large plate, place the flour. In a shallow dish, beat the egg, and season with paprika. In a third shallow dish, mix panko bread crumb, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and add the optional salt and black pepper if needed.
- First, pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels and coat the chicken tenders with the flour. Give a little shake to remove excess flour.Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, shake off excess then coat the meat with bread crumbs and press down to adhere.
- Place all chicken tenders on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes (less or more time depending on the thickness). Then turning the chicken tenders, continue cooking for 8 more minutes (less or more time depending on the thickness) or until the chicken is no longer pink or cooked through and the coating is golden brown.
- Serve with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce.
Jen
These are absolutely outstanding! I wanted something other than wings for a sports-watching night, and I came across this recipe. I used Italian panko for the breading instead of adding additional spices because I had them on hand. Your idea of adding the oil to the crumb mixture instead of brushing it on top gave the perfect crunch while keeping the inside moist. My husband cannot stop raving about this treat. I will be following you on Pinterest to see what else you’ve whipped up! Delicious!
Rika
Hi Jen,
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. I am glad that you and your husband really enjoyed this chicken recipe!
Best,
Rika
Judi
Oh my goodness! Absolutely the best I’ve ever eaten. I had a party with about 20 guests and thought I probably shouldn’t try this for the first time with guests but they looked so good I went for it. When my guests were leaving they told me they had taken a unanimous vote of approval for me to cook them weekly (at least).
Rika
Hi Judi, thanks for the feedback, happy to hear it worked out! Good on you for taking the chance and so glad your guests enjoyed it. Weekly at least for 20 guests, sounds like you'll be busy for a while :).
Tanis
I made these tonight and they are easy and delicious
Rika
Hi Tanis,
Thanks for taking the time to review this recipe. I am glad that you found this recipe easy and delicious.
Best,
Rika
Tammy
This recipe for chicken fingers turned out delicious and satisfied my craving! I dipped mine in a butter and hot sauce mixture and they were as good as any restaurant.
Rika
Hi Tammy,
Thanks for trying and coming back here to share your feedback. I am glad that the chicken fingers turned out delicious 🙂
Best,
Rika
Kim
Can you use regular breadcrumbs
Rika
Yes, you can but the final texture will be a bit different. Let me know how it goes, Kim!
Best,
Rika
Candy
My teen daughter loves it!!
Rika
Thanks for trying, Candy! I am glad that your daughter loves this baked chicken tenders recipe.
Best,
Rika
Regene
This recipe is excellent! My family and I just loved them and will definitely make it again.
Rika
Hi Regene,
Thanks for trying and taking the time to share your feedback. I am glad that you and your family loved the chicken tenders.
Best,
Rika