This crunchy chicken tenders recipe is a game changer! Golden, crunchy crumbed chicken, oven baked and seriously easy to make.
And not only are these chicken tenders crunchy – they stay crunchy. There’s a secret trick to that and I can’t wait to share it with you. Gone are the days of buying packets of crumbed chicken tenderloins that turn out to be pureed chicken wrapped in crumbs. Gone are the days of crumbed chicken steaming underneath once it hits the plate, making it soggy. Crunchy crumbed chicken tenderloins from your oven – Perfect. Every. Time.
Ok, I know I’m raving about this but anyone who knows me knows what a chicken lover I am and how much I love a crunchy coating. But I also hate frying and, though I’ll do it if the rewards are worth it (aka karaage chicken, fried chicken wings and prawn katsu), I prefer if I can get that same crunch from the oven.
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Crumbed chicken tenders are a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. These days it seems the only ones I can buy in the freezer section, when I feel like treating myself, are formed – meaning they’re a chicken puree formed into the shape of tenders then crumbed. The texture is all wrong and there are weird and unnecessary ingredients added to them. On top of that, the last pack I tested actually puffed up while baking, as if they’re a cake with some kind of raising agent. Yuk, yuk, yuk. I had to find a way to get the same flavour and crunch of the ones I love at home.
These are very versatile in that you can serve them as a full dinner with some mashed potatoes or chips and salad on the side or chop them up and add them to sandwiches and tacos. They also work well as finger food or a quick lunch. I like serving them with sweet chilli sauce or my ranch dip.
The secret to crunchy oven baked chicken
So, what’s the secret you ask? It’s two fold;
- Toasted breadcrumbs: Start by toasting the panko breadcrumbs. These chicken tenders only take about 12 minutes to bake and it’s just not enough time for the crumbs to get golden and crunchy while they’re also fighting the moisture from the chicken. We want the chicken to be juicy and perfectly cooked, while those crumbs stay crunchy so take the 8-10 minutes to toast them first.
- A batter coating on the chicken: I’ve done the flour, egg, breadcrumbs breading technique a million times (slight exaggeration) and while the coating can get crunchy, it doesn’t stay that way for long. Using a batter is quicker, easier and the crumbs stay crunchy. I got this trick watching an episode of Inside The Factory where they showed how fish fingers were made. My mind was blown 🤯 when I saw that they coated the fish fingers in a batter mixture, then the crumb and wondered if that could be easily replicated at home. Yes, it can! Plus, this way, you have one less bowl to wash up.
How to make chicken tenders
Crumbed chicken tenders are super easy to make at home. While they’re quick, you could do pretty much everything ahead of time if you like or in part. I’ll note below as we go through how to make them.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
1. To brine or not to brine
I like to dry brine the chicken tenderloins first. This gets the seasoning into the chicken and also helps to make them more juicy by locking moisture inside. It just involves mixing the chicken with some salt and sitting it in the fridge for 30-40 minutes. After that, rinse them well to get rid of excess salt.
Get ahead tip: You can brine them ahead but don’t brine them any longer than 30-40 minutes. After this time, rinse and dry the chicken tenderloins off then use immediately or store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
2. Toast the crumbs
While the chicken brines (if you choose to do that), toast the breadcrumbs. Don’t skip this step. It adds crunch and colour that you just won’t get without toasting them first. First, give them a good mix with some oil, then spread them out on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
Use the baking paper to move them and toss them around a bit half way through baking, then use the baking paper to lift them off the baking sheet and pour them into a separate bowl to cool before using.
Get ahead tip: You can toast the breadcrumbs 3-4 days ahead of time and keep them stored in an airtight container in the pantry.
3. Make the batter
While breading chicken normally calls for 3 bowls – flour, eggs, crumbs – my method only needs 2 bowls and it results in an even crunchier coating.
In a new bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, flour and spices.
Dry off the tenderloins with kitchen paper towel, if you haven’t already, then give them a good mix through the batter.
4. Dredge the chicken tenders
Working one at a time, take the tenderloins straight from the batter without removing any excess and lay them into the crumbs. Use your hands or tongs to turn them over in the crumbs and make sure to press the crumbs down onto the chicken well.
Get ahead tip: Yes, you can make these entirely from scratch, then just keep them in the fridge for cooking later. You can even freeze them at this point. The best way for either scenario is to put them into an airtight container with a sheet of baking paper between the layers of tenders. Freeze for up to 3 months or chill for 1-2 days until you want them.
5. Bake or Air fry
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The exact timing will depend on the size of your chicken tenderloins. You can test whether they’re done by simple cutting one open through the thickest part (it should be all white – no pink – but still juicy) or use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part (it should read 74C/165F).
You can also air fry them at 200C / 400F for 8-10 minutes. Make sure to put a good space between them and one layer works better than using a rack and air-frying in a double layer.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t skip toasting the breadcrumbs: The crumbed chicken tenders are not in the oven long enough for the crumbs to get golden and toasting them makes them extra crunchy.
- Get the crumbs really golden because the tenders are not in the oven long enough to get any additional colour.
- Re-use the same baking sheet and baking paper for toasting the crumbs and baking the chicken tenders.
- If you don’t want messy fingers, you can use tongs to mix up the tenderloins in the batter and even for crumbing the tenderloins. No dirty hands!
Baking chicken tenders from frozen
Raw, crumbed tenders can be baked from frozen – just add an extra couple of minutes to the cooking time.
Can I use chicken breasts to make chicken tenders?
Yes, you can. Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into 5-6 strips to use them as chicken tenderloins. You’ll still get lovely oven baked chicken tenders. The major difference is that (as the name suggests) tenderloins are very tender but only slightly more tender than breast meat. I would also definitely not skip the brining if using breast meat.
Storage
Made but unbaked, these crispy chicken tenders can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days until you’re ready to bake. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Lay some baking paper between layers of chicken tenders so you can easily just grab as many as you want.
Baked, they’ll store in the fridge for 3-4 days and are best reheated in the oven (8-10mins) or in an air fryer (6-8 mins) until hot through. You can also freeze them once baked and reheat them from frozen.
If you chop them into pieces before freezing, they’re really handy for a quick nachos or taco dinner.
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Ingredients
- 600 g chicken tenderloins (~21oz)
- 1 ½-3 teaspoons salt (notes 2)
- 2 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons oil (40ml, notes 1)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water (40ml, notes 1)
- ½ cup plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Remove the tendon from each of the tenderloins. The easiest way is to grab hold of the end of the tendon that’s sticking out, then slide the tines of a fork over it against the chicken. Now pull the tendon towards you while gently pushing the fork away, keeping it up against the chicken flesh and the tendon should come out fairly easily.
- THE DRY BRINE: The dry brine is highly recommended to get the seasoning through the chicken and it also helps to keep them more juicy, however it does need 30 minutes chilling time.Add the chicken tenderloins and 3 teaspoons of salt to a medium bowl. Mix well to coat and chill for 30-40 minutes.
- TOAST THE BREADCRUMBS:Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix the crumbs and the oil together until well distributed. Toss them onto a baking sheet and spread out. Bake for 8-10 minutes, tossing halfway through until nice and golden brown.
- Use the baking paper to lift and tip them back into the same bowl and set aside to cool. Put the baking paper back onto the baking sheet.
- THE BATTER: In a clean bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the water, flour, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. If you did not dry brine, add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. If you did do the dry brine, don’t add any salt.Whisk the ingredients to a smooth batter.
- IF YOU DRY BRINED: (if not skip to the next step)Add some water to the bowl of chicken tenderloins, give them a mix around and drain. Repeat one more time. This will remove excess salt.
- Pat the chicken tenderloins dry with paper towel.
- Tip all the tenderloins into the batter. Use tongs or hands to mix well until thoroughly coated.
- One by one, using tongs or hands, transfer the tenderloins to the cooled crumbs, turning to coat. Make sure to really press the crumbs on firmly.
- Transfer them to the baking sheet about 1 inch apart to allow some air flow (the more airflow – the crunchier they’ll be).
- Place into the oven and bake for 11-14 minutes. Baking time will depend on the size of your tenderloins. To check if they’re cooked through, you can simple cut one open and make sure it’s white all the way through (no pink) or use a meat thermometer inserted into the centre of the thickest part – it should read 74C/165F if done.
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Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- Salt quantity: If you choose not to dry brine the chicken tenderloins then just use 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. If you choose the brining method (recommended), use the 3 teaspoons of salt. It sounds like a lot but most of it gets rinsed off. You need to add this much to allow the salt to really penetrate the meat though for flavour.
- Air fryer instructions: You can use an airfryer to cook them as well. Make sure to give them space for air flow and cook at 200C/400F for 8-10 minutes.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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