I used to think baked chicken tenders had to be breaded in order to taste good. Then one night, I had forgotten to buy breadcrumbs and decided to try something new. What I discovered changed everything: when you season chicken tenders properly and avoid overcooking them, you don’t need breading at all! These oven baked chicken tenders stay juicy inside with just the right amount of crispy edges and tasty seasoning on the outside.
Chicken tenders, or chicken fingers or strips, are a classic dinner staple kids and adults love. If you’re a fan of using this small and easy-to-cook poultry cut, check out our chicken tenderloin recipes for a whole lot of dinner inspiration!
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Baked Chicken Tenders Video Tutorial
Why We Love This Recipe
- Perfect for meal prep: Our recipe is easy to double and you’ll thank your future self if you do. Make extras and use towards meals for the rest of the week- quick lunches, enchiladas, casseroles, on top of salads and even in soups! Give yourself the gift of more time outside of the kitchen by spending just a couple extra minutes in the kitchen doubling this recipe.
- “Butter and spice method“: this was the secret I discovered to having a crispy, baked chicken tenderloin that acts like a fried chicken- without any the heaviness of the breading. This method gives you the perfect golden brown, crispy chicken without being overcooked!
- Have them on the table in minutes: from prep to plate, dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!
- No breading: This means less mess, less dishes and a lighter dish to enjoy. Without the breading it is naturally gluten free, keto and paleo friendly and a high protein meal. But they are more than just low-carb and a lighter option- they taste just as good as a breaded chicken because they are still tender and juicy!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Melted butter – We use butter instead of an oil because it browns the chicken perfectly and adds extra flavor. However, you can swap this for any vegetable oil with a neutral flavor or ghee if needed. Oil options include avocado oil, coconut oil, and sunflower oil.
- Seasonings – paprika, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper. These seasonings don’t just make the chicken taste amazing, they also help provide that deep golden brown color you expect from a juicy baked chicken.
- Tenderloins – use tenderloins or cut strips of breast meat instead. We have a post if you want to learn how to cut chicken breast into strips. Tenderloins are a great cut of meat to have on hand, not only are they an affordable cut, they are also conveniently manageable baking sizes.
Recipe Variations
- Mix up the spices – use your preferred spices. Feel free to swap or add spices, like Italian seasonings, chili powder, cumin, or cayenne pepper for some heat.
- Air fryer chicken tenders – the instructions are in the recipe below!
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Dry the poultry before dipping! This is the key for a perfectly crispy chicken. Drying the meat allows the butter and seasonings to adhere better and gives our oven-baked chicken tenders a crispy exterior but are tender and juicy inside – with no breading. Simply dab the meat with a paper towel until dry. This easy and quick step makes a big difference!
How to Make Baked Chicken Tenderloins
Step One: Mix and Dip
Mix the seasonings in a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken breast tenderloins in the butter or vegetable oil to coat. Then coat the strips by dredging them through the seasonings.
Step Two: Layer them on your baking sheet.
Layer them in a single layer to allow the heat to circulate and crisp them on the tops and sides.
Add your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables like green beans, asparagus, bell pepper, broccoli, or small diced potatoes to the baking sheet for an easy sheet pan dinner.
Below, we prepared our chicken tenderloins in an oven recipe and added asparagus spears. Using a lined sheet pan is genius because there’s little cleanup!
Step 3: Bake or Air Fry
Oven bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes for standard size chicken tenders. If you chicken tenderloins are bigger than the size of your thumb add 2-3 minutes bake time and start checking for an internal temperature of 165ºF at the 15 minute mark. You can also air fry at 325ºF for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or fresh parsley.
How to Tell When They’re Done
Once the meat begins to turn a light, golden brown (around 15 minutes of bake time) you will want to check the meat with a thermometer. All chicken should be baked until 165ºF. A meat thermometer is one of the most importance pieces of equipment you can have in a kitchen- not only does it keep you safe from under cooked foods, it also stops you from over-cooking and ruining your meal (you know we have all tried over-cooked, dry chicken!).
Serving Suggestions – Yummy Dips and Sides
We recommend serving them warm with kid-friendly dipping sauces like ketchup, ranch dressing, our 3 ingredient BBQ sauce, yogurt-based chicken shawarma sauce, or honey mustard sauce.
Add these easy veggies sides to the oven: oven roasted green beans and potatoes or roasted carrots and asparagus for a complete meal.
This entree pairs perfectly with our healthy salads, as a topping or a side dish. Check out our favorite salads like Tex Mex cowboy salad or Panera goddess salad.
Recipe FAQs
Make sure you completely dry your tenderloins prior to dipping in butter and seasoning. This allows the butter and seasoning to adhere better and not have it be diluted by moisture on the chicken meat.
Bake them at 350ºF or use the air fryer at 325ºF for tender, juicy poultry.
Bake for 15 minutes and check the temperature at this time. Chicken should be light golden brown. Add 2-3 minutes if your tenderloins are bigger than the size of your thumb. Check the internal temperature in the center chicken strips to ensure they are 165º internally before serving. You can also air fry for 10-15 minutes.
Since they’re small, thin slices of chicken, baking chicken tenderloins from frozen is easy! Just add 3 minutes of baking time and check the internal temperature of the chicken to be sure it is 165ºF.
Chicken tenderloins are small, triangular-shaped cuts of meat attached to chicken breasts. They are ideal for quick baking methods like grilling, broiling, or stir-frying.
Chicken breasts are much larger than tenderloin. They are popular and versatile, but they have longer baking times. If you do not have tenderloins on hand, an easy substitution is to cut a chicken breast into finger-size strips.
More Easy Chicken Recipes Recipes To Consider…
- Cajun Chicken Fingers
- BBQ Baked Chicken Tenders
- Smoked Chicken Thighs On A Traeger
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs And Vegetables
If you tried making our chicken tenders recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
Equipment
- shallow baking sheet - or rimmed baking sheet
- dipping trays - or plate
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ pounds chicken tenderloins fresh or frozen *for frozen, see Notes below
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF or Air Fryer to 325ºF. Prepare the shallow casserole dish or baking sheet by spraying with cooking oil or use parchment paper.
- Add all seasonings to a dipping tray and stir gently so they are all well incorporated. Use a separate tray for the melted butter or oil.
- Dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel before dipping, dip the chicken strips in the butter to coat on all sides. Let excess butter slide off before dipping them into the seasoning. Flip the chicken and dip the other side into the seasoning, being sure to cover the entire tenderloin in seasoning.
- Place dipped chicken on the prepared casserole pan or baking sheet in a single layer. Add fresh or frozen green beans, asparagus, broccoli, or small diced potatoes (see below) to the sheet, if desired.
Baking Instructions
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the chicken tenders reach an internal temperature of 165ºF in the center. Add 2-3 minutes if your chicken tenders are on the bigger side. Serve the chicken tenders warm with your favorite dipping sauces like ranch, BBQ, or honey mustard.
Air Fry Instructions
- Air fry the chicken tenderloins for 10-15 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the chicken strips to ensure they are 165º internally before serving.
- Serve the chicken tenders warm with your favorite dipping sauces like ranch, BBQ, or honey mustard.
Video
Notes
- Dry the poultry before dipping! This allows the butter and seasonings to adhere better and gives our oven-baked chicken tenders a crispy exterior but are tender and juicy inside – with no breading.
- Add 3 minutes baking time for frozen chicken tenderloins.
- If using diced potatoes, ensure that the size of the potatoes are less than 1″ dice so they will be baked through.
- Mix up the spices – use your preferred spices. Feel free to swap or add spices, like Italian seasonings, chili powder, cumin, or cayenne pepper for some heat.
- Air fryer chicken tenders – the instructions are in the recipe below!
- Put cooked and cooled chicken strips in a sealed container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- They also freeze very well! Seal in an airtight bag or storage container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Anita says
Easy to follow, quick and super yummy