Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders - Easy Dinner Recipe for Busy Weeknight

Cravings hit hard on a busy weeknight, right? That moment when you want something fast, crispy, and absolutely irresistible—minus the drive-thru guilt. That’s where these Easy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipes Oven swoop in like the hero of Simple Yummy Dinners everywhere. Golden, crunchy, and ridiculously satisfying, they’re the kind of meal that makes you wonder, “Why don’t I make these more often?”

Before we dive in, let’s clear something up. Ever wrestled with a chicken breast and found that stubborn strip hiding underneath? Yep—that’s the tender. And fun fact: it’s actually more tender than the breast itself. A win for all Recipes Chicken Tenderloins and Chicken Tenderloin Oven Recipes fans!

Now, let’s talk about making them ultra-crispy. You’re not settling for “kinda crunchy,” you’re going full-on shatter-when-you-bite mode. The secret? Use Panko breadcrumbs. They’re lighter, airier, and crisp up like a dream. Take that a step further and toast the breadcrumbs before baking—trust me, it’s a game-changer. Want even more flavor? Use parmesan in the breadcrumbs. It melts, it crisps, it makes your kitchen smell like a fancy bistro. No downside.

One more thing people overlook: Don’t cook the chicken straight out the fridge. Cold chicken tightens up, releases moisture, and ruins your crisp factor (IMO, a tragedy). And when it’s time to bake, use a wire rack so the heat circulates all around. No soggy bottoms allowed.

These tenders hit every checkbox for Good Family Recipes, Dinner Recipes Weeknight, and even those “What do I cook now?” moments when you need Supper Ideas Easy Chicken. They’re fast, fun, and foolproof—basically the MVP of Easy Recipes With Chicken Tenderloins.

Ready to level up your finger-food game? Let’s get cooking.

Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders - Easy Dinner Recipe for Busy Weeknight

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 16 tenders
Category: Dinner, Main Dish
Author: Aleda

Looking for crunchy, flavour-packed chicken tenders without frying? This recipe walks you through every trick to getting that irresistible oven-baked crisp. You’ll end up with about 16 tenders—perfect for feeding around four hungry people.

Ingredients

• 1.3 lb / 600 g chicken tenders or chicken breast cut into strips, brought to room temperature
• 1/3 cup / 50 g flour
• 1 1/4 cups / 75 g Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 heaping tbsp butter
• 1 oz / 30 g freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp each: paprika, salt
• 1/4 tsp each: onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like extra heat)
• Oil spray

Instructions

1. Warm a skillet over medium heat, add the butter, and let it melt. Toss in the Panko and stir continuously for about 5 minutes, or until the crumbs take on a light golden colour. Set aside to cool.
2. Heat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne.
4. Set up a breading station with three bowls:
• Bowl 1: flour mixed with 1 tsp of the seasoning blend.
• Bowl 2: the beaten egg whisked with milk.
• Bowl 3: toasted Panko combined with Parmesan and the remaining seasoning.
5. Coat each chicken strip by dipping it into the flour, then the egg mix, and finally the breadcrumb mixture. Press gently to ensure every surface is covered—this is where the crunch comes from.
6. Arrange the coated tenders on a baking sheet, ideally on a wire rack so the heat circulates evenly. Give them a light spray of oil.
7. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the tenders are crisp, deeply golden, and cooked through. If they begin browning too quickly, lower the oven temperature slightly.
8. Transfer the tenders to a cooling rack for a few minutes so excess steam escapes and the coating stays crunchy.
9. Serve warm with your favourite dipping sauce and enjoy!

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