Chicken tenders are one of the most popular food items in America -and they are not just for kids, adults love them too! If you want to see how to make chicken tenders at home without frying, check out this video.
This homemade recipe for chicken tenders is the perfect alternative to the frozen, pre-packaged tenders. They are made with real, unprocessed chicken, and you’ll have minimal cleanup because they are baked, not fried.
And thanks to the use of Panko breadcrumbs they are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. What’s not to love?
But 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 (add about 2-3 minutes to cooking time if cooking them frozen) and you now have a recipe that yields leftovers for another meal.
It’s convenient, family-favorite recipes like this one that our Classic Meal Plan Members love. We make sure to include kid-friendly favorites like this recipe in the plans, plus prep-ahead directions, and storage notes.
My kids also love it when I pack these homemade chicken tenders inside their lunchbox. I simply take them out of the fridge in the morning, pack them in the lunchbox, and they enjoy them at lunch at room temperature.
If you need to make a gluten-free baked chicken tender version of this recipe, simply substitute the regular flour for a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour and the Homemade Panko Breadcrumb Recipe (below) for the traditional Panko breadcrumbs.
Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20-23 min
- Total Time: 35-38 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 1/2 cup white flour
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 egg, whisked
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup Panko
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Trim the fat from the tenders.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Set out three medium bowls.
- In the first bowl combine the white flour, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
- In the second bowl combine the whisked egg and minced garlic, stir.
- In the third bowl combine the basil, paprika, Panko, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Place the tenders in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the panko mixture making sure to evenly and thoroughly coat each piece.
- Place the tenders on the sheet pan leaving enough room between each tender to ensure even cooking.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes before flipping the tenders and cooking for another 5 to 8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
- Remove and serve with marinara sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tenders
- Calories: 218
- Fat: 7.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10.1 g
Homamade Panko Breadcrumb Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 2 cups breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 2 cups toasted rice cereal
Instructions
- Place the rice cereal in a zip bag, making sure all excess air is pressed out of the bag.
- Using your hands or a rolling pin, press the cereal until it becomes crumbs. Use like regular breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 225
- Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.1 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
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