Crispy Oven Chicken Tenders

Name: Crispy Oven Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 large egg; 1/4 cup 2% or skim milk; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal; Salt and pepper to taste; 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika; 2 lbs chicken tenders (or 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 2-inch tenders); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; Dipping sauces for serving

By Sarah On December 4, 2014 | Updated: January 8, 2026

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Super crispy and baked in minutes in the oven, these crispy oven chicken tenders are quick to prepare and always a hit!

You can kiss that fast food fix goodbye, we’ve got a new and improved chicken tender in town! Just as crispy as their deep-fried cousins and somehow even better despite the fact.

Yep, these beauties cook up entirely in the oven and you would absolutely never guess it. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years and I can confidently say that this recipe is just as good as deep-fried.

Bang-up job, oven-fried chicken. You have me completely fooled over here and loving every moment of it.

Only a few simple ingredients and a few easy techniques stand between you and this crispy goodness! These chicken tenders are totally weeknight friendly and super fun to serve with a variety of sauces for dipping as well.

Just be aware, once you start dipping you won’t be stopping any time soon.

These Chicken Tenders feature…

A perfectly crispy breaded exterior and juicy inside
Fried completely in the oven for a healthier alternative to deep-fried
An easy recipe that comes together in minutes and great served with a variety of dipping sauces

Making the Chicken Tenders

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

Egg
2% or skim milk
All-purpose flour
Yellow cornmeal
Panko breadcrumbs
Spices
Chicken tenders
Unsalted butter

Choosing Your Chicken

For this recipe you will need either pre-cut chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into tenders.

I generally opt to cut my own tenders out of breasts since breasts are a little less expensive at the grocery store. Use a sharp knife to cut breasts into roughly about 2×6-inch tenders.

Tips for Perfect Chicken Tenders

Use standard breading procedure – this means coating the tenders in flour, beaten egg, and then rolling in the breadcrumbs. This method will help your breading stick to the chicken.
Preheat pan and melt butter – place butter on sheet pan and place in the oven to preheat for about 2-4 minutes. Preheating the pan with a layer of melted butter before adding the chicken will help them brown.
Bake tenders at 425F – this high temperature will help the exterior of the tenders crisp up nicely.
Flip tenders halfway through cooking – this helps both sides of the tenders crispy up evenly.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these tenders.

Add cheese to coating – toss 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or asiago to the panko coating.
Make them spicy – add cayenne pepper to the panko coating to taste for a spicy chicken tender.
Serve with different sauces – try ranch, barbecue, buffalo, or honey mustard.

Reheating Chicken Tenders

These chicken tenders reheat very easily if you plan to store leftovers or meal prep! Oven bake them at 400F 10-15 minutes or air fry at 375F 8-10 minutes.

I mean, that golden crispy coating just doesn’t lie, folks! These chicken tenders almost put the deep-fried version to shame with how perfectly they fry up in the oven.

These are a forever-on-the-menu kinda deal around here and you’re about to find out why!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

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