Crispy Lemon Parmesan Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders

Ultra-crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy on the inside, these oven-fried lemon Parmesan chicken tenders are so good and so easy, they’re going to instantly become a dinner staple!

Meet the oven-fried chicken tenders that have been my dinner for a solid week now, y’all. Sorry/not sorry but these are the bomb and I just don’t wanna eat anything else.

And in case you’re not convinced, let me recap: oven-freaking-fried chicken tenders. With lemon. And Parmesan. And they’re just about the crispiest dang thing ever.

Soooooo yes. These have a permanent spot on my dinner agenda. It’s just for the best.

One of my easiest life choices yet, guys. Crispiest-EVA’ oven-fried chicken tenders every dang day, please.

Okay, so I PROMISE that this is easily one of the simplest chicken dinners you’re ever gonna have up your sleeve. Basically there’s three parts: Marinade, bread, and bake.

1. The marinade for this chicken is what makes it SO incredibly juicy inside. I use a combo of lemon juice/zest, milk, egg, garlic, and tons of salt and pepper. A simple 45-minute marinade is literally all it takes!
2. The crispy coating on this chicken is a mixture of Panko breadcrumbs, fresh shredded Parmesan cheese, and seasonings. So simple but the best ever.
3. Baking these babies will take 20 minutes at the most. I like to flip them halfway through baking just so both sides get ALL THE CRISP.

If you want a little more of a pronounced lemon zing, squeeze a little bit of extra lemon juice on these crispy babies moments after pulling ’em outta the oven.

Then devour. All of them while they’re hot and addicting and the best dang chicken you’ll ever put in your mouth. ???

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5 from 2 votes

Crispy Lemon Parmesan Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders

Ultra-crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy on the inside, these oven-fried lemon Parmesan chicken tenders are so good and so easy, they're going to instantly become a dinner staple!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2x4 in strips
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley plus more for garnishing
• Additional lemon juice, optional

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk milk, egg, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Place chicken strips into milk mixture and submerge fully. Allow chicken to marinate 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425F.  In a shallow bowl, combine Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken strips from marinade and dredge in Parmesan mixture, coating both sides.
• Place coconut oil on a large baking sheet and place in oven 3-4 minutes until melted and hot. Arrange breaded chicken tenders in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 425F 12 minutes, then flip tenders and cook on opposite side an additional 10-12 minutes until chicken registers 160F and breading is crispy and golden. Squeeze additional lemon juice on chicken if desired and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!

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