Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
This recipe delivers perfectly crispy baked chicken tenders with a juicy, tender inside using a double coating of seasoned panko and a buttermilk soak. It’s a healthier, easy-to-make comfort food favorite.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 43 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds chicken tenders (fresh or thawed)
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice/vinegar)
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs (preferably Japanese-style)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cooking spray or oil for coating
Instructions
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Pour 1 cup buttermilk into a bowl. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let sit 5 minutes.
- Submerge the chicken tenders in the buttermilk, coating all sides. Let soak for 20 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the fridge.
- In a separate large bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge each tender in the dry mixture, pressing gently to adhere. For extra crunch, dip again briefly in buttermilk and repeat the dry coating step.
- Arrange tenders spaced evenly on the wire rack to allow hot air circulation.
- Lightly spray tenders with cooking spray or drizzle with oil to promote browning and crisp texture.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Let tenders rest 3-5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour and panko with almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs. For dairy-free, use coconut milk-based yogurt mixed with lemon juice instead of buttermilk and skip Parmesan or use a dairy-free alternative. Use a wire rack for best crispiness. Avoid overcrowding the pan. Check oven temperature to avoid burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 4 tenders per
- Calories: 300
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 25
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