These Baked Chicken Tenders are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—and are ready in about 20 minutes. They’re a total hit with kids and adults, and you need only four simple ingredients to make them.

crispy-baked-chicken-tenders-on-plate

I must admit, I was a few years into motherhood I even thought about making crispy baked chicken tenders at home because I was so sure that the kids wouldn’t think they were as good as the ones at school.

But now that I’ve found an easy method that totally delivers, I can say with certainty that this is a favorite chicken recipes for kids.

The exterior is perfectly crisp (even the underside due to baking them on a rack inside a baking sheet), it only takes about 15 minutes to bake, and the leftovers are delish too.

The interior is super moist for those younger toddlers, which makes it a yummy 1-year-old food, too.

I do give you the option to use crushed tortilla chips or panko bread crumbs and of the two, we LOVE the tortilla chips. So do try that route if you have them on hand.

They’re perfectly seasoned and just the right level of salt—without the need for additional seasoning in the breading. You can try them alongside Cheesy Rice, our Best Pasta Salad, Spinach Pasta Sauce, or Red Pepper Pasta.

(You may also like my Chicken Bites and Chicken Fritters.)

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Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients so you know what to look for at the store (or in the kitchen):

ingredients-in-baked-chicken-tenders.
  • Chicken tenders: You can use purchased chicken tenders or cut boneless chicken breast into thin strips if that’s a more affordable option.
  • Eggs: Coating the chicken in egg helps the rest of the batter adhere nicely.
  • Flour: You can use all-purpose or a gluten-free flour blend.
  • Crushed tortilla chips or breadcrumbs: You can use panko-style breadcrumbs or regular, plain or Italian flavor. Both the crushed chips and the panko create very crispy baked chicken tenders, so use the one you prefer.

Variations

To make this recipe egg-free, just omit the eggs and use ⅓ cup milk instead.

To make it gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at the process involved in making this chicken tenders recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.

how-to-make-baked-chicken-tenders-step-by-step
  1. Working with one tender at a time, dredge the chicken completely in the flour.
  2. Coat the chicken in the egg.
  3. Coat the chicken in the tortilla crumbs. (You can smash them with a rolling pin after placing them into a bag.)
  4. Bake until the chicken is cooked through.

TIP: You’ll want to coat a wire rack with nonstick spray and place it onto a baking sheet. This will ensure that the chicken will get crispy all over—similarly to my Baked Chicken Nuggets.

baked chicken tenders on wire rack.

Kid-Friendly Chicken Strips

The beauty of these chicken tenders is that the meat is perfectly moist so it’s soft and easy for toddlers to eat. But the crunchy coating adds flavor and a nice texture for an overall pleasing balance. These are good dipped into ketchup, ranch, marinara sauce, or applesauce.

Serving Suggestions

We like them with roasted potatoes, in tacos, with cheesy rice, or as part of a big salad for kids. They’d also be great with a little melted mozzarella and marinara sauce as Chicken Parm!

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Yes, they’re quick and delish that way. Coat the rack well and cook for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees. I flip them over halfway through, but you could probably skip that if you wanted to.

crispy chicken kids meal

How to Store

Store any leftover chicken in the fridge in an airtight container. Serve cold or warm briefly in a 350-degree-F oven or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

Best Tips for Success

  • Do bake them on a wire rack as instructed. This allows air to circulate underneath so the tops and bottoms are perfectly crispy.
  • Coat the chicken well with the flour, egg, and crumbs to ensure the best results.
  • If using the tortilla chip option, be sure to totally crush them to create an even crumb.
  • If using panko, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • Serve as strips or cut into pieces according to what will work best for your child.
  • Reheat in the oven to return the chicken to crispy, or pack in a lunch and enjoy chilled.
  • Air fryer: Coat the rack with nonstick spray. Prepare the chicken as directed in the recipe, then air-fry at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes, turning halfway through.
  • For an equally yummy chicken tender recipe, try my Marinated Chicken tenders, too.

I’d love to hear your feedback if you make this recipe so please comment below!

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crispy baked chicken tenders on white and blue plate

Easy Baked Chicken Tenders

These crispy Chicken Tenders are fast and versatile. To make these with panko breadcrumbs, use 1 cup and stir ¼ teaspoon salt into the flour before you dredge the chicken.
4.92 from 24 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 29 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Dinner
Calories 414kcal
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 6 cups white or yellow corn tortilla chips (or 1 cup panko breadcrumbs and ¼ salt)
  • 1 pound chicken tenders
  • cup all-purpose flour (or cup-for-cup gluten-free flour)
  • 2 eggs
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Coat the rack well with nonstick spray.
  • Add the tortilla chips to a food processor or blender and process into fine crumbs. You should have about 1 cup. Pour into a shallow dish or pie plate.
  • Add the flour to a second shallow dish.
  • Break the eggs into another shallow dish and beat lightly.
  • Working with one tender at a time, dredge the chicken completely in the flour, egg, and then tortilla crumbs and place on the prepared rack. Continue to finish the rest of the chicken. (Optional: Sprinkle chicken with salt.)
  • Bake for 14-15 minutes or until completely cooked through.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature with ketchup, ranch, marinara sauce, or applesauce.

Notes

  • Store any leftover chicken in the fridge in an airtight container. Serve cold or warm briefly in a 350-degree-F oven or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
  • Do bake them on a wire rack as instructed. This allows air to circulate underneath so the tops and bottoms are perfectly crispy.
  • Coat the chicken well in the flour, egg, and crumbs to ensure the best results.
  • If using the tortilla chip option, be sure to totally crush them to create an even crumb.
  • If using panko, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • Serve as strips or cut into pieces according to what will work best for your child.
  • Reheat in the oven to return the chicken to crispy, or pack in a lunch and enjoy chilled.
  • Air fryer: Coat the rack with nonstick spray. Prepare the chicken as directed in the recipe, then air-fry at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes, turning halfway through.

Nutrition

Calories: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 351mg, Potassium: 431mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 104IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 113mg, Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This post was first published February 2020.

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4.92 from 24 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wanted to let you know that you are missing a measurement in the ingredients. Where it says one cup of flour and 1/4 salt – I added a quarter of a cup of salt! Totally my fault for not reading the full article, I just jumped to recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    I adapted the recipe by dipping my tenders in regular mayo then crushed Tostitos. These were amazing and I will make them again in Doritos (skipping the healthy aspect) because just imagine.

    The kids loved them too.

  3. 5 stars
    Followed the recipe exactly (w/ panko bc no chips on hand), and they turned out PERFECTLY. Thanks for another reliably great recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    I have been making chicken tenders like this for a while and they are very popular with my 3-year-old, although he usually prefers me to cut them up for him. I coat with plain yogurt instead of egg and it works really well.

  5. If there is an egg allergy, could I coat without the egg or is there a substitute that would help keep it all together?

  6. Could I bread the tenders and freeze them without baking them first? If so, how many minutes should i add to the baking time?

      1. Thanks! I added some garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to the flour and it was a hit with my 17 month old who is not really into meat!

  7. 5 stars
    I’ve made these on parchment paper with no rack or spray, and they still turned out great. I flipped them over after about 7 minutes.

    1. I’m so glad! You can freeze them in a zip top freezer bag and then warm for 6-8 minutes in a 375 oven or briefly in the microwave.

  8. 5 stars
    I didn’t have tenders so I used tenderized breast. I opted for the panko and because they were breasts cooked 450 16-18 min. Other than that followed the recipe. They were delicious and my VERY picky eater gobbled up every bite! I’m sure tenders are even better and will make again using them.