Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe

Fried chicken just might be the one dish that almost everybody loves. When you coat a chicken tender, drop it in a pot of hot oil, and let it fry to golden brown perfection, magical things happen. At least until you have to clean up, that is. What if we told you there's an easier way to have crispy, crunchy chicken, with no big pot of hot frying oil required? 

This weeknight-friendly recipe offers a simple method to achieve truly crispy oven-fried chicken. Toast a batch of panko bread crumbs and let them cool briefly before mixing with seasonings. While they cool, slather the raw chicken with mayonnaise. After that, all that's left to do before they go in the oven is to dredge the chicken in the toasted, seasoned breadcrumbs. Coating chicken in mayonnaise might sound strange, but it streamlines the dredging process that often requires a three-step production involving flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Don't knock it till you try it. 

To make this crispy, oven-fried baked chicken, you really don't need too many ingredients. In addition to the chicken, you'll need panko and mayonnaise for the crispy coating. From the pantry, grab some salt, olive oil, garlic powder, and cayenne. Lemon wedges are a nice optional touch. Given the short ingredient list and hands-off cooking style for this recipe, it's perfect to prepare on the fly when you need a quick protein for dinner.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat with cooking spray.

Add the panko, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, and olive oil to a medium bowl.

Stir to combine.

Pour the breadcrumb mixture onto the baking sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool briefly.

Add chicken tenders and mayonnaise to a mixing bowl and stir until evenly coated.

Add the panko mixture to a shallow dish. Dredge each side of the chicken tenders in the crumb mixture until coated.

Place the coated tenders on the baking sheet.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a tender reads 165 F.

Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges, if using.

Panko are larger and lighter than the typical standard breadcrumbs you'll find on the grocery store shelf. These Japanese breadcrumbs are made from a bread with no outer crust, giving them a consistent color. More importantly, the unique shape and texture of panko make for more crispiness, giving your favorite katsu its signature crunch.

What if you don't have or can't find panko? Don't worry, you've got options. If you can spot larger-looking bread crumbs, without brown spots from crusts, that would be your best bet. Sometimes stores sell these in a clear plastic container, and while they're not actually panko, they'll work for this recipe. In a pinch, crushed crackers, matzo, or even tortilla chips will do. We do not recommend attempting this recipe with Italian-style or fine breadcrumbs, as those are already fully toasted and will not brown further in the oven with this method.

While the chicken tenders are baking, consider how you can build the perfect meal around them. If you need a quick office lunch for a busy workday, these tenders are just as delicious cold, chopped, and served on a nice green salad. If it's a weeknight family dinner at home, why not try pairing these tenders with a roasted cauliflower mac and cheese, a healthier spin on a classic. Continuing those healthier vibes, add a little green to the meal with a side of lemon garlic green beans.

Once you've got your sides figured out, it's time to talk dipping sauces. After all, dunking tenders is part of the fun! We've got a guide for 20 flavor-boosting sauces, and more than a few (like the herbaceous dill and the comeback) would pair excellently with these crisp, oven-baked chicken tenders. Or for something familiar, stick to the tried-and-true bottle of ketchup that's probably sitting right there in your fridge. No matter what dip you resort to, you're in for a crispy treat.