Easy Homemade Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
These Easy Homemade Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders are baked to perfection – crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
When you have young kids (or even picky older kids), it can be hard to find something that everyone will eat for dinner. You want it to be healthy, filling and well-balanced. PLUS, you want them to actually eat the meal you prepare. Kind of sounds impossible, right?! I created this blog to help you find different ideas for lunches and dinners that can hopefully hit on all three categories.
These Baked Chicken Tenders are a perfect example of a healthy and filling dinner that your kids will LOVE! I have yet to meet a kid who doesn’t like chicken nuggets (if that happens to be your kid, you may not want to make this recipe)! This recipe takes a kid favorite, chicken nuggets, and turns them into a healthy version that you will be happy to serve your kid for dinner.
How to Make the BEST Chicken Tenders
The key to good chicken tenders is making sure that they are crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside. In order to accomplish that in the oven, you will want to use a cooling rack.
You will place the cooling rack inside your baking sheet (make sure that it fits!). Using this method allows the chicken tenders to crisp, without getting soggy. With the cooling rack, you get constant airflow underneath the chicken, instead of moisture. This crisps the breadcrumbs perfectly!
Can I Make These Without the Cooling Rack?
Yes, you definitely can! I have made these both ways (with and without the cooling rack) and they taste delicious either way. They tend to get more crispy when you use the cooling rack but it’s okay to skip it.
What Should I Serve with This?
More Family Friendly Recipes
- Crockpot Mongolian Beef
- Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Ranch Turkey Burgers
- Crockpot Swedish Meatballs
This recipe can be used for lunch or dinner and is very easy to customize. In order to make this meal well-balanced, you can serve these Baked Chicken Tenders with a side of veggies and fruit (this would make a great veggie side dish)! You can also slice up the chicken tenders and use them as protein on top of your salad. I hope your family loves these Baked Chicken Tenders as much as mine does!
Tips for Involving Kids
- Have your kids help you measure out the ingredients for the panko mixture.
- If you are feeling brave, let your kids crack the eggs into the bowl (you may need to fish out some eggshells)!
- My boys wanted to help with dipping the chicken in the eggs and the panko mixture but I found it easier to have them be in charge of the panko mixture while I was in charge of the eggs (teamwork, right?!)
- There is always going to be a mess when you cook with your kids but, like my little guy Will (4 years old) says, “It’s okay Mom, chefs make messes and then they clean it up.” Have fun cooking with your kids!!
Easy Homemade Baked Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut thinly
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- olive oil to spray on chicken
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the plain and panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.1 cup plain bread crumbs, 1 cup panko bread crumbs, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Crack the eggs into a different shallow bowl and beat them.4 eggs
- Dip each chicken strip into the eggs first and then into the bread crumb mixture.*2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the cooling rack on top.
- Put the chicken tenders on top of the cooling rack and spray them with olive oil.olive oil
- Bake the chicken for 10-12 minutes and then flip the tenders.
- Spray the other side with olive oil and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.
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