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Crunchy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders are just what you need to spice up your dinner routine. They are dipped in a spicy marinade, breaded, baked and then topped with more buffalo sauce. Buffalo chicken fingers are ready in about 35 minutes, so they are perfect for dinner or serving instead of wings at your next party or game day event.
Spicy buffalo sauce lovers will adore this Buffalo Chicken Tender Recipe. The spicy tenders are juicy and succulent, which contrasts nicely with the crispy, spicy coating. Baking them is a healthier alternative to deep frying, and buffalo chicken tenders are less messy than wings. Serve these Buffalo Chicken Tenders with ranch or blue cheese and veggie sticks as a nod to the classic buffalo wings recipe.
If you love baked chicken, try my Baked BBQ Chicken Breast or Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders.
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Tender Recipe
- It’s less messy than wings. Eat them with your fingers or with a fork and a knife. Either way, there are no bones to contend with, so there is less mess in the end.
- It’s got a classic buffalo flavor. Spicy buffalo sauce lovers will love the traditional taste of these tenders.
- It’s a healthier option. Crispy baked tenders require less oil than deep frying, so they are a healthier option for your family.
Buffalo Chicken Ingredients
For the chicken tenders
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour or substitute one-to-one gluten-free flour if desired.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, salt and black pepper season the chicken without overwhelming the flavor of the buffalo sauce.
- Liquid Dredge – Combine egg, milk and hot sauce to make a wet mixture for dipping the chicken.
- Bread Crumbs – Japanese-style panko bread crumbs make these chicken fingers super crispy. You can also use gluten-free panko or substitute regular breadcrumbs. However, the chicken won’t be as crisp.
- Chicken – Look for precut chicken tenderloins or cut chicken breasts into strips.
For the buffalo sauce
- Hot Sauce – Use your favorite buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s.
- Butter – Melt unsalted butter.
- Parsley – to garnish (optional)
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line an aluminum foil over a baking sheet and place a rack above that. Keep it aside.
- Prepare the flour mixture. In a wide bowl, combine; flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare the wet mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with milk and hot sauce.
- Prepare the bread crumbs. In another bowl, spread the panko bread crumbs.
- Dredge the chicken. Dredge the chicken tenders first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, and finally in panko bread crumbs until well coated.
- Bake the chicken. Arrange the chicken tenders in the prepared rack over the baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and slightly golden by flippy the chicken halfway through.
- Prepare the buffalo sauce. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare the sauce by combining hot sauce and melted butter. Whisk it until well combined.
- Sauce the chicken. Once the chicken tenders are out of the oven, place the tenders in a large bowl and pour the prepared sauce over it and toss until the sauce is evenly coated.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish the chicken tenders with fresh parsley and serve with ranch on the side.
Tips To Make Crispy Buffalo Chicken Strips
- Chicken tenders are usually pretty even in size. If using chicken breast, pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Bake the chicken on an ovenproof rack on a baking sheet to make them extra crispy.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning and breading.
- For extra brown chicken, spray with a light oil before baking.
- Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time.
- Always cook chicken to 165 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Panko is the way to go if you want crispy baked buffalo tenders. While regular breadcrumbs will taste great and provide a nice crust, they will lack the crunch that comes from using panko.
There are three tricks to getting these chicken strips to turn out super crispy. First, use panko bread crumbs for extra crunch. Cook the chicken on a wire rack and bake it at a high temperature, and you’ll have tenders that are so crispy it will be hard to believe they aren’t deep-fried.
Store leftover chicken strips in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute or in a 350 degreed F oven for 10 minutes.
Yes! Freeze these tenders for up to 3 months after breading but before you bake them. Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the cooking time. You can also freeze leftover tenders. Simply defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Dipping sauces are a must and blue cheese and ranch are always a favorite. I also serve chicken tenders with fresh veggie sticks or french fries, Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Spicy Baked Zucchini Fries.
More Buffalo Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Buffalo Chicken Fingers recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
For the chicken tenders
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 ½ lb chicken tenderloins, 8 tenders
For the buffalo sauce
- ¾ cup hot sauce
- ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter
- Chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line an aluminum foil over a baking sheet and place a rack above that. Keep it aside.
- In a wide bowl, combine; flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with milk and hot sauce.
- In another bowl, spread the panko bread crumbs.
- Dredge the chicken tenders first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, and finally in panko bread crumbs until well coated.
- Arrange the chicken tenders in the prepared rack over the baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and slightly golden by flippy the chicken halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare the sauce by combining hot sauce and melted butter. Whisk it until well combined.
- Once the chicken tenders are out of the oven, place the tenders in a large bowl and pour the prepared sauce over it and toss until the sauce is evenly coated.
- Garnish the chicken tenders with fresh parsley and serve with ranch on the side.
Notes
- Chicken tenders are usually pretty even in size. If using chicken breast, pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Bake the chicken on an ovenproof rack on a baking sheet to make them extra crispy.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning and breading.
- For extra brown chicken, spray with a light oil before baking.
- Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time.
- Always cook chicken to 165 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce before serving.
- Serve extra hot sauce on the side.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
