Baked Panko Chicken Tenders are simple, tasty, and the best chicken tenders recipe. An assortment of herbs and spices gives them so much flavor, and they are baked so they stay juicy on the inside but get incredibly crispy on the outside. Pair these panko crusted chicken tenders with your favorite dipping sauce, and they are sure to be a household favorite.
Panko crusted chicken tenders are dredged in seasoned flour, eggs, and panko before being baked. The layers of seasoning and panko coating are the secret to the best chicken tenders recipe. Baked panko chicken tenders are easy to make and are loved by kids and adults alike.
If you love chicken tenders, try my Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders , Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders or Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders.
Why You’ll Love Panko Crusted Chicken Tenders
- They’re really crunchy. Panko breadcrumbs are the trick to getting the crunchiest chicken strips ever.
- No deep frying is required. These chicken fingers bake up super crispy without deep frying, making them easy to make and clean up.
- It’s kid-friendly. Kids (and adults) will love these panko chicken strips.
Panko Chicken Strips Ingredients
- Chicken: Purchase pre-cut chicken tenderloins or slice chicken breasts into strips.
- Flour: Dredge in all-purpose flour.
- Seasoning: Season the flour with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and ground black pepper. Season the panko with paprika and dried oregano. Substitute smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Eggs: Coat the chicken with well-beaten room-temperature eggs.
- Breadcrumbs: Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
- Parsley: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
How To Make Panko Chicken Tenders
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a parchment paper over a baking sheet and keep it aside.
- Dry the chicken. Pat dry the chicken tenders and keep them aside.
- Prepare the breading stations. Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in the first bowl. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and in the third bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, paprika, dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set the three separate bowls aside.
- Coat the chicken. Dredge the chicken tenders first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally in the panko bread crumbs mixture until well coated.
- Bake the chicken. Arrange the chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and slightly golden.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish the chicken tenders with fresh parsley and serve with ketchup.
Tips To Make the Best Chicken Tenders Recipe at home.
- If using chicken tenders, remove the white tendon to avoid chewy chicken.
- You can also cut chicken breasts into equal-sized strips.
- Stick with panko for the crispiest chicken strips.
- Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Add a bit of cayenne pepper if you like spicy chicken tenders.
- When dredging the chicken, use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients.
- Place the chicken on an ovenproof rack on the baking sheet for even crispier chicken.
- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and promptly remove it when they reach temperature.
- Smaller strips may cook faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spritz the tenders with cooking spray and lay them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for 5 minutes more or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F with a digital thermometer.
These can be made with regular breadcrumbs, gluten free breadcrumbs or your favorite type of breadcrumb. We like to use panko or gluten free panko because they bring a lot of crunch to these chicken fingers.
Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven until warmed through and the coating is crispy.
Yes! These are perfect for freezing for easy meals later on. Coat the chicken as directed and flash freeze on a baking sheet before baking them. When frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen chicken strips onto a baking sheet and place in a 375 degrees F oven for approximately 25 minutes or until tenders reach 165 degrees F.
Panko crusted chicken should be served with your favorite dipping sauces. It pairs well with steamed or roasted vegetables such as Parmesan Roasted Glazed Carrots or Roasted Brussels Sprouts and can be served with Crispy Air Fryer French Fries or Crispy Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes.
More Panko Crusted Recipes
- Air Fryer Fish and Chips
- Crispy Air Fryer Eggplants
- Crispy Air Fryer Cod
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Salmon Patties
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Baked Panko Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb chicken tenderloins
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a parchment paper over a baking sheet and keep it aside.
- Pat dry the chicken tenders and keep them aside.
- Prepare the breading station: In the first bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and in the third bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, paprika, dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set the three separate bowls aside.
- Dredge the chicken tenders first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally in the panko bread crumbs mixture until well coated.
- Arrange the chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and slightly golden.
- Garnish the chicken tenders with fresh parsley and serve with ketchup.
Notes
- If using chicken tenders, remove the white tendon to avoid chewy chicken.
- You can also cut chicken breasts into equal-sized strips.
- Stick with panko for the crispiest chicken strips.
- Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Add a bit of cayenne pepper if you like spicy chicken tenders.
- When dredging the chicken, use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients.
- Place the chicken on an ovenproof rack on the baking sheet for even crispier chicken.
- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and promptly remove it when they reach temperature.
- Smaller strips may cook faster.
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