🍗 Crispy Chicken Tenders
Serves
4
Time
-
Prep: 15 minutes
-
Cook: 15–20 minutes
🥩 Chicken Ingredients
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1½ lb chicken tenders (or chicken breast sliced into strips)
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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1 tsp paprika
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½ tsp garlic powder
🥣 Breading Station
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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2 large eggs, beaten
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1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
(extra crunchy) -
½ tsp salt
-
½ tsp pepper
-
½ tsp paprika
🔥 Instructions
1. Prep
-
Pat chicken dry.
-
Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder.
2. Bread the chicken
-
Dredge in flour (shake off excess)
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Dip in egg
-
Press into panko until fully coated
3. Cook (choose one)
🧑🍳 Oven Method
-
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
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Line baking sheet with parchment
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Lightly spray tenders with oil
-
Bake 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway
🌪️ Air Fryer Method
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Preheat to 400°F (200°C)
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Lightly spray basket
-
Cook 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway
Chicken is done at 165°F (74°C).
🥫 Dipping Sauces
🍯 Honey Mustard
-
¼ cup mayonnaise
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2 tbsp honey
-
2 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard
🧄 Garlic Ranch
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½ cup ranch dressing
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 tbsp lemon juice
Mix and chill 10 minutes for best flavor.
❓ Q & A
Q: How do I make them EXTRA crispy?
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Use panko, not regular breadcrumbs
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Spray with oil before cooking
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Don’t overcrowd pan or basket
Q: Can I fry these instead?
Yes 😏
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Heat oil to 350°F (175°C)
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Fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden
Q: Can I make them gluten-free?
Yep!
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Use gluten-free flour
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Use gluten-free panko or crushed cornflakes
Q: Can I prep ahead?
Yes.
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Bread and refrigerate up to 8 hours
-
Cook fresh for best crunch
Q: Can I freeze them?
Absolutely.
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Freeze breaded (uncooked) tenders
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Bake straight from frozen at 425°F for 25 minutes