This homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe gives you everything you want in a chicken tender: a crispy, golden coating on the outside and juicy, buttermilk-marinated chicken underneath. Best of all, these chicken tenders are baked in the oven, so you get that satisfying crunch without dealing with the mess of deep frying!
Best. Chicken. Tenders. EVER.
When I was a kid, my default fast food order was chicken tenders with honey for dipping. Now that I’m a respectable adult, I make this chicken tenders recipe at home—and instead of straight-up honey, I whip up a creamy honey mustard dipping sauce. The result is creamy, tangy, and juuuust sweet enough to make things interesting.
This recipe starts with a sweet and tangy buttermilk honey marinade, along with mustard beaten into the egg for dredging. The marinade locks in the moisture and gives the chicken tenders a lightly sweet, zippy flavor, while the crunchy Panko bakes into a crispy, golden crust. It’s like a down-sized version of my Baked Fried Chicken!
- Family Friendly Dinner. Kids LOVE this chicken tenders recipe (my 4 nieces can attest, they eat them every week), but it’s wholesome and elevated enough to be enjoyed by adults. Just feeding the kiddos? Try my Chicken Nuggets or Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets next.
- A Healthier Option. Unlike heavy drive-through fare, homemade chicken tenders are healthy and something you can feel good enjoying on a regular basis (like these Grilled Chicken Tenders and Air Fryer Chicken Tenders!).
- Freezer-Friendly. Make a big batch in bulk, then pop them into the oven straight from frozen. Who needs the kind in the box?!
5 Star Review
“I made these for probably the 10th time last night. Family favorite.”
— Elizabeth —
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Chicken Tenders:
- Smoked Paprika. Smoked paprika is one of those magical ingredients that belongs in every kitchen pantry. You can use regular sweet paprika, but it doesn’t have that nice, smoky flavor.
- Onion Powder and Garlic Powder. These add savory flavor to the marinade.
- Honey. Use a runny honey—an everyday kind of honey, not the fancy spreadable stuff.
- Low-Fat Buttermilk. No buttermilk? Whisk 1 cup of dairy milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes to thicken and curdle.
- Chicken Tenders. Chicken tenders, or chicken tenderloins, are the narrow strips of meat that run underneath the chicken breast. You can buy chicken tenderloins already separated at most grocery stores, but you don’t need them to make this recipe. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into strips work too. Aim for strips about 3/4-inch thick so they cook evenly in the time listed.
- Whole Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs. The larger, airier flakes of panko give these baked chicken tenders a crispier coating than standard breadcrumbs. Regular panko is fine too if you can’t find whole wheat.
- Egg Whites. Or simply use one large egg.
- Dijon Mustard. Whisked together with the eggs for the dredging to add another layer of flavor.
For the Creamy Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
- Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt. Gives us that tang!
- Dijon Mustard and Honey. Making sauce is creamy, tangy, and perfectly sweet.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Marinate (photo 1). The chicken tenders should sit in the buttermilk marinade for 30 minutes. Shake off the excess—if the tenders are too wet, the egg mixture and coating won’t stick well!
Make the Breading (photo 2). Do this in a wide, shallow dish.
Make the Wet “Dip” (photo 3). Whisk well to break up the egg white completely.
Dredge (photo 4). Dip each chicken tender into the egg mixture and let the excess drip off. Then, gently press the chicken into the breadcrumbs and place it on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. (The wire rack allows hot air to circulate underneath, rather than leaving the bottom sitting against the pan where it can steam and get soggy.)
Bake (photo 5). Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken tenders are golden brown. Chicken tenderloins are small and lean, so they can dry out quickly; check them at 15 minutes and remove them when the thickest part reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Make the Dipping Sauce (photo 6). Serve the baked chicken tenders with the sauce and ENJOY!
Seasoning Ideas
- Cajun Baked Chicken Tenders. Skip the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder and use Cajun seasoning instead. You’ll also want to skip the mustard in the egg whites.
- Herbed Chicken Tenders. Use Italian-style panko breadcrumbs, or add Italian seasoning to the breadcrumb mixture instead of paprika. You can also add Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs if you’d like. (Skip the mustard in the egg whites here, too.)
- Spicy Chicken Tenders. Instead of mustard, whisk your favorite hot sauce into the egg white mixture, then add cayenne pepper to the breading. Pair your fiery chicken tenders with cool ranch dressing.
- Crispy Asian Chicken Tenders. Perfect for pairing with sweet-and-sour sauce!
What to Serve With This Chicken Tenders Recipe
- Salad. This Arugula Salad would be a tasty, fresh side dish, or do a deli-style salad like Healthy Potato Salad.
- Vegetables. Roasted Frozen Broccoli is a healthy side for these tenders and it will add some fiber to your dinner!
- Fries. For a crowd-pleasing side, serve your tenders with Crispy Baked Fries or go low-carb with Zucchini Fries.
Chicken Tenders Recipe
Video
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
Ingredients
For the Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1/2 teaspoon, divided
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika divided
- 1 teaspoon onion powder divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk*
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 3/4-inch strips (about 12 strips total)
- 2 cups whole wheat Panko bread crumbs if you can’t find whole wheat, swap regular Panko*
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten or 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
For the Creamy Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
- ½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey plus 1 teaspoon, plus additional to taste
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- For the Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders: In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk and honey and whisk until well combined. Add the chicken tenders, toss to coat, then let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Do not allow to sit longer, or the chicken will become too salty.)
- In a large, shallow dish (a 9×13-inch pan works well), combine the Panko breadcrumbs and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Drizzle the oil over the top, then toss to moisten.
- In a second shallow dish, whisk together the egg whites and mustard.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then place an ovenproof wire rack on top of it. Coat the rack with cooking spray.
- Arrange the bowls in a line from left to right as follows: egg white dish; Panko breadcrumbs; baking sheet. Working with a few pieces of chicken at a time, with your left hand, remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess (this is the “wet” hand). Still with your left hand, dip the chicken into egg mixture, turning to coat all sides, then place in breadcrumb mixture. With your right hand (the “dry” hand), pat the chicken on all sides with the breadcrumbs, pressing them on lightly so that the chicken is well coated. Still with your dry hand, place the chicken on the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Repeat for remaining tenders.
- Bake the chicken until golden brown and the thickest part registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the chicken bakes, stir the dip ingredients together in a small bowl: Greek yogurt, Dijon, honey, and salt. Taste and add additional honey as desired. Serve chicken hot or at room temperature with the dip.
Notes
- No buttermilk? Stir 1 cup regular milk (1% or 2% is preferable) together with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice and let sit 5 minutes. Stir once more then use in the recipe as directed.
- You can also use regular, unseasoned breadcrumbs in place of Panko, but the chicken tenders will not be as crispy.
- Nutritional information for this recipe is a rough estimate, because much of the marinade is discarded. Use this information as a guide only. You can also calculate it yourself and tweak ingredient amounts at myfitnesspal.com
- TO STORE: Refrigerate baked chicken tenders in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the air fryer. In a pinch, you can use the microwave, but the exterior won’t be as crispy.
- TO FREEZE: Arrange the chicken tenders in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze just until solid, then transfer the frozen tenders to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen.
No comments (yet). Help our readers and give a thumbs up to any comment you found helpful!