Baked Chicken Tenders

5 from 1 vote
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These Baked Chicken Tenders are extra crispy, made with strips of juicy chicken coated in a savory seasoned breading. Making gluten-free chicken tenderloins in the oven is so easy, and perfect for dipping!

If you love this recipe for crispy chicken tenders without deep frying, check out my recipe for Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Tenders!

Gluten-free baked chicken tenders on a plate, surrounding a dish of ketchup for dipping.

Why You’ll Love These Crispy Chicken Tenders

  • Cuisine Inspiration: American
  • Primary Cooking Method: Oven
  • Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free
  • Skill Level: Easy

There’s something about perfectly crispy, juicy chicken tenders that’s practically irresistible. Take this recipe for oven-baked chicken tenderloins. Savory, crunchy, and definitely an all-around crowd pleaser – the “crowd”, in this case, being Hubby and kids. Chicken fingers are truly the thread tying generations together. Here’s why you’ll love them (as if you don’t already know)…

  • Perfectly crispy. They are lightly seasoned and then baked to satisfyingly crunchy perfection in the oven. They get so incredibly crisp, no deep frying (or any frying) necessary.
  • Quick to prepare. As an easy after school snack or effortless weeknight dinner, these baked chicken tenders are ready in under an hour and perfect for dipping!
  • Easy to make gluten free. These crispy chicken tenders can be made with regular breadcrumbs, or they can easily be swapped with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
A hand dipping a crispy chicken tender into a small bowl of ketchup, on a plate surrounded by more baked chicken tenders.

What You’ll Need

Simple ingredients and mild flavors make these baked chicken tenders especially kid-friendly. You can mix it up any way you’d like (see further on for flavor variations), but I’ve included the gist of what you’ll need here. Please refer to the recipe card down below for the actual ingredient amounts.

  • Chicken Tenders: You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins for this recipe, or you can use chicken breasts and cut them into thin strips.
  • Egg: Egg coating helps the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken tenders. You’ll also need salt and pepper to season the egg to taste.
  • Breadcrumbs: I use plain bread breadcrumbs and season them myself. Be sure to buy gluten-free breadcrumbs as needed. However, I wouldn’t recommend using gluten free Panko for this recipe. The crumbs are too large, and tend to fall off the chicken as it cooks. 
  • Seasoning: A popping blend of spices and herbs is key to flavorful chicken tenders! I season my bread crumbs with a combination of Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Alternatively, you can also use seasoned breadcrumbs instead. 
The ingredients for gluten-free baked chicken tenders with text labels including chicken tenders, gluten free breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Flavor Variations

This chicken tenders recipe is wonderfully simple, leaving the doors wide open for customizing! Try these easy variations:

  • Spicy: Add a pinch of chili powder or cayenne pepper into the seasoning blend for the breading, for a spicy kick. Or, try mixing in Cajun-inspired Homemade Blackened Seasoning.
  • Parmesan: Mix freshly grated parmesan cheese into the breadcrumbs for even more flavor.
  • Lemon and Herb: Stir lemon zest into the breadcrumbs for a fresh burst of citrus alongside the Italian seasoning.
  • Coconut: For a tropical twist, mix shredded unsweetened coconut into the breading for crispy coconut chicken strips. Great for dipping in sweet chili sauce!

How to Make Chicken Tenders in the Oven

While your oven is preheating, get out your cookie sheet and wire cooling rack, and give them a light spritz with oil or cooking spray. Next, let’s prepare the chicken tenders:

  • Prepare the Coating: First, lightly beat the egg together with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs and seasoning. 
  • Coat the Chicken: Toss the chicken in the egg wash to coat. Next, dredge the chicken tenders through the breadcrumbs one at a time. Place the coated chicken onto the prepared wire rack. 
  • Bake: Once all the chicken pieces are breaded, give them a spray with cooking oil. Place the chicken into the oven, rack, cookie sheet, and all. Bake the tenders at 450ºF for about 20-24 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Tips for Success

These chicken tenders are always a hit, be here’s how to knock it out of the park:

  • Trim Your Tenders: If you’re using chicken tenderloins, I recommend removing any white tendons before coating and baking. It won’t hurt to leave these in, but they can become tough and chewy when cooked. Many stores offer tenders that come trimmed, or you can trim them yourself at home. Simply use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut off the tough white bit that runs down the middle of the chicken tender.
  • Make Use of the Wire Rack: I recommend placing a wire rack over top of your baking sheet when baking chicken tenders. This leaves space for the hot air to circulate around the chicken, to really get the bread coating nice and crispy. This trick really does make a difference when it comes to perfectly crisp chicken tenders baked in the oven. Don’t skip it!
  • Check for Doneness: The easiest way to check if your chicken is cooked is to use an instant read or kitchen thermometer. The thickest part of the chicken should read in at 165ºF. Try not to overcook your chicken, as it will become dry.

Close up of baked chicken tenders on a plate.

Dipping Sauce Ideas

We love a good homemade dipping sauce in this family. Here are some of our favorite sauces to slather these crispy tenders with:

Close up of a hand dipping a crispy chicken tender into a small bowl of ketchup, on a plate surrounded by more baked chicken tenders.

Storing and Reheating Baked Chicken Tenders

  • Fridge – Store leftover chicken tenders airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat – These are super easy to reheat in the oven – just place them on a baking sheet and pop them back in at 400ºF for a few minutes, until warmed through. The oven is my preferred method of reheating, as it gets the breading nice and crispy again!

Freezing Instructions

  • Before baking – I recommend pre-freezing your unbaked, breaded chicken tenders on a baking sheet, then transferring them to a zip top freezer bag for easy storage. These can bake straight from frozen, with an extra 2-3 minutes added to the baking time.
  • After baking – Wait until they’re completely cool and pre-freeze them on a baking sheet, too. Then just pop them into a freezer bag to keep frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat them in the oven right from the freezer, on a wire rack over a baking tray, until warmed through.
Gluten-free baked chicken tenders on a plate, surrounding a dish of ketchup for dipping.

Make It a Meal

Making these chicken tenders into a family meal is a breeze! For a no-fuss weeknight dinner, I like to serve these baked tenders with one or more dipping sauces (see above) and a side of kid-friendly Air Fryer French Fries or Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli. Here are more effortless ways to enjoy your gluten-free chicken tenders:

More Foolproof Chicken Recipes

A hand dipping a crispy chicken tender into a small bowl of ketchup, on a plate surrounded by more baked chicken tenders.
5 from 1 vote

Baked Chicken Tenders

An easy recipe for extra crispy, Gluten-Free Oven Baked Chicken Tenders! These juicy and savory chicken tenderloins are covered in a crunchy seasoned coating, and perfect for dipping.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts cut into thin strips
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (gluten free if needed, see note)
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet, and spray with oil or cooking spray.
  • Crack egg into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and lightly beat with a fork.
  • Add chicken to egg, and toss to coat completely.
  • Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and, one at a time, coat the chicken tenderloins and place on the rack.
  • Once all of the chicken is coated, spray with oil or cooking spray.
  • Bake chicken on the rack on top of the cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes, depending on size, then flip and bake for another 10-12 minutes.

Notes

  • Do not use gluten free Panko. The crumbs are too big, and won’t coat the chicken evenly or stay adhered through cooking.
Nutrition Facts
Baked Chicken Tenders
Amount Per Serving
Calories 293 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 155mg52%
Sodium 654mg27%
Potassium 693mg20%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 40g80%
Vitamin A 123IU2%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 57mg6%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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