The BEST Homemade Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

These Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders are mouthwatering and so tasty! Your family will ask for these delicious, healthy tenders again and again.  

Do you have picky eaters at your house that you would prefer to serve fresh, homemade meals to instead of spending extra on the frozen brands? 

There is something about this crispy chicken tenders recipe that can make boring chicken taste interesting and exciting and delight even the pickiest of eaters.  

This recipe is great for picky eaters, weeknight dinners, snacks, and party appetizers, too!

You’ll be amazed at how quick and easy this Crispy Chicken Tenders recipe is. In fact, they’re so easy that there’s not even a need to run to the grocery store. Most of the ingredients are items that you likely have on hand in your pantry already.  

My favorite part of this recipe is the BBQ Chip crust. There are so many different flavors of BBQ chips on the store shelves to choose from. You only have to decide which flavor is your family’s favorite and give it a try!

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Dredging the chicken is a super fun part of this process if you ask me (not that you did, but still…😉).  You want to start with the flour mixture first, then the egg, and finish with the BBQ chips.

This simple process will add the flavor of the spices to the chicken while keeping the outside deliciously crispy.  

Your family is going to love this homemade crispy baked chicken tenders recipe, so add a side dish and maybe a dessert to your meal to round everything out.  Our Crispy Garlic Parm Accordion Potatoes and No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Parfait will pair very well with these chicken tenders!

Ingredients Needed For Crunchy Chicken Tenders

Here is what you will need in order to whip up this quick and easy dinner or snack recipe!

• Flour – all-purpose or gluten-free but you could also use breadcrumbs if you prefer.
• Garlic Powder – powder is sweeter and not as bold as fresh garlic
• Paprika – mild sweet taste adds great flavor.
• Kosher salt – table salt will work but Kosher salt simply has a little different texture.
• Ground black pepper – adds just the right amount of spice.
• Eggs  – eggs help to bind everything together so the crust stays on the chicken.
• Tangy BBQ Chips – give the tenders a BBQ flavor without all the sauce. Sweeeet!
• Boneless Chicken Breast – cut chicken breast lengthwise into ½ strips.

How to Make Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

Ok, folks…..if this crispy chicken tenders recipe wasn’t already easy and simple, you don’t even have to bother heating up the stove.  If you have an airfryer, these will cook up just as fabulous in it.  Airfryers are pretty darn great, don’t you agree?!?!  

Just follow these step-by-step instructions and your crispy chicken strips will be ready to serve in a jiffy!

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Lightly beat three eggs in a bowl and set them aside. 
3. Combine flour and seasonings in a bowl, mix and incorporate. 
4. Crush barbecue chips in a plastic Ziploc bag and then pour into a medium-size bowl for dredging. 
5. Lightly sprinkle chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Coat the tenders in flour, then egg, then coat in barbecue chips and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes on one side flip over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!!!

Important Safety Note

The tenders should be fully cooked through before serving. Baking them in a high heat oven at 450° will help the internal temperature of the chicken tenders rise quickly.

If you have a meat thermometer, it’s best to check the temperature if you are unsure of the doneness.

Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders FAQs

Here are some common questions I see from readers about this recipe – and their answers.

How do I keep the chicken tenders crispy until serving?

Keep the tenders on a baking sheet or cooking sheet on a low heat oven at 200 – 250 degrees until you’re ready to serve with your meal or event. 

Also, make sure you have them spread out in one layer and not stacked up.  This applies to the cooking time and during the time you are keeping them warm as well.

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What dipping sauces are best to serve with the crispy baked chicken tenders?

There are a lot of great options for dipping sauces.  Honey mustard, ketchup, and ranch dressing seem to be the most common. However, there are some other great options you may not have thought of…. sweet and sour sauce, spicy buffalo sauce, barbeque sauce, and Chick-Fil-A sauce are some other super yummy options.

Chick-Fil-A Sauce is a mixture of honey and a sweet tangy flavor and is perfect with these tenders.  You can pick some up at your local Chick-Fil-A restaurant or make it yourself!  

Can I use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts?

Using fresh chicken tenders will work just as well as chicken breasts. Just make sure the tenders are similar in size to the chicken breast that you cut into strips. Otherwise, you may have to adjust the cooking time just a little bit.

Go grab all the ingredients and cook up a batch of these yummy homemade crispy baked chicken tenders tonight!

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