BEST Chicken Tenders Recipe (Baked and Breaded)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400F. Dry the chicken using a paper towel, then set aside.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper together. Add in the flour, and mix again until fully blended. Add the chicken tenders to the batter and toss to fully coat them in the batter. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the crispy coating.

Step 3

Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking oil, then evenly spread the panko crumbs on the baking sheet, then again spray the top of the panko crumbs evenly from overhead (don’t spray from the side to avoid blowing the panko off the sheet). This step will give the crumbs a nice toasted look and a super tasty crunch. Bake the panko in the preheated oven until golden brown (about 5 minutes), then remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes (until they’re cool enough to handle to transfer to a shallow dish).

Step 4

Add the cooled panko crumbs and the Italian breadcrumbs to a shallow dish and mix together.

Step 5

Spray the same baking sheet again with cooking spray. Place the battered chicken tenders in the bread crumbs, then use a spoon to sprinkle the crumbs on top, then use the back of the spoon to press down so the crumbs adhere to both sides. Transfer the coated tenders to the baking sheet, and repeat until all the tenders are coated.

Step 6

Evenly spray the tops of the breaded chicken tenders on the baking sheet with the cooking oil. Place the tenders into the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the chicken reads 165F internally on an instant-read meat thermometer (the time will be determined by the thickness of the chicken tenders).

Step 7

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and serve with desired dipping sauce.