The Pioneer Woman’s Baked Chicken Tenders are made with chicken tenders, buttermilk, seasoned salt, black pepper, flour, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and cooking spray. This easy Baked Chicken Tenders recipe creates a delicious dinner that takes about 60 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 4 people.
Ingredients Needed:
- 2 lb. chicken tenders
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ tsp. seasoned salt, divided
- ¾ tsp. black pepper, divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or ¼ cup pre-grated parmesan cheese)
- Cooking spray (Pam Olive Oil recommended)
- Honey mustard, BBQ sauce, and ranch dressing, for serving
How To Make Baked Chicken Tenders:
- Marinate the chicken: In a zip-top plastic bag, combine the chicken tenders, buttermilk, 1 tsp. seasoned salt, and ½ tsp. black pepper. Seal the bag, massage the buttermilk mixture into the tenders, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Prepare the breading: Place flour on a small plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In another shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, the remaining ½ tsp. seasoned salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper.
- Coat the chicken: Remove the tenders from the marinade and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour the remaining buttermilk marinade into the bowl with the eggs and whisk to combine. Dredge each chicken tender in flour, dip in the egg mixture, and coat fully in the panko mixture.
- Spray and cook the tenders: Spray both sides of each breaded tender with cooking spray. Arrange tenders in a single layer in an air fryer, leaving space between them. Set the air fryer to 380°F and cook for 8 minutes. Flip the tenders and cook for another 4-6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Serve: Serve the baked chicken tenders immediately with honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing for dipping.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh chicken tenders: Fresh chicken tenders will cook more evenly and give you the best flavor and texture.
- Marinate for extra flavor: Let the chicken marinate in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes. This will make the chicken juicy and tender.
- Don’t skip the parmesan: The parmesan adds a great flavor and helps make the coating extra crispy.
- Spray evenly with cooking spray: Make sure to spray both sides of the chicken tenders to get that golden, crispy texture.
- Check the internal temperature: Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165°F to ensure it’s cooked perfectly and safe to eat.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let leftovers baked chicken tenders cool to room temperature. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, put leftovers baked chicken tenders in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven or air fryer.
- Reheat leftovers: Place leftovers baked chicken tenders in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, or in the air fryer at 375°F for 5-7 minutes, to restore their crispy texture without drying them out.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 416 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 163mg
- Sodium: 973mg
- Potassium: 705mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 29g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 42g
More Pioneer Woman Recipe:
Pioneer Woman Baked Chicken Tenders
Description
The Pioneer Woman’s Baked Chicken Tenders are made with chicken tenders, buttermilk, seasoned salt, black pepper, flour, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and cooking spray. This easy Baked Chicken Tenders recipe creates a delicious dinner that takes about 60 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 4 people.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a zip-top plastic bag, combine the chicken tenders, buttermilk, 1 tsp. seasoned salt, and ½ tsp. black pepper. Seal the bag, massage the buttermilk mixture into the tenders, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Prepare the breading: Place flour on a small plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In another shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, the remaining ½ tsp. seasoned salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper.
- Coat the chicken: Remove the tenders from the marinade and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour the remaining buttermilk marinade into the bowl with the eggs and whisk to combine. Dredge each chicken tender in flour, dip in the egg mixture, and coat fully in the panko mixture.
- Spray and cook the tenders: Spray both sides of each breaded tender with cooking spray. Arrange tenders in a single layer in an air fryer, leaving space between them. Set the air fryer to 380°F and cook for 8 minutes. Flip the tenders and cook for another 4-6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Serve: Serve the baked chicken tenders immediately with honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing for dipping.
Notes
- Use fresh chicken tenders: Fresh chicken tenders will cook more evenly and give you the best flavor and texture.
- Marinate for extra flavor: Let the chicken marinate in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes. This will make the chicken juicy and tender.
- Don’t skip the parmesan: The parmesan adds a great flavor and helps make the coating extra crispy.
- Spray evenly with cooking spray: Make sure to spray both sides of the chicken tenders to get that golden, crispy texture.
- Check the internal temperature: Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165°F to ensure it’s cooked perfectly and safe to eat.
Pioneer Woman Baked Chicken Tenders