Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Yumna Jawad

Updated Apr 28, 2026

4.99 from 56 votes

These Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and flavorful all around, making them an easy family dinner!

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
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12

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Oven Baked Chicken.
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Make Crispy CHicken Tenders in the Oven!

Oven baked chicken tenders is what I make for my kids when they ask me for fried chicken. They have probably had fried chicken a handful of times while hanging out with their cousins or friends, but I just never like not knowing all the ingredients that go into those. This homemade chicken tenders are baked in the oven with a panko breadcrumb coating to make them crispy without using a lot of oil or a lot of ingredients.

My kids will admit that these baked chicken tenders are definitely not the same as fried chicken haha, but they really have a similar effect since they’re juicy, crispy and taste so good dipped in ketchup or ranch. While the chicken tenders are in the oven, you can also make baked sweet potato fries or baked zucchini fries in the oven at the same time to pair with them!

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders Ingredients

Ingredients to make chicken tenders in the oven
  • Chicken tenders: You can also make these with skinless chicken breasts cut into strips.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: These are the trick to getting crispy tenders. If you notice your panko breadcrumbs are really thick, run them quickly through a blender to make the more fine.
  • Dijon mustard: Just a tablespoon of this to coat the chicken tenders adds a layer of moisture to keep the chicken juicy. You can leave out or use mayonnaise too.
  • Egg: Beaten to help the breadcrumbs and seasoning stick to the chicken. You can use just egg whites if you’d like.
  • Seasonings: Salt, pepper, mustard, paprika and dried thyme.

How to Make Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Step 1: Mix together the egg and mustard in one bowl and dip the chicken tenders in that mixture.
Step 2: Combine the panko breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder in another bowl and dredge the chicken in that mixture after the egg mixture. Make sure to shake off any excess breading.
Step 3: Lay the breaded chicken tenders onto a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure they’re not touching. To get them more crispy, use two baking sheets.
Step 4: Bake in the oven until the panko chicken tenders are crispy and golden in color. Then you can enjoy with ketchup or your favorite dip!
Oven Baked Chicken.

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Author: Yumna Jawad
4.99 from 56 votes
These Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and flavorful all around, making them an easy weeknight family dinner!
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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings4 servings

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Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Pat the chicken tenders dry with a paper towel and season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
  • In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs and dijon mustard.
  • In another medium size bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  • Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, then toss into the panko mixture. Dust off any excess panko mixture and lay the chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining chicken and spread them out on the baking sheet so they are not touching.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is golden. Enjoy immediately with any dip you like.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: These chicken tenders are best served fresh but can be stored in the fridge if you have any leftovers for up to four days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven until warmed through. You can microwave them as well, but they won’t crisp back up.
Make ahead: After preparing the chicken according to the instructions, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the freezer for 2-3 hours. When they are frozen solid, you can place them in a ziplock bag and store for use up to 3 months later. When you are ready to bake, you can just add 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time.
Freezing Instructions: You can also freeze any leftovers that have already been baked. Just pop them in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through and crispy again – about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 132mg, Sodium: 624mg, Potassium: 601mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 354IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?
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Recipe Tips

  1. Make them extra crispy. If you want them extra crispy, you can also cook them on a wire rack over the baking dish. That does create one extra item to wash, so if you’re just looking for convenience, the baking sheet lined with parchment paper works great still.
  2. Tenderize the tenders before coating them. Lightly press each tender with a fork which will help to soften the fibers in the chicken and make them less chewy.
  3. Set up your dredging station first. When you dredge the tenders, try to keep one hand wet and one dry. This will help you from washing your hands multiple times during the process.
  4. Spread the tenders in a single layer on the baking sheet. This will help them get crispy all over so make sure they aren’t touching. And it would help to split the chicken tenders into two baking sheets if possible, but it’s not necessary.
oven fried chicken tender dipping into ketchup

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Comments

  1. Lisa says:

    This turned out tasty. Next time I will use less pepper and salt up front, and stir the seasonings better before adding to the Panko crumbs.

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      Glad you liked it! Definitely adjust the seasonings to taste and find your perfect blend!

      Reply
  2. Kelsey says:

    I swapped out the mustard with mayo and cooked them in the Air Fryer, and they came out perfectly! The Panko mix helped retain the juice and I ate them for lunch for the next 5 days. l appreciate recipes where dinner is done in 30 minutes!

    Reply
    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      That’s perfect! Yay!!

      Reply
  3. Stephanie says:

    I made these last night for my picky toddler and to my AMAZEMENT, he ate 5 in a row and loved them. Thank you for this recipe A it’s an easy weeknight dinner option for a busy working mom. Delicious! I added a little oregano in with the spices (Italian household!) and they came out incredible.

    Reply
    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      That’s amazing! You’re so welcome!

      Reply
  4. Basma says:

    It was very good ! Everyone loved them and my kids were impressed with my cooking..very easy and wuick to make

    Reply
    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you! That makes me so happy to hear!

      Reply
  5. Virginia says:

    Thank you for sharing. I don’t like mustard, may I sub it with something else? Could you answer that question for me please?

    Reply
    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      You’re so welcome! For the dijon mustard, you can leave it out or use mayonnaise instead.

      Reply
  6. Denise says:

    Made these tonight for dinner. A big hit! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      That makes me so happy to hear! You’re so welcome!

      Reply