Baked Chicken Tenders are made crispy with the very best cornflake crust! Because these chicken strips are baked, you sidestep the fuss of frying and still end up with juicy, crispy chicken tenders. Recipe for the BEST dipping sauce also included!
What’s in crispy baked chicken tenders?
This kid friendly recipe is made with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Let’s take a quick look at a few things you’ll need:
- Cornflakes: The secret to the crispiest baked chicken? Cornflakes! These tenders are coated in seasoned crushed cornflakes, forget breadcrumbs, these flakes provide the perfect crunchy coating.
- Chicken Tenders: You can always just slice up some chicken breasts yourself to create tenders.
- Milk: It can really be any kind of milk that you already have on hand.
Can I make them spicy?
Yes you definitely can! Sprinkle in some cayenne powder to the cornflake mixture for a little spice. You can also mix some hot sauce into the dipping sauce.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cornflake chicken tenders in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To keep that coating nice and crispy, we recommend reheating in the air fryer or oven.
How to Freeze
Wait for the cooked chicken tenders to totally cool to room temperature prior to freezing in an airtight container. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- Ensure your chicken is patted dry before dredging. This will help the mixture to properly stick.
- For less mess, use tongs to transfer the batter slathered chicken into the breadcrumbs.
More Chicken Tender Recipes We Love
- Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders
- Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Instant Pot Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Flamin’ Hot Chicken Tenders
Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe (with Special Sauce)
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tenders:
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups cornflakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking Spray
For the Special Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon sweet relish
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Add milk and eggs to a shallow dish, whisk to combine.½ cup milk, 2 eggs
- Add cornflakes, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper to a food processor, process until the cornflakes are the texture of breadcrumbs. Add to a second shallow dish.4 cups cornflakes, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Working with one chicken tender at a time, place a chicken tender in the wet batter, flipping from side to side to coat. Then place it into the cornflake mixture, coating both sides. Place on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper.1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
- Spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray to encourage a golden-brown crust. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.Cooking Spray
- While the chicken is baking, stir together the special sauce ingredients.½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 tablespoon sweet relish, Pinch salt
- Serve baked chicken tenders with special sauce and an extra garnish of parsley.
Notes
- Ensure your chicken is patted dry before dredging, to make sure the coating sticks.
- Make sure to spritz the tenders with cooking spray or olive oil before baking.
- For less mess, use tongs to dredge chicken in breadcrumbs.
- For an extra spicy kick, add some cayenne pepper to the breadcrumb mixture.
How to Make Baked Chicken Tenders Step by Step
Make the breading mixture: Add 4 cups cornflakes, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to a food processor. Blend until the cornflakes are the texture of breadcrumbs and transfer to a shallow bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients: Whisk together 1/2 cup milk and 2 eggs.
Coat the chicken in the egg mixture: Place the chicken tenders (1 1/2 lbs total) in the wet batter. Flip around until well coated.
Coat in breading: Place the wet chicken in the cornflake mixture and coat on all sides.
Bake the chicken: Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a wire cooling rack (this will help them all cook evenly). Spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until golden.
Make the dipping sauce: Stir together 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp minced onion, 1 tbsp sweet relish and a pinch of salt to make the best dipping sauce.
Leave a Review