My kids absolutely love these cornflake chicken tenders and it only takes me 30 minutes to make them! I coat some chicken tenders in a crushed corn flake cereal crust then bake them in the oven, and that’s all there is to it. This cornflakes-crusted chicken comes out perfectly juicy inside, and incredibly crispy on the outside. Yum!
Baked Cornflake-Crusted Chicken Tenders Recipe
Forget breadcrumbs! Crushing up some good old-fashioned cornflakes into a fine crumb makes the perfect breading for these oven-baked chicken tenders. I throw the cereal into my food processor with some simple seasonings to make the crust, then coat the chicken fingers in it and bake. This recipe really is as easy as that!
This chicken has all the crunch I need without any frying, which makes them a much better lunch week-to-week. My kids always ask for them, and they love dipping them in the special sauce (recipe included below).
Variations to Try
Make this cornflake chicken a little spicier by mixing some cayenne pepper into the cereal mixture. Or add ranch seasoning–my kids really love when I do that!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cornflake chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. To keep that coating nice and crispy, I recommend reheating in the Air Fryer or oven.
How to Freeze
Let cornflake-crusted chicken fingers cool to room temperature prior to freezing in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes and Tips
- A food processor works best for turning the cornflakes into a fine breadcrumb texture. But if you don’t have one, place cereal in a resealable bag, close, and use a rolling pin to crush the cereal. This will give you a less even result, but it will work all the same!
- Flip the chicken tenders half-way through the baking time to make sure both sides get crispy.
Baked Cornflake Chicken Tenders Recipe
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
How to Make Cornflake Chicken Tenders Step by Step
Whisk the Wet Ingredients: First, preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Next, whisk together ½ cup of milk and 2 eggs in a shallow bowl.
Make the Cornflake Breading: Add 4 cups of cornflakes, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper to a food processor, and process until the cornflakes are the texture of breadcrumbs. Then transfer the cornflake mixture to a second shallow dish.
Coat in Egg: Place 1 ½ pounds of chicken tenders in the wet batter, and flip until well-coated. You may need to work with just a few pieces at a time through the entire dredging process.
Bread the Chicken: Place a chicken tender (one at a time) in the cornflake mixture and coat on all sides, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all chicken.
Bake: Place the cornflake-crusted 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 fingers with cooking spray (this will help the crust brown). Then bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until golden.
Make the Special Sauce: If you’d like to make my special sauce for dipping; stir together ½ cup of mayo, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of minced onion, 1 tablespoon of sweet relish, and a pinch of salt. Dip and enjoy!
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