Super CRISPY & CRUNCHY panko crumbed Oven Baked Chicken Tenderloins make a delicious midweek dinner or a tasty snack dipped in sauce!
Have these tasty chicken tenderloins prepped, baked and ready to eat in under 30 minutes.
Whether you're feeding toddlers (who love tasty food they can hold themselves!) or a bunch of hungry teenagers, you need finger food for a party, or just a simple light meal that takes no time - these oven baked chicken tenders are your go-to!!
Friday night in my house is usually movie night and 'fakeaway' dinner. So pair these crispy chicken tenderloins with a bowl of homemade wedges or fries and settle in for the evening.
I have a few easy Friday favourites that we rotate through! Often it's homemade pizzas, or burgers such as my Korean fried chicken burger or beef patty burger (always fun for the kids to build their own burger!), or I'll grab a few chunky beef mini meat pies or homemade sausage rolls out of the freezer.....perfect for footy nights!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
What's not to love about crispy baked chicken strips?
- Quick & easy - grab a packet of chicken tenderloins, dip in the egg and seasoning mix, coat with panko crumbs and bake. Prepping these crispy strips takes no more than 10 minutes!
- Kid-friendly - from toddlers to teenagers, and 'big kids' as well, panko crumbed chicken tenders are a popular and guilt free hit. There'll be no picky eaters here!
- Healthy alternative to takeaway - there's no need for deep frying with these ...(which also means no greasy mess!)
- Economical - homemade oven baked chicken tenderloins are certainly much more budget friendly than buying the equivalent as takeaway.
- Freezer friendly - make a double batch and freeze some so that you can take out as many as you need when required. They take little time to reheat, and this is a great options for quick toddler meals.
- So versatile - you can have these as homemade 'fast food' served with chips or wedges, as finger food with a yummy dipping sauce, sliced in a tortilla wrap, or sliced over a salad. Or for a more substantial meal, serve crunchy baked chicken tenderloins with mash and some lightly steamed veggies.
What You Need
By including flour in the wet mix, the egg coating becomes sticky and therefore the panko crumbs hold on much better than just dipping in beaten egg.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
- Panko crumbs - a staple in Asian cuisine for so long, panko crumbs are now a common pantry item, used for coating foods or for a crunchy topping to many meals.
- Chicken tenderloins - tenderloins come from under the breast fillet, and are generally removed from the breast and sold separately. They're more juicy, tender and flavourful than breast fillets as they have a slightly higher fat content.
- Egg - lightly whisked.
- Plain flour - also called all purpose flour in the US.
- Mayonnaise - whatever mayo you have on hand will be fine to use in this recipe.
- Dijon mustard - the traditional mustard of France, dijon mustard is made from brown mustard seeds, white wine, vinegar and salt, and has a sharp tangy flavour with a subtle hint of spice.
- Garlic powder - dried and finely ground garlic powder is convenient to have on hand as it can be stored in the pantry for 2-3 years.
- Chicken stock powder - only a small amount required as the powder is concentrated.
Equipment Required
Oven baking or air frying these chicken tenders means no mess and way less fat!
- Baking tray - paper lined
- Mixing bowls
- Oven or air fryer.
Step By Step Instructions
It's the crispy panko crumbs that raise the 'crunch' factor in these baked chicken tenderloins. The secret is to crisp the crumbs up in the oven first.....
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
Step 1 - Bake Panko Crumbs
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
Place the panko crumbs onto a baking paper lined baking tray or dish. Spray lightly with cooking oil and bake in the oven for approximately 5-10 minutes or until lightly golden (give the tray a shake every few minutes). Set the panko crumbs aside to cool.
Step 2 - Mix The Egg And Seasonings
In a bowl, whisk together the egg, plain flour, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, garlic powder and chicken stock powder.
Step 3 - Coat The Tenderloins
Dip the chicken tenderloins into the egg mixture. Allow any excess mixture to drip off.
Step 4 - Crumb The Tenderloins And Bake
Then press the chicken tenderloins into the panko crumbs.
Coat both sides of the tenderloins well.
Place the coated chicken tenderloins onto a non-stick baking tray and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked through. Turn the tenderloins over halfway through cooking time so that both sides are crunchy.
TIP: You can give them a spray with cooking oil if you want them extra golden, although this is optional as they will crisp up beautifully, with or without this.
Expert Tips
- Add your own flavours to this panko chicken recipe, like dried herbs, Italian seasoning or paprika mixed with the panko crumbs. If you want a little 'heat' add some cayenne pepper! You can also include a little finely grated parmesan with the crumbs too.
- For a gluten-free option, use panko crumbs that have been made with gluten-free bread or use gluten-free bread crumbs. Substitute the plain flour for gluten-free flour.
- Preheat your oven - so that the tenderloins cook quickly in a hot oven to seal in the juices. You don't want to overcook them!
- If you have an air fryer, you can air fry the chicken tenders at 190°C (375°F) for 8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 75 degrees Celsius (165 degrees F).
- Serve baked chicken tenderloins with fries or wedges and a dipping sauce, or with a side salad, vegetables, rice or mash, or in a wrap.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze leftover cooked chicken tenders for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat.
FAQs
Many recipes require you to coat the chicken strips in flour first, then dip in beaten egg, and finally coat in the crumbs. But by adding the flour into the egg mixture, you cut out one step (and less mess!) and the flour makes the egg more sticky so the crumbs hold much better!
If you make a small cut, any juices should be clear and no longer pink. Thin tenderloins will cook quicker than thicker ones, so keep an eye on them. The internal temperature should reach 75 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs made from steamed, crustless loaves of bread that have been processed into flakes and then dried. As they have a drier and flakier consistency than regular breadcrumbs, they absorb less oil and stay crunchier for longer. Once only available in Asian speciality shops, panko crumbs are now readily available in supermarkets these days.
Related Recipes
Toddlers especially love these oven baked crispy chicken strips, but seriously, I don't know anyone who wouldn't adore these!
Here's a few more popular and easy snack ideas.
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Baked Chicken Tenderloins
Ingredients
- 120 g (2 cups) panko crumbs
- 600 g chicken tenderloins
- 1 egg lightly whisked
- 1 ½ tbs plain flour
- 1 ½ tbs mayonnaise
- 1 tbs dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Place the panko crumbs onto a baking paper lined baking tray. Spray with cooking oil and bake in the oven for approximately 5-10 minutes or until lightly golden (give the tray a shake every few minutes). Set the panko crumbs aside in a bowl to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, plain flour, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, garlic powder and chicken stock powder.
- Dip the chicken tenderloins into the egg mixture. Allow any excess egg mixture to drip off.
- Press the chicken tenderloins into the panko crumbs on each side.
- Place the coated chicken tenderloins onto a non-stick baking tray and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked through.
Notes
- Add your own flavours to this panko chicken recipe, like dried herbs, Italian seasoning or paprika mixed with the panko crumbs. If you want a little 'heat' add some cayenne pepper! You can also include a little finely grated parmesan with the crumbs too.
- For a gluten-free option, use panko crumbs that have been made with gluten-free bread or use gluten-free bread crumbs. Substitute the plain flour for gluten-free flour.
- Preheat your oven - so that the tenderloins cook quickly in a hot oven to seal in the juices. You don't want to overcook them!
- To check if they're cooked - make a small cut, any juices should be clear and no longer pink. Thin tenderloins will cook quicker than thicker ones, so keep an eye on them. The internal temperature should reach 75 degrees Celsius (165 degrees F).
- If you have an air fryer, you can air fry the chicken tenders at 190°C (375°F) for 8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 75 degrees Celsius (165 degrees F).
- Serve with fries or wedges and a dipping sauce, or with a side salad, vegetables, rice or mash, or in a wrap.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze leftover cooked chicken tenders for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat.
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