Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders Recipe

No false  guarantees right here! These Oven Fried Chicken Tenders come out of the oven completely golden throughout and tremendous crunchy identical to they’ve been deep fried. You’ll love the irresistible parmesan flavour within the crunchy breadcrumb crust!

AND you gained’t get your fingers caked with batter and breadcrumbs within the course of of creating them. Discover out my little tips!

Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders

Have you ever ever made a recipe based mostly on the pictures exhibiting an ideal golden BAKED crumbed chicken, solely to seek out that:

a) the crumbing comes out splotchy with some burnt bits and a few white bits; and
b) the crumbing is just not that crunchy (until you bake it so lengthy the chicken overcooks)?

My hand is raised excessive as a result of I’m a type of folks. For a few years, I used to be lulled right into a false sense of hope every time I noticed a photograph of a wonderfully golden “oven fried” crumbed chicken for a recipe. And I used to be dissatisfied each single time. (PS It’s referred to as Photoshop. Meals photographers can’t stay with out it, however have been identified to abuse its powers!!!)

Plus my different gripe with coating something with breadcrumbs is that you find yourself with what I name “Marshmallow Fingers”, the place the egg batter and breadcrumbs builds up with every bit of chicken you coat.

So someday, I really utilized some mind energy to fixing these issues. I do know, I’m a weirdo. It’s a testomony as to how a lot I like crunchy crumbed issues, and the way a lot I concern frying (in addition to what I take into account to be a waste of oil). (Oh – and well being issues too 🙄).

And right here’s my resolution.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT OVEN FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS
(with out getting your fingers soiled!!!)

1 . Toast panko breadcrumbs within the oven for simply 3 minutes. This offers them a head begin on the color so they arrive out a good golden brown throughout AND dries them out much more to make them uber crunchy. For this recipe, I add parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs for flavour and because the seasoning – no want so as to add any salt!

2. Don’t dredge in flour then egg individually. Add the flour into the egg. This makes the batter barely thicker, making the breadcrumbs adhere higher to the chicken AND it avoids “Marshmallow Fingers”. (PS I additionally add mustard and mayo – for thickening + flavour + mayo helps make this style fried!)

3. Keep away from messy fingers: Combine chicken in batter, decide it up along with your left hand and place it within the breadcrumbs. Use your proper hand to sprinkle with panko, press to stick, then switch to baking tray. No Marshmallow Fingers! Yay!

Right here’s a comparability of the chicken earlier than and after baking at a reasonably excessive temperature (200C/390F) for quarter-hour (any longer and the chicken tenderloins will lose juiciness). Discover how there’s not that a lot distinction? Good factor we toasted the breadcrumbs first! 🙂

Right here’s an up shut and private take a look at these tenders. 🙂 I’ll allow you to be the decide – don’t you assume they appear like they’ve simply come out of the deep fryer??? They definitely TASTE like they’ve!

Dipping Sauce for Chicken Tenders

I wish to serve these Parmesan Oven Fried Chicken Tenders with a easy Ranch dipping sauce or Honey Mustard sauce, each of which I’ve supplied within the recipe notes.

However actually, with the addition of parmesan, these are tremendous flavourful plus good and juicy inside (no dry overcooked chicken!!!), so I often serve these with none sauce, with plain yogurt or bitter cream, or lemon wedges.

Serve this with a fast Each Day Cabbage Salad or or a backyard salad with French, Italian or Balsamic Dressing!   

Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders Recipe

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Serves: 3 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 385 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
• Olive oil spray
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese , store bought (Note 2)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise* (I use whole egg mayonnaise)
• 1½ tbsp dijon mustard* (or any other mustard of choice)
• 1 garlic clove , minced*
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Salt & pepper
• 500 g /1 lb chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast cut into ⅔” / 1.5cm thick slices, lengthwise)
• Oil spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
2. Spread panko breadcrumbs on a baking tray. Spray lightly with oil. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until LIGHT golden.
3. Scrape into a bowl. Add parmesan and mix.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together Batter ingredients with a fork. Add chicken and mix to coat.
5. Optional: Place a rack on the baking tray (Note 3)
6. Pick up chicken with left hand and place in breadcrumbs. Use right hand to sprinkle with breadcrumbs, press to adhere. Use right hand to transfer to baking tray. Repeat with remaining chicken. Spray lightly with oil.
7. Bake for 15 minutes for small tenders, 18 minutes for large ones. No longer than 20 minutes, otherwise they will begin to lose juiciness.
8. Serve immediately with Ranch or Honey Mustard Dip if desired (Note 4).

Notes

1. I really encourage you to use panko breadcrumbs rather than ordinary breadcrumbs because they bake much crunchier!
2. 1/2 cup store bought grated parmesan cheese (the real stuff in the refrigerator section NOT the pasta aisle!) = approximately 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. This is still really tasty even without parmesan cheese, just use an extra 1/2 cup of panko and add a bit of extra salt into the batter.
3. The tenders come out more evenly golden if baked on a rack. This is optional though, if you place it directly on the tray then the underside will get some darker golden patches.
4. 2. Ranch Dipping Sauce (optional)1/4 cup each mayonnaise (preferably whole egg) and sour cream2 tbsp milk1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar (or any other light coloured vinegar)1/4 tsp EACH dried parsley or dill, dried dill, dried fresh chives (Note a)1/2 tsp garlic powder (Note b)1/8 tsp salt + black pepper
Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
a) All the herbs can be substituted with fresh herbs, finely chopped. Double the quantity – i.e. use ½ tsp.
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the herbs. If you have at least 1, it will still taste similar to what it should taste like, just use more of the herbs you have (3/4 tsp dried herbs in total).
b) The garlic powder is a key flavour component, fresh garlic is not quite the same. If you want to substitute with fresh garlic, use 1 small clove, mince it then make sure you set the sauce aside for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE: Another simple sauce I often serve this with – mix together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp honey, 1 – 2 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.
* These ingredients are optional.
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings (no ranch dip).