These crispy baked chicken tenders are made with chicken tenderloins soaked in buttermilk, coated in seasoned panko and baked until golden and crunchy. They turn out tender and juicy every time without any need for frying.

Other easy chicken recipes we love include this Chick-fil-A nuggets recipe and my baked Parmesan ranch chicken.

Close-up of golden crispy baked chicken tenders on a wire cooling rack.

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Key Takeaways: Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Marinate time: 15–30 minutes
  • Cook time: 15–20 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Method: Oven-baked
  • Simple ingredients: Chicken tenderloins, buttermilk, panko, Parmesan and a few seasonings.
  • Easy family dinner: Crispy, juicy chicken tenders that both kids and adults love.

Why I Love This Recipe

When it comes to kid-friendly dinners, baked chicken tenders are always a win at our house. My family loves them just as much as baked chicken wings and baked BBQ chicken, so they’re an easy go-to when I need something everyone will eat.

I recently retested this recipe and increased the panko for even more crunch, along with a little more seasoning for extra flavor. I also love baking the chicken tenders on a wire rack, which helps the coating stay crisp instead of getting soggy on the bottom, all while skipping the mess of frying.

XO - Jamielyn

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for baked chicken tenders including chicken tenderloins, panko breadcrumbs, buttermilk, Parmesan, olive oil and seasonings.
  • Chicken tenderloins: These are actually different than the breast although if you don’t have tenderloins you can cut chicken breast into thin pieces.
  • Buttermilk: Buttermilk tenderizes the meat as well as helps the coating adhere. It’s easy to make your own buttermilk at home with milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: Homemade breadcrumbs work as well, they just won’t be as crispy.
  • Parmesan cheese: While optional, fresh grated Parmesan adds both flavor and contributes to the crunch chicken coating.
  • Seasonings: Seasoned salt, garlic powder, paprika salt and pepper.
  • Cooking spray: Spray tenderloins with cooking spray to help them get crispy in the oven.

Variations

  • Feel free to add extra seasonings to the breading mixture, like Italian seasoning, dry ranch seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning.
  • If you don’t have tenderloins on hand, slice a chicken breast into strips. I’d recommend using a meat mallet to help tenderize the breasts, since they usually aren’t as tender. This will also help ensure they aren’t too thick.
  • Make them into oven baked chicken bites instead, great for small kids or if you plan to use them with salad or in a wrap.

How to Make Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenderloins marinating in seasoned buttermilk in a glass bowl.

Step 1: Add the chicken tenderloins to a bowl with buttermilk, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Toss to coat and let marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Chicken tenderloins being coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs with kitchen tongs.

Step 2: In a shallow bowl, combine the panko, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and paprika.

Breaded chicken tenderloins arranged on a wire rack before baking.

Step 3: Remove each tender from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press into the panko mixture until well coated. Place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil.

Crispy baked chicken tenders arranged on a wire rack over a baking sheet.

Step 4: Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and the chicken reaches 165°F internally. The wire rack helps the tenders crisp on all sides without flipping.

Recipe Tips

  • Soak chicken in milk: If you want super tender and juicy chicken, make sure to soak the meat in buttermilk for at least 15-30 minutes prior to baking. The enzymes in the milk help break down the protein in the meat, creating a super tender result.
  • Well-coated with breading: For a crispy and perfectly breaded result, it’s important that the tenders are well-coated with the panko mixture. I love to add the breading to a large zip top bag, add the chicken and shake.
  • Double coat for extra crispy: While the first coat makes them crispy, there’s always an option to double coat the meat so that it’s extra crispy. Simply dunk the chicken in the milk right after the first coat and then re-coat with the breading again.
  • Avoid overcooking. Don’t overcook or they won’t be as tender. Remove from the oven as soon as they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving these oven-baked chicken tenders with dipping sauces and homemade french fries. Since everyone in my family has a different favorite, I usually set out BBQ sauce, ketchup, honey mustard sauce and buffalo sauce so everyone can choose what they love.

Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders FAQs

Is it better to cook chicken tenderloins at 350 or 400°F?

I prefer baking chicken tenderloins at 400°F. The higher heat cooks them quickly while helping the panko coating turn golden and crispy. At 350°F, they take longer to cook and the breading may not get quite as crunchy.

How do you get chicken crispy when baked in the oven?

Panko breadcrumbs are key for a crunchy coating. Lightly spray the breaded chicken with olive oil and bake the tenders on a wire rack so hot air can circulate underneath. This keeps the bottoms from getting soggy and helps them crisp evenly without frying.

Does cornstarch or flour make chicken crispy?

Cornstarch is better for adding extra crispiness because it helps absorb moisture. I don’t use flour or cornstarch in this recipe, but you can mix a little cornstarch into the panko coating if you’d like an even crunchier texture.

Do you need to flip chicken tenders when baking?

Not when you bake them on a wire rack. The rack allows hot air to circulate underneath, so the coating can crisp on both sides without flipping.

Crispy baked chicken tenders served with ketchup and dipping sauce on a white plate.

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Other easy chicken recipes we love include these baked chicken thighs, Parmesan crusted chicken or chicken schnitzel.

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Close-up of golden crispy baked chicken tenders on a wire cooling rack.

Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

5 from 15 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Marinate Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Crispy oven baked chicken tenders made with tenderloins soaked in buttermilk then seasoned with panko coating. Juicy inside, golden outside, and perfect for an easy family dinner.
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Ingredients 

Chicken

  • 1 pound chicken tenderloins
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

Breading

  • 1 ½ cups panko crumbs , see notes
  • 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan , optional but recomended
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • spray olive oil , or drizzle

Optional: Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together buttermilk, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Soak chicken in buttermilk for 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Move the oven rack one spot up from the center position. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a shallow bowl mix 1 cup panko, 2 Tablespoon parmesan, 1 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Using tongs, transfer the chicken into the bowl and press down the crumbs to adhere.
  • Place chicken on the wire rack. Spray generously with olive oil (or drizzle some over top). Bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°F and the tops are crisp. Be careful not to overcook or they won't be as tender.
  • Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately, or return to a wire rack in a 170°F oven to keep warm and crispy until ready to serve.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Bread crumbs: To get your chicken tenders more of a golden color, place the bread crumbs on a pan and spray with oil. Bake 3 minutes or until golden and then set aside for dipping.
Dip: Here’s a quick recipe for my honey mustard sauce.
Crispy: You can turn the oven to broil for the final minute of cooking to get an extra-crispy texture. Watch closely so they don’t burn. Remove from the oven when golden brown.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fry for crispy results.
Recipe change: We replaced the extra flour with more crumbs to make these tenders more crispy. 7/27/26

Nutrition

Serving: 2tenders, Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 1023mg, Potassium: 353mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 194IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.