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Home / Recipes

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

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By: Madeline Tague

Updated: April 29, 2024

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Use simple ingredients to make the best ever Oven Baked Chicken Tenders. These simple gluten free chicken tenders are perfect for kids and the young at heart.

Quick

Beginner-friendly

You’ll Learn: How to get juicy, golden chicken tenders without deep frying or a trip to the store

Worth It: Comfort food that fits a busy schedule

Bonus: Air fryer option to reheat crispy leftovers

Above view of easy oven baked chicken tenders on a serving plate

Skip the frozen chicken tenders and make these gluten free chicken tenders with 7 simple ingredients

Chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce are my #1 comfort food. When I am upset or stressed out I have a hard time eating anything, but I can ALWAYS eat that.

I used to buy the frozen chicken fingers from the grocery store and I do still love them, BUT I wanted to make a homemade chicken strips recipe with simpler ingredients.

In my opinion these homemade chicken tenders have all of the flavor of the store bought ones, but without all of the extra ingredients.

Crispy chicken tenders on a metal baking rack

What kitchen tools will I need to make these Oven Baked Chicken Tenders?

  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Baking sheet with wire rack

Why should I use a wire baking rack to bake these chicken tenders in the oven? What if I don’t have one?

I find that baking these chicken tenders on a wire rack on a baking sheet gives them a more even bake and allows them to crisp on all sides. If you don’t have a wire rack to bake on, do not worry.

Just bake the breaded chicken tenders on a baking sheet, but take them out half way through baking a flip them.

Above view of a hand grabbing a baked chicken strip

What ingredients will I need to make these healthy baked chicken tenders?

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make these oven baked chicken tenders at home with simple, grain free ingredients.

  • Boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins – If you cannot find chicken tenderloins, you can buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into tenders.
  • Egg
  • Almond flour
  • Grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Smoked paprika

You can customize this chicken recipe to include other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder and dried herbs.

Want to try another oven baked chicken tender recipe? Try this potato chip chicken recipe. It is extra crispy thanks to the potato chip breading.

Can I make these chicken tenders dairy free?

Yes! While I think the parmesan cheese enhances the flavor of these homemade chicken tenders, you can certainly make them without it.

Just use 1 full cup of almond flour and none of the parmesan cheese. Mix the spices in with the almond flour and continue the recipe as written.

Above view of a baked breaded chicken tender dipping into a honey mustard sauce

Let’s make Oven Baked Chicken Tenders!

Step 1: Prep breading station

To begin, preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on the baking sheet. Then, whisk the egg in a shallow bowl.

In a separate shallow bowl combine the almond flour, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and smoked paprika.

Step 2: Bread chicken tenders

Then, bread the chicken tenders by dipping them in the egg mixture then pressing into the almond flour mixture. Next, place each tender on the wire rack on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 3: Bake chicken tenders in the oven until Golden brown

Once all tenders are breaded, spray on both sides with a spray oil – I used avocado oil. Then, place in the oven to back at 450F for 13 minutes.

Then, after 13 minutes, increase the oven heat to a broil without removing the tenders from the oven. Leave the tenders to cook for 3 mores minutes and then remove from the tenders from the oven.

The internal temperature should be at least 165F. Finally, allow the chicken tenders to cool slightly and enjoy!

Step 4: Enjoy!

Above view of crispy baked chicken tenders served with a honey mustard dipping sauce

How long will these chicken tenders keep in the fridge?

Once prepared, allow the tenders too cool completely then store in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

It is best to reheat these chicken tenders in the oven or air fryer to keep them crispy.

Serving these crispy chicken fingers with your favorite sauce!

I like to serve them with a homemade honey mustard sauce and french fries, but any of the following sauces would be perfect!

  • Healthy Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
  • Homemade Spicy Mayo
  • Homemade Ranch Dressing

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Image for pinning oven baked chicken tenders recipe on Pinterest

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

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Recipe

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

4.92 from 12 votes
Simple gluten free oven baked chicken tenders
Recipe By: Madeline Tague
Cook: 16 minutes minutes
Print Review Pin It SaveSaved!
Servings: 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts cut into tenders
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • Spray oil – I used avocado oil
  • ** for dairy free chicken tenders use 1 cup almond flour and omit the parmesan cheese
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on the baking sheet
  • Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl
  • In a separate shallow bowl combine the almond flour, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and smoked paprika
  • Bread the chicken tenders by dipping them in the egg then pressing into the almond flour mixture 
  • Place on the wire rack on the baking sheet
  • Once all tenders are breaded, spray on both sides with a spray oil – I used avocado
  • Place in the oven to back at 450F for 13 minutes
  • After 13 minutes, increase the oven heat to a broil without removing the tenders from the oven
  • Leave the tenders to cook for 3 mores minutes and then remove from the tenders from the oven
  • The internal temperature should be at least 165F
  • Allow the chicken tenders to cool slightly and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 3g, Calories: 399kcal (20%), Carbohydrates: 8g (3%), Protein: 43g (86%), Fat: 22g (34%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 161mg (54%), Sodium: 778mg (34%), Potassium: 606mg (17%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 304IU (6%), Vitamin C: 2mg (2%), Calcium: 174mg (17%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

Did you make my Oven Baked Chicken Tenders?

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About

Madeline Tague

Hi, I’m Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let’s get cooking!
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4.92 from 12 votes

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Recipe Rating




21 responses

  1. Mary Henderson
    May 1, 2022

    5 stars
    The family and I loved these!
    I put them directly on the pan and flipped them half way through. Turned out just right!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      May 2, 2022

      thanks Mary! so glad the whole fam loved it

      Reply
  2. Renee Aguilar
    April 3, 2022

    4 stars
    Yummy! The whole family enjoyed it & asked me to make it again soon!

    Reply
  3. Gina Lockwood
    January 8, 2022

    5 stars
    Love this quick and easy recipe! It’s also delicious and grandkids loved it too! Definitely will make again for extras to have to cut up for salads.

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      January 9, 2022

      thanks Gina! love when littles like my recipes!

      Reply
  4. Erin
    December 7, 2021

    5 stars
    My go-to way to make chicken tenders!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      December 8, 2021

      yay thanks Erin!

      Reply
  5. Claire
    October 12, 2021

    5 stars
    Very delicious recipe! My tenders didn’t come out as pretty…maybe because my parmesan wasn’t as finely grated, but would 10/10 make again. Love an easy quick prep dinner. I roasted some brussel sprouts on the other oven rack while the tenders baked.

    Reply
  6. Claire
    October 4, 2021

    5 stars
    The best addition to any salad!!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      October 5, 2021

      Love it! Thanks Claire!

      Reply
  7. Bethany
    September 17, 2021

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved them, even my son who is a picky eater. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Jenna
    January 10, 2021

    5 stars
    I always gauge my family’s reaction to the healthier recipes I make and these were a total win! My dad taste tested to make sure the chicken was fully cooked and he said they were delicious— and I agree 🙂 so perfect for a football sunday.

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      January 11, 2021

      Love that! THank you!!

      Reply
  9. Morgan
    January 8, 2021

    5 stars
    Holy moly. These babies are out of this world! Never would I have thought to use smoked paprika (it’s a very strong smell!) but good lord does it make the world of difference!! I forgot to spray the last round I made with oil before baking – don’t make that mistake!! These are incredible!!!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      January 8, 2021

      oo yes definitely make sure you spray. SO glad you enjoyed them!! thank you!!

      Reply
  10. Alicia
    November 21, 2020

    5 stars
    Love these! So easy and my toddler even ate them!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      November 25, 2020

      oh thats so great!! Thank you!!

      Reply
  11. Carly
    November 20, 2020

    5 stars
    Who knew adding some spices and baking almond flour chicken tenders could make SUCH a difference?! Made the ones without dairy and still came out delicious! You must make these! Quick prep time and cook time! These are a new favorite in our house! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      November 20, 2020

      Aw thank you!! This makes me so happy!!

      Reply
  12. Tara Durkot
    November 17, 2020

    5 stars
    Made this tonight for my family and everyone loved it. It was easy enough and we will likely always have the ingredients on hand so definitely will add this into the rotation. We made the chik-fil-a dipping sauce to accompany it and loved that as well! Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Madeline
      November 19, 2020

      amazing!! Thank you!!

      Reply

Welcome

Hi, I’m Madeline – food blogger and recipe developer based just outside Philadelphia. Join me for simple, comforting recipes designed for the whole family. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast, and let’s get to cooking!

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