Homemade chicken tenders are crispy, flavorful, and ready in 30 minutes or less! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce like honey mustard or ranch.
Why you'll love this recipe
Better than frozen. No long list of ingredients here! You'll know exactly what's in your meal when you make chicken tenders from scratch.
Crunchy coating. Panko bread crumbs and seasoning are turned into a crunchy, golden brown crust when fried.
Flavor: They're lightly seasoned with a mild, savory flavor that the entire family will enjoy.
Serve with: Chicken Dipping Sauce and Honey Mustard Sauce (shown)
Similar to: Homemade Chicken Nuggets and Spicy Chicken Nuggets
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Panko bread crumbs - Crunchier than traditional breadcrumbs, panko adds an extra crispy, crunchy crust to the outside of your chicken tenders.
- Flour - We're lightly coating the chicken in a thin layer of flour to help the egg and panko layers adhere.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika add a mild, savory flavor.
- Eggs - Help the panko crust adhere to the chicken pieces.
- Chicken - You'll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe.
- Oil - Pick up some vegetable oil with a high smoke point. We're frying our chicken tenders at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a nice, crispy crust.
How to make chicken tenders
- Slice chicken into long, thin pieces, and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Assemble your three bowls of flour, egg, and breading.
- Toss chicken pieces in the flour first, then egg, and breading last. Shake off excess to avoid breading from falling off while frying.
- Once your oil hits 350F, begin frying the chicken tenders in batches. Use an instant-read thermometer and remove tenders once they reach 165F in the center.
Tips and tricks
Pat chicken dry - Arguably one of the most important steps when breading chicken is to pat it dry all over with a paper towel before beginning. This process dries off excess juices that can cause the breading to slide off while frying.
Prepare breading in shallow bowls - Prepare all three shallow bowls along with a plate to place your breaded chicken. One bowl for the flour mixture, another bowl for the egg mixture, and a third bowl for the panko crust.
Shake to remove excess - While it may seem like more is better, it's best to shake off excess breading before continuing to the next layer. A thin layer of each ingredient (flour, egg, and panko) is ideal. Thin layers are less likely to fall off while frying and cook up nice and crispy.
Preheat your oil - Cooking oil needs to be 350 degrees Fahrenheit before beginning. If the oil is too cold, the breading will soak up oil and your tenders will turn out greasy. If the oil is too hot, the breading will burn before the chicken is cooked through in the center.
Use a meat thermometer - I highly recommend using a meat thermometer for best success. An instant read thermometer can help you determine your oil temperature as well as the internal temperature of your chicken tenders while they're frying.
Storage
Leftover chicken tenders will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
To freeze homemade chicken tenders, prepare them as directed below, then allow them to cool completely to room temperature. Place tenders on a parchment lined sheet pan and freeze until solid. Transfer frozen tenders to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
To reheat leftover tenders, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Yes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a skillet over medium heat, add panko bread crumbs and toast for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Pour into a shallow bowl and prepare the rest of the recipe as directed. Place your breaded tenders on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center.
Don't forget to pat your chicken dry with a paper towel before beginning. Breading will fall right off of wet, slimy chicken. Add thin layers of each ingredient (flour, egg, and bread crumbs). Thick layers of ingredients are more likely to fall off while frying. Take care not to nudge your tenders around too much while they're frying. Allow the breading to crisp up all around the chicken before moving it around.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Homemade Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (75 g) plain panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut your chicken breasts into long, 1 inch thick strips, trimming off excess fat and removing tendons. Pat chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel.
- In a shallow bowl, add your flour, half of the salt, and half of the pepper. Stir to combine.
- In a separate shallow bowl, add your eggs and whisk to combine.
- In a third shallow bowl, add the bread crumbs, remaining salt and pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir to combine.
- Toss chicken pieces in the flour mixture, lightly shaking to remove excess. Next, dip in the egg mixture and shake to remove excess. Then, toss your chicken pieces in the bread crumb mixture, lightly pressing to adhere the mixture to the chicken. Last, shake to remove excess bread crumbs and place on a clean plate.
- In a pot or pan with tall sides over medium heat, add 1 inch of oil. Heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook chicken tenders in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Flip halfway through and cook until golden brown on the outside and no longer pink in the center. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center (tenders cook very quickly, in about 3-4 minutes, so don't walk away while frying).
- Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain off excess grease before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Breading falling off?: Don't forget to pat your chicken dry with a paper towel before beginning. Breading will fall right off of wet, slimy chicken. Add thin layers of each ingredient (flour, egg, and bread crumbs). Thick layers fall off easily.
- Leftovers: Leftover chicken tenders will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Baking directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a skillet over medium heat, add panko bread crumbs and toast for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Pour into a shallow bowl and prepare the rest of the recipe as directed above. Place your breaded tenders on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!