Ranch chicken tenders are crispy, juicy, and packed with ranch seasoning. For even more ranch flavor, serve them with your favorite ranch dipping sauce.
Why you'll love this recipe
Flavor: Seasoned with mild, savory flavors like dill, garlic, parsley, and onion. Tastes like your favorite ranch dressing!
Texture: These chicken tenders have a crunchy panko crust that turns out extra crispy when fried.
Better than frozen. No long list of ingredients, so you know exactly what's going into your next meal. It's easier than you think to make chicken tenders from scratch.
Serve with: Homemade Ranch Dip or Chicken Dipping Sauce
Similar to: Homemade Chicken Tenders and Homemade Chicken Nuggets
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Panko bread crumbs - Crunchier than traditional breadcrumbs, so they create an extra crispy, crunchy crust.
- Flour - We're lightly coating the chicken in a thin layer of flour to help the egg and panko layers adhere.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder add mild, savory flavor that's reminiscent of favorite ranch dressing.
- 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 breasts into thin, 1 inch thick pieces.
- Prepare three bowls with: flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs.
- Carefully bread all of your chicken tenders, shaking to remove excess coating before moving to the next bowl.
- Fry your chicken tenders in batches and use an instant-read thermometer to ensure they're perfectly cooked.
Tips and tricks
Pat chicken dry - One of the most important steps when breading chicken is to pat the pieces all over with a paper towel before beginning. This process removes excess juices that can cause the breading to slide off while frying.
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 will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
To freeze 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
I like to make chicken tenders with some Cheesy Roasted Potatoes or a Garden Salad for an easy meal.
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.
To reheat leftover tenders, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Ranch 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
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Slice 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, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder. 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℉ 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!