Get ready for a dinner that will have everyone begging for more. These oven-baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders are coated in crunchy golden panko crumbs and have a delicious parmesan flavor. No one can resist this classic meal!
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Why You Will Love These
Crispy parmesan chicken tenders with ranch is an easy dinner that the whole family will enjoy. Serve them alone or with a creamy mac and cheese and sweet and spicy cole slaw for a full meal.
Skip the store-bought or drive thru chicken fingers though and make restaurant quality food in your own kitchen! Not only is it easy to do, but it will save you money. Stores charge over $6 a pound, while your favorite restaurants charge even more.
You won't be able to get enough of these homemade parmesan tenders! Each one is coated in crunchy, flavorful panko crumbs before being baked. Don't be surprised when they disappear in a hurry. It's just a sign to make more next time!
- Easy to Make - Breading chicken is easy to do with just a few ingredients.
- Great Flavor - A parmesan and panko coating gives them a delicious and crunchy taste. They bake up crispy on the outside and tender and juicy in the middle.
- Baked not Fried - Save time, calories, and an oily mess by baking these in your oven. There is no need to use oil to get that crispy texture.
- Save money - Save your hard earned money and make fresh tenders and nuggets for almost half the cost of frozen ones.
What are Chicken Tenderloins?
Tenderloins are the small part of the chicken breast that is attached to the bone on the underside. This cut of white meat is very tender and moist when cooked properly, hence the name.
Basic Ingredients
You only need a few main ingredients to make the best chicken tender recipe.
- Chicken Tenderloins - You will need at least one pound of chicken for 4 servings. If you are using frozen meat, let it thaw before coating. You could also use chicken breast and cut it into small pieces.
- Panko Crumbs - Panko crumbs are light and airy, which gives food a crispy and crunchy texture when fried or baked. You can use Italian breadcrumb mixture if you prefer, but they will not get as crispy.
- Parmesan Cheese - Grated parmesan cheese give these strips a nice flavor.
- Ranch Powder - Adds flavor to the breading and enhances the taste of the chicken.
- Buttermilk - This is used to tenderize the chicken and it allow the dry ingredients to stick when you are breading the chicken.
- Your Favorite Dipping Sauce - Feel free to use ketchup, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, or honey chipotle sauce. There is no wrong way to dip your tendies!
How to Make Panko Chicken Strips
These breaded chicken tenders are the perfect week night meal. They also make a great appetizer for parties or game nights.
- Marinate the chicken. Trim any fat from the tenderloins and place in a bowl. Pour buttermilk over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Toast the panko crumbs. Spread panko crumbs on a parchment lined tray and lightly spray with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for a few minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove and cool.
- Bread the tenders. Stir together the toasted crumbs, parmesan cheese, ranch powder, and pepper. Roll the chicken in the crumbs. Gently press on crumbs to coat.
- Bake and serve. Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet and place the crumb coated tenders on it. Spray them lightly with EVOO before baking around 15 minutes.
The secret to extra crispy chicken tenders? Toasting the panko crumbs before breading and baking chicken. It will give them a better crunch, and they will be extra golden in color.
Tips and Tricks
Cooking should be easy and not a chore. These are some tips I have found for making the best chicken tenders.
- Line your pan with foil or parchment paper to make clean up quick and painless.
- Add hot sauce to the buttermilk for a slight spicy flavor.
- Toast the panko crumbs ahead of time for a crunchier and gold brown tender.
- Make chicken nuggets by cutting the tenderloin or a chicken breast into bite sized chunks before breading and cooking them.
- Place a wire rack inside the sheet pan and place the breaded tenders on that for a crispier texture. This allows the hot air to pass over and under the entire tenderloin as they cook.
Have a favorite dipping sauce? These are so good on their own or you can dunk them in your favorite dipping sauce. They go great with avocado ranch dressing, spicy BBQ sauce, fry sauce and marinara sauce.
Storage
In the Refrigerator - Once the chicken tenders are cool, place leftovers in a ziplock bag or an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
In the Freezer - Flash freeze leftover parmesan chicken strips on a pan and then transfer to a freezer container. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheat - Heat the chicken in an oven, air fryer or microwave until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
FAQs
Yes you can. Cut the chicken breasts into strips or nuggets against the grain, so they retain their moisture.
Yes, they are part of the chicken breast. The main difference between chicken tenders and chicken breasts is their size and texture and where they are located. Chicken tenders are smaller, thinner, and more tender, while chicken breasts are larger, thicker, and more substantial.
This parmesan chicken strip recipe takes less than 20 minutes to bake at 400°. All ovens bake slightly different, so always cook to an internal temperature of 165°.
You can cook these tenders in an air fryer at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, flipping over halfway. Use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165°.
How to Serve
Chicken strips make a great protein to add to any side dish, soup, or salad. Here are a few of our favorite chicken tender meal ideas.
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Recipe
Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup dry ranch powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Trim any fat from the tenderloins. Pour buttermilk over the chicken in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread panko crumbs on tray and lightly spray with extra virgin olive oil. Bake 3-5 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove and cool.
- Stir together the toasted crumbs, parmesan cheese, ranch powder, and pepper. Roll the chicken in the crumbs. Gently press on crumbs to coat.
- Place a wire rack on baking sheet and place crumb coated tenders on it. Spray lightly with EVOO. Bake for 15-18 minutes (depending on size of tenders) or until internal temp is 165°. Do not over bake or chicken will not be juicy.
- Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve immediately with ranch dressing.
Notes
- Freezer Friendly - Cool baked tenders completely. Place in freezer safe bag and freeze for 2-3 months. To bake, place frozen tenders on a parchment lined tray. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until internal temp is 165°.
- Want a spicier chicken tender? Stir 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce in the buttermilk. (1 for milk, 2 for spicier)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 854mgCarbohydrates: 10gNet Carbohydrates: 4gFiber: 6gSugar: 1gProtein: 32g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for parmesan ranch chicken tenders was first published May 2015. It was updated and republished March 2023.
Meg
This is my first time visiting your lovely website and while I originally stopped by to pin another recipe, I must say I'm even more excited about these spicy parmesan ranch chicken tenders! This recipe has pretty much all of my boyfriend's favorite flavors so I think that means I have to make these for dinner this week! Thanks for creating such a great recipe. I'll be sure to come back to share how they turned out when I make them. Looking forward to becoming a regular reader.
Jocelyn
I am so glad you found a recipe to try out. Definitely keep me posted on how you guys like them. And I am so happy to have you here as a regular reader 🙂
Meg
Just wanted to stop back by and tell you that this recipe turned out wonderfully. The flavors were all present and accounted for and the chicken was absolutely moist and delicious. The recipe came together so quickly and, other than the buttermilk, I like that the ingredients are ones I usually have on hand without an extra trip to the store. I ended up freezing the leftover buttermilk in one-tablespoon measures in an ice tray and then storing the cubes in a freezer bag so it's not wasted.
I will definitely be adding this recipe to my regular rotation and look forward to trying more recipes from your site!
ChiChi
These chicken tenders looks really delicious. Love the parmesan ranch coating.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
I love the parmesan and ranch combo, Jocelyn! Sounds like it makes for one delicious chicken meal. And I love easy meals like this, too! Pinned!
Jocelyn
Thank you 🙂
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
Yes! I love the combination of parmesan and ranch together. The samples at wholesale stores are the best. There's a grocery store in CT that isn't wholesale, but they give out the best samples of cheese, homemade apple cider donuts, and other goodies. I can eat a meal just from the samples. I'm 24 and I would be happy eating chicken tenders every night of the week 😀
Jocelyn
We love when there are lots of samples...less time making dinner that night 😉 Nothing wrong with chicken tenders every night...I could totally do that too!
kentuckylady717
Yep, they look good and much healthier than the fast food ones.....but if you like McDonald's, you gotta try Wendy's.....they have the best ever.......and it is 100 % chicken......I don't know about McDonald's now, but they used to be horrible.....wasn't chicken....but some kind of chicken flavor fillers.....yuk so bad.....
But I will try these, don't need all the grease 🙂
Thanks,
Jocelyn
We like Wendy's and McDonald's chicken nuggets...I think they are both 100% chicken. Chickfila has some awesome chicken too!!!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
DINO MEAT. LOL! I was totally laughing out loud at that part. Seriously, what the heck? I cannot even imagine thinking that was dino meat. But I totally agree with you on sample day - I try to get as many samples as humanly possible without feeling totally gluttonous 🙂 These chicken tenders look like a total money saver and sound way better than dino nuggets... or their chicken counterpart!
Jocelyn
LOL! We seriously were cracking up the entire time we walked through the store! She was too funny!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
For years Jordan would ONLY eat Dino Nuggets. I should have told her they were made with dinosaurs. I was so happy when she finally ate "real" chicken tenders - love this recipe!
Jocelyn
Hahaha! That might have ended the dino nugget streak pretty quickly!
Beth
Dino meat?! This lady IS crazy!!! I know this would be a popular recipe if we had kiddos!
Jocelyn
Hahaha! Yeah, she sounded so crazy! And this is definitely a kid friendly meal!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
Dino meat? Yup, sample day is awesome, just like these chicken tenders. Love a new twist on a classic. Thanks for more great inspiration Jocelyn!
Jocelyn
Gotta love sample day and the crazy people attacking the booths 😉
Medha @ Whisk and Shout
These look amaIng! Love the bold flavor a and that they are baked 🙂
Jocelyn
Thank you!!!!