Looking to whip up your own fried chicken from the comfort of your own home? Then this recipe is for you! These Oven Baked Chicken Tenders are healthy, quick and easy to make. Rest assured, you won’t miss out on take out!
Do you like fried chicken?
If you’re not vegetarian or vegan and an American, I’m willing to bet your nodding your head YES, right?!
Well, this posts for you then!
To thank John (aka pops) for his great business tips from this weeks Ask the RDNs Accountant post, I decided to whip up his favorite, Oven Baked Chicken Tenders!
Truth be told, my dad is one of the few people who I know LOVES KFC.
Literally, when we moved into our house here in San Diego, he was the first one to tell me where I could find a KFC.
Now, I can honestly say I can’t remember the last time I ate at KFC, but I tested these on Mr. CEO who had KFC last month.
He gave them two thumbs way up on a side by side comparison scale with KFC.
How do I make baked chicken tenders healthy?
Well, you actually are already doing your heart a huge favor by baking these instead of deep frying them!
Baking them allows you to still get the crisp texture without the added fat from frying.
Plus, coating them with flaxseeds also helps increase the amount of heart-healthy fats your getting too!
Using a whole wheat panko or breadcrumb is great too. This gives the final dish more fiber to help provide more nutrition too.
How can I modify these based on my dietary needs?
Depending on what your dietary needs are, you can easily modify these to meet them.
For instance, here are some popular medications to make:
Keto: Swap the flour with an almond flour and the panko with a crushed pistachio or walnut coating.
Whole 30: Swap the flour with an almond flour and the panko with a crushed pistachio or walnut coating.
Gluten Free: Swap a gluten free flour like almond, quinoa or an all purpose baking flour for the flour, and use a gluten free breadcrumb.
Can I make these in my air fryer?
Yes!
To adjust for an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
Dredge the chicken tenders as directed below.
Before placing in the air fryer basket, liberally spray it with an olive oil mist.
Layer the tenders inside the basket, then close the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes, flip, and cook remaining 4 minutes.
Check the internal temperature of the tenders, they should read 165 degrees when cooked.
Repeat with remaining chicken tenders until all are cooked.
What pairs well with the chicken tenders?
To really create the KFC experience, I highly suggest pairing these with the following:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bar
And viola, dinner is served that won’t break the bank and is healthy, nutritious and delicious!
Pin for later:
Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat panko
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pat chicken tenders with a paper towel to ensure they are dry. Set aside.
- Mix flour with seasnoings in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs in a separte bowl, and then combine flour and flaxseed in a third bowl.
- Gently coat each chicken tender in the flour, then dip in eggs and cover with the panko breading. Set dredged chicken tenders on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat until all tenders are coated.
- Placed chicken in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove and serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate for 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Makenna says
Made this last night! Tasted awesome can’t wait to make again! Thanks!