My crispy Panko chicken tenderloins are dredged in flour, egg, and seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, then baked to golden perfection! With succulent white meat chicken tenders and crunchy Parmesan breading, everyone will enjoy this easy chicken dinner recipe! Just grab your favorite dipping sauces!
Jump to:
- Baked Chicken Tenders With A Crunch
- 🥘 Ingredients
- 🔪 How To Make Crispy Panko Chicken Tenderloins
- 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- 🥡 Storing & Reheating
- Freezing
- ❔ Can I Freeze Unbaked Panko Breaded Chicken
- ❔How Do I Keep Panko Breading From Falling Off Chicken
- ❔Can I Make Panko Breading In Advance
- 🍽️ What To Serve With Chicken Tenderloins
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
Baked Chicken Tenders With A Crunch
If your kids always ask for chicken tenders, these baked Panko tenderloins are so good that you won't mind eating them every night! They bake up beautifully golden brown with a satisfying crunch on the outside and tender, juicy white meat chicken on the inside.
It's one of my family's favorite chicken tenderloin recipes that we honestly never get tired of. We're big on condiments in this house, so each of us getting to choose our favorite dipping sauces is a plus!
🥘 Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour - ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour or a flour substitute. This will go in the first dish at your dredging station.
- Eggs - 1-2 large beaten eggs or an egg substitute for the second bowl at your dredging station.
- Panko - 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs combined with the cheese and following seasonings will go in the third bowl.
- Parmesan Cheese - ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese or a Parmesan substitute to mix with the Panko.
- Basil - 1 teaspoon of dried basil or a basil substitute.
- Paprika - ½ teaspoon of paprika or a paprika substitute
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon each of salt & pepper (to taste).
- Chicken Tenderloins - 1 pound of chicken tenderloins or tenders.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Crispy Panko Chicken Tenderloins
Get out 3 shallow plates or bowls, your measuring utensils, and a baking sheet to get started.
1 pound of chicken tenders is about 4 servings. Use the 2x and 3x functions on the recipe card below to scale the recipe up as needed!
Prep
Step 1: Preheat. Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃/Gas Mark 7) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: Set up dredging station. Set out 3 bowls or shallow plates for a dredging station. Add ⅓ cup (41.67 grams) of all-purpose flour to the first dish. Beat 1-2 large eggs (50-100 grams) in the second dish. Mix 1 cup (60 grams) of Panko, ½ cup (50 grams) of Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon (1 gram) of dried basil, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) each of salt & pepper in the third dish.
Dredge Chicken
Step 3: Coat with flour. Pat 1 pound of chicken tenderloins dry, then gently set and press them individually into the flour to coat on all sides.
Step 4: Coat in egg and Panko. Shake to remove excess flour, then dip and roll in the egg to coat. Let excess egg drip off before rolling and gently pressing in the seasoned panko mixture until evenly coated.
Step 5: Repeat. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining tenderloins.
Bake Tenderloins
Step 6: Bake. Bake at 425℉ (220℃/Gas Mark 7) for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (74℃) and the breading is golden brown and crispy.
Step 7: Grab dipping sauce and enjoy. Remove from oven and serve hot with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Pick up a container of Panko at the grocery store or make your own Panko breadcrumbs at home!
- For extra crispy chicken tenderloins, lightly spritz them with cooking oil before baking.
- To be sure your chicken is done, stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of a few tenders. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165℉ (74℃).
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let your chicken cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight storage container with a lid or a sealed Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing
Flash-freeze the baked tenderloins on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours. Once mostly frozen, you can transfer them to a Ziploc freezer bag. This keeps them from sticking together, so you can grab only a couple if you want to! They're best enjoyed within 2 months.
Reheating
Thaw frozen chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating. Place leftovers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6) for 15 minutes.
❔ Can I Freeze Unbaked Panko Breaded Chicken
Yes! You can coat the raw tenders in flour, egg, and panko, then freeze them instead of baking them. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before baking as instructed.
❔How Do I Keep Panko Breading From Falling Off Chicken
First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels before coating it with flour. Be sure you are gently shaking off the excess flour and eggs before coating the tenders with Panko. Lightly press each tender down into the breadcrumb mixture on all sides to help it adhere. You should also leave space between each tender on the baking sheet because if they touch each other, it could rub off the breading.
❔Can I Make Panko Breading In Advance
You can season your Panko breadcrumbs and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for several months. I recommend waiting to bread the tenders until just before baking for the crispiest results.
🍽️ What To Serve With Chicken Tenderloins
I served these chicken tenders with marinara sauce this go around. They are also great dipped in ranch dressing, honey mustard sauce, cajun sauce, honey BBQ sauce, and just about anything else!
1. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes and chicken tenders are a classic pairing made even better with homemade chicken gravy or country gravy!
Sweet potato fries and crispy chicken combine for the perfect sweet and savory flavor balance. Try them with my quick sweet potato fry dip!
3. White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
A plate of crispy tenders and rich and creamy white cheddar mac and cheese is my idea of classic comfort food! You can't go wrong with any of my mac and cheese recipes!
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📖 Recipe Card
Crispy Panko Chicken Tenderloins
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1-2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup Panko
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃/Gas Mark 7) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Set out 3 bowls or shallow plates for a dredging station. Add ⅓ cup all-purpose flour to the first dish. Beat 1-2 large eggs in the second dish. In the third dish, mix together the 1 cup Panko, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper.
Dredge The Chicken Tenderloins
- Pat dry 1 lb chicken tenderloinsthen gently set and press them individually into the flour to coat on all sides.
- Shake to remove excess flour, then dip and roll in the egg to coat. Let excess egg drip off before rolling and gently pressing in the seasoned panko mixture until evenly coated.
- Transfer to your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining tenderloins.
Bake The Tenderloins
- Bake at 425℉ (220℃/Gas Mark 7) for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (74℃) and the breading is golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from oven and serve hot with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Pick up a container of Panko at the grocery store or make your own Panko breadcrumbs at home!
- For extra crispy chicken tenderloins, lightly spritz them with cooking oil before baking.
- To be sure your chicken is done, stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of a few tenders. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165℉ (74℃).
- Let your chicken cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight storage container with a lid or a sealed Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Flash-freeze the baked tenderloins on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours. Once mostly frozen, you can transfer them to a Ziploc freezer bag. This keeps them from sticking together, so you can grab only a couple if you want to! They're best enjoyed within 2 months.
- Thaw frozen chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating. Place leftovers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6) for 15 minutes.
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