Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Tenders
All you need is 5 ingredients and 30 minutes to make easy and crispy oven fried chicken for the whole family! Crunchy outside and tender within, this healthier fried chicken is a winner!
Plus, no flour or eggs required, only a buttermilk marinade and a very special coating made with super simple ingredients.This recipe is crazy easy, totally foolproof and SO delicious. I'm pretty sure your family will go crazy over this oven fried chicken as much as mine does!
WHAT'S THE SECRET FOR CRISPY OVEN FRIED CHICKEN?
To give my chicken the same crunchiness as the fried version, I've come up with a special coating mix that makes this baked chicken just as crisp as deep fried.
Plus it can be easily made gluten-free by using GF cornflakes & breadcrumbs.
The coating is made with just 5 simple ingredients: finely crumbled cornflakes, mixed with super crunchy panko breadcrumbs, a little bit of oil and a few favorite seasonings.
The result is a sticky coating that makes this crispy oven fried chicken amazingly crunchy on the outside, whilst preserving the chicken meat tender and moist within.
EXTRA TIPS FOR PERFECTLY CRISPY OVEN FRIED CHICKEN:
Even though the coating is critical for a super crunchy result, there are few extra tips that will ensure your oven fried chicken turns out perfectly every time!
Chicken: This recipe calls for mini chicken breast fillets, but it works well with whole/halved chicken breast, drumsticks and wings, but you'll need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
To ensure the chicken is moist and juicy, use evenly sized pieces, and cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of is 165° Fahrenheit (75° Celsius).
Buttermilk marinade: Make sure to marinate the chicken in the buttermilk for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. This will make your chicken super tender and the coat will stick easily without falling off.
Hot baking tray: Preheating your oven, as well as your baking tray, helps give an even browning and caramelization as soon as you pop the chicken in the oven.
This fool-proof trick will give you nice and crispy chicken without the need to turn it during the cooking time.
FAVOURITE WAYS TO SERVE OVEN FRIED CHICKEN:
Garlicky Yogurt dip: One of my favourite ways to enjoy my oven fried chicken is with a LARGE serving of sweet potato fries and this delicious garlicky yogurt dip.
Homemade Ketchup: The evergreen combo fried chicken + ketchup is loved by both kids and grown-ups, plus homemade ketchup tastes A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
Peri Peri Sauce Dip: Fiercely spicy and rich, this dip is just the perfect match for crispy oven fried chicken!
This oven fried chicken is overly crispy on the outside, and deliciously juicy and tender inside with just enough spices to make your taste-buds rejoice.
It really has it all it takes to become your new favourite lighter fakeaway fried chicken recipe!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!
Recipe
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 400 g boneless skinless mini chicken breast fillets, or large chicken breast evenly sliced
- 250 ml buttermilk, see notes for homemade buttermilk
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 120 g cornflakes
- 2 tablespoon panko breadcrumbs
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
- ½ teaspoon ground garlic, optional
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large casserole dish, pour the buttermilk and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in the buttermilk and mix until evenly coated. Cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 180 C /365 F and arrange a baking tray in the middle shelf.
- Place cornflakes, panko, olive oil, spices (if using) in a food processor, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until finely crumbled and place in a large bowl.
- Shake off the excess buttermilk from the chicken, then dip each piece in the cornflakes mixture and coat evenly, patting with fingers to make the crumbs stick.
- Cover the hot baking tray with parchment paper, spray with a little olive oil and arrange the chicken tenders over it.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken internal temperature reaches 73°C / 165°F.
- Take the chicken out of the oven and serve immediately with your favorite dips.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
My family doesn't like chicken breast. Can this be done with skinless/boneless thighs? If so, any modifications?
Absolutely! The only thing I suggest it to take each chicken thigh and place it between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken thigh flat (be careful not to tear the chicken), then follow the recipe.
Love these - thank you!
Corn flakes used in chicken tenders are two things that never cross your mind until you read about and you wonder why this isn't a thing? It absolutely works from how good your tenders look! I'll be tossing this in my need to recreate pile.
Okay, the fact that these are oven fried AND ready in under 30 minutes is a game changer. Shocking, but my 3 yo positively loves chicken tenders. We make them from scratch a lot but I usually pan fry them. We will definitely be trying this!
Totally a game changer! My family loves crispy chicken tenders, and I've been experimenting with the recipe a lot over the years. I used to pan fry them, but once I tried this oven version there was no coming back!
These look really good! The chili sounds like a terrific compliment to the chicken!
I appreciate that these are egg and flour free! They look so deliciously crisp! Dipping them in a piri piri sauce sounds amazing!
These look so perfectly golden and crispy. I don't think I've ever seen such a simple recipe for baked chicken!
I'm drooling now! I've always had trouble getting my oven fried chicken crispy on the underside. I think your trick of preheating the pan might be the solution!
They look so crunchy and crisp! Love it!
This recipe looks so up my alley! I can't wait to try making it for dinner!
Cornflakes are a great way to make chicken crispy! This looks like perfection. There are a couple boys in my house that would go nuts for this!
I love how easy these chicken tenders are to prepare. Easy and super crispy. These are way better than any frozen chicken from the grocer. I love the sauces that you have paired with the chicken too!
I love oven frying things. It's so much easier!!
Using cornflakes is a brilliant way to keep that tasty crunch right out of the oven. What a fantastic and healthier alternative to traditional fried chicken.
This chicken looks so good and delicious!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Using cornflakes is an awesome idea, can't wait to try this!
Thank you Emily! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
They look amazing! I bet these with chili sauce is a perfect combination ?
No flour and no eggs are truly a plus!
Thank you so much Natalie! Yes, no flour and eggs make these super easy and mess-free to prepare!