These juicy buttermilk marinated chicken tenders are crisped with a panko and Parmesan crunch, with directions for baking or cooking in the air fryer.
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“Made the baked version of these last night. Very easy, very delicious and very crispy…just as promised!” -Erica, FoodieCrush reader
Baked or Air Fried Chicken Tenders — Cook’s Choice!
While there are times for enjoying a crunchy piece of finger lickin’ good fried chicken, weeknight dinners that need to be ready quick and with minimal mess isn’t exactly that time.
Unlike the deep fried variety, this homemade chicken tender recipe made with panko and a bit of Parmesan cheese delivers two wholesome methods to achieve that crispy, crunchy bite by simply baking or air frying for any fast weeknight meal. And they’re so good you just might break them out for the weekend too.
This breaded chicken tenders recipe comes from Aimée Wimbush-Baourgue, the author of the recipe blog Simple Bites, and her cookbook The Simple Bites Kitchen: Nourishing Whole Food Recipes for Everyday, featuring 100 wholesome, family-focused recipes inspired by her modern yet homespun kitchen where everyone is invited to take a seat and dig in alongside her.
Thanks to Instagram, you guys helped me choose this recipe as the one to share from her new cookbook.
Because who won’t admit to loving a crispy chicken tender??
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Grind or shred a block of Parmesan yourself. It will melt so much better than the powdered kind in a shaker can, plus the flavor will be richer.
- Slicing chicken breasts yourself results in larger, juicier chicken tenders. Of course, you’re welcome to use pre-cut chicken tenderloins from the meat section of your grocery store, but they’ll be thinner and probably more expensive.
- Go ahead and make a double batch! You can use the leftovers throughout the week for lunchtime salads, wraps, and over meal prepped grains with roasted vegetables.
What You’ll Need for the Marinade and Breading
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
For the Buttermilk Marinade
Buttermilk marinated chicken tenders are super moist and tender thanks to the acidic buttermilk. It breaks down any tough muscle fibers in the chicken and makes every bite fork tender.
The marinade is a simple combination of buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and smoked paprika. That’s it!
For the Panko Breading
The breading is made using a dipping system. Buttered panko breadcrumbs go into one bowl, beaten eggs in another, and a simple seasoned flour mixture in the last bowl.
Heidi’s Tip: Use Japanese panko in lieu of breadcrumbs. The flakier panko keeps the dredged coating crispier compared to regular, finer bread crumbs. Amy’s tip to add browned butter to the panko crumbs helps create a more golden crust when baked.
How to Make Super Crisp Chicken Tenders
- Marinate the chicken tenders. To make sure the chicken breasts are juicy and tender, a buttermilk marinade tenderizes the strips and is best if allowed to soak overnight.
- Create your dipping stations. The buttered panko, beaten egg, and seasoned flour mixture go into three shallow dishes for easy dredging.
- Bread, then bake. Once the chicken tenders have had plenty of time to marinate, dredge them in the panko coating and bake until crispy and golden.
Heidi’s Tip: If you’re looking for an even crispier buttermilk chicken tender that doesn’t take any more time and zero oil but delivers an amazingly crispy crunch, you’ve gotta try the air fryer. Instructions have been provided for both cooking methods in the recipe card below.
Dipping Sauces We Love
No chicken tender dinner is complete without a dipping sauce or two! Keep things simple with a squirt of ketchup, or make one of the following for dunking each and every crispy bite:
- Ranch dressing
- BBQ sauce
- Blue cheese dressing
- Fry sauce
- Honey mustard (combine equal parts honey and any kind of mustard you like)
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Breading
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup ground Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- Honey mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, or Ranch dressing , for dipping
Instructions
- Use a chef’s knife to trim the fat from the chicken breasts and cut into tenders, about 5 per breast. Tap the thicker parts of the tenders with the flat part of the knife to even the thickness, about ½ inch at most.
- In a bowl or jar with a fitted lid, combine the buttermilk with half of the Worcestershire sauce, and half of the salt and pepper and paprika. Add to a gallon freezer bag with the chicken and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, watching closely as the butter melts and begins to foam and changes to a golden color with a nutty aroma. Remove the browned butter from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Combine the panko and the butter on a plate, tossing until well combined, then add the Parmesan cheese and toss. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining Worcestershire sauce. On another plate, toss the flour with the remaining salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
- Drain the chicken and discard the buttermilk. Using tongs, work with one tender at a time and dredge the chicken through the flour to coat, then the egg, and then the panko.
To Bake:
- Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly brush a wire rack with oil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the crumb-coated chicken on the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the panko is pale golden and the chicken is cooked through. Finish the chicken under the broiler for a crispier, more browned coating.
To Air Fry:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the chicken tenders in the basket, adding in batches so not to crowd or overlap.
- Cook for 13-15 minutes, flipping the chicken half way through so they're crispy on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tenders.
- Serve with sauces.
Notes
- While this recipe is terrific for an easy dinner, it’s smart to make a double batch while you’re cooking, to use through the week for lunchtime salads, wraps, and over meal prepped grains with roasted vegetables or roasted broccoli.
- Chicken tenders can be refrigerated for 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen for 20-25 min at 350°F.
Nutrition
Freezing and Reheating Instructions
To freeze: Let the breaded chicken tenders cool completely, then seal them in a zip-top freezer bag. They can be reheated from frozen for 20-25 minutes at 350°F.
To reheat: Whatever you do, don’t microwave buttermilk chicken tenders! That’s a surefire way to turn them into rubber. Instead, reheat the crispy chicken tenders in a 350ºF oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
What to Serve with Chicken Tenders
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini
- Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
- Garlic Rosemary Fries
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
More Crispy Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Crispy Smoked Paprika Chicken
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Milanese
- Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken
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Patty
This is our first air fryer recipe and we absolutely loved them. The recipe was spot on. They were crispy on the outside and perfectly done inside.
The Mule
Okay, these were amazing!! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe. My husband even liked them and he is so, so picky!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
I am so glad they won him over!
robert
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Again thanks for valuable data and giving your users a perfect advice to save time. I’m looking forward to seeing more related content. Keep up the good work. Thank you
Jessica Simmons
Cooking is indeed an act of love; love for your family and friends and love for yourself too. Crispy chicken tenders are great for those get-togethers with friends. They make amazing appetizers for parties and loved by children too. Loved the recipes!
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Hey Heidi,
these were DELICIOUS!! The kids really enjoyed it and we are going to do it more often! We are loving it.
Thank you soooo much.
With love
Jonas
Erica
Made the baked version of these last night. Very easy, very delicious and very crispy…just as promised!
Annie
This recipe was an excuse for me to finally buy an air fryer, and it totally delivered! I bought pre-cut tenders but followed the rest of the recipe exactly as written. I only needed to cook for 12 minutes so I recommend checking on your chicken on the first batch. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Alverno
What a creative and delicious recipe! I love the beautiful color and I can just imagine how fabulous these are! I”ll need to get these on the baking plan!
Richard Benchimol
Great idea of soaking the chicken breast overnight. I never tried it before. Of course, thanks for the recipe.
Laura | Tutti Dolci
Seriously mouthwatering – both versions look incredible!
Sportmax
Thanks!And thanks for sharing your great posts every week!
farzad
wooow so good