Make room in your monthly meal rotation for these oven-baked chicken tenders! With just seven ingredients and about 30 minutes from start to finish, they’re quick to prepare and bring familiar, kid-friendly flavors thanks to Cheez-Its and pretzels.
You’ll Love These
- Oven-baked, not fried. No need to heat oil or worry about splatters—just bake and relax while the oven does the work.
- Short, pantry-friendly ingredient list. Cheez-Its and pretzels create a crunchy, cheesy crust that’s easy to make with items many people already have on hand.
- Kid-approved. Familiar flavors help get picky eaters excited about a home-cooked meal instead of frozen alternatives.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a food processor, combine 1 cup Cheez-Its, 1 cup pretzels, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
3. Transfer the crumb mixture to a shallow dish. In another shallow bowl, whisk 2 eggs.
4. Working one tender at a time, dip each chicken tender into the beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off, then press it into the crumb mixture until well coated. Gently press the crumbs onto the chicken so they adhere.
5. Place breaded tenders on a cooling rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them at least an inch apart so air circulates all around.
6. Lightly spray the tops of the tenders with olive oil spray. Bake for 12 minutes, then flip each tender, spray the other side, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the crust is golden.
7. For extra crunch, broil for 1–2 minutes—watch closely to prevent burning.
8. While the chicken bakes, whisk together the sauce: 1/4 cup whole grain mustard, 1/4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, plus salt and pepper to taste. Adjust sweetness or tang to your preference.
9. Serve the chicken tenders warm with the honey mustard on the side.
Tips
- Mix or match the crumbs. If you don’t have both Cheez-Its and pretzels, using all of one or the other still yields a tasty, crunchy coating—pretzels add neutral crunch and Cheez-Its bring cheesy flavor.
- Use one wet hand and one dry hand. Dip tenders with one hand and bread with the other to keep the coating process tidy and avoid clumpy fingers.
- Cook on a rack over a baking sheet. Elevating the tenders allows air to circulate so the coating crisps evenly instead of getting soggy.
- Don’t skip the oil spray. A light coating of oil before baking helps achieve a golden, crisp crust without deep frying.
FAQ
Use a traditional breading method with a coarse crumb (pretzels and Cheez-Its in this recipe), then bake at a high temperature with a light spray of oil. Finishing under the broiler briefly will crisp the exterior further.
Bake the tenders on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet so hot air can circulate all around each piece. This keeps the coating crisp instead of trapping steam underneath.
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Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
These baked chicken tenders are an easy weeknight staple—cheesy, crunchy, and ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for families and great served with a simple honey mustard dipping sauce.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Chicken Tenders:
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 cup Cheez-Its
- 1 cup pretzels
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Olive oil spray
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Pulse Cheez-Its, pretzels, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a shallow dish.
- Whisk eggs in another shallow bowl.
- Coat each tender in egg, let excess drip off, then press into the crumb mixture.
- Place on a cooling rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing tenders at least 1″ apart.
- Spray the top of the tenders with olive oil spray and bake 12 minutes. Flip, spray the other side, and bake 10 more minutes until cooked through.
- Optional: broil 1–2 minutes for extra crispiness, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Whisk together sauce ingredients while the chicken bakes. Serve warm with sauce.
Notes
You can use all pretzels or all Cheez-Its if needed. Both work well—pretzels give crunch, Cheez-Its add cheesy flavor.
One wet hand, one dry hand. Dunk with one hand, bread with the other to keep things tidy.
Cook elevated on a rack for even crisping, and don’t skip the oil spray. These steps help prevent sogginess and promote a golden, crunchy crust.