Preheat your oven to 400°F. This is crucial for achieving the perfect cook on your chicken. While it’s heating up, line a rimmed baking sheet with a rack. The rack allows the hot air to circulate around the chicken, ensuring even cooking and crispiness.
To prepare the chicken, you need to remove the tendon from each chicken tender. Use the fork method: place the tip of the tendon between the tines of a fork and grip it with a paper towel. Pull hard. The tendon should come out cleanly, leaving your tender intact. This step is important for tenderness and a better eating experience.
Next, take a shallow dish and add the flour. Season it by adding ¼ teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Stir thoroughly to combine. This seasoned flour will give your chicken a fantastic base flavor.
In another shallow dish, crack open the egg and add 1 tablespoon of water along with a dash of hot sauce. Whisk until everything is blended and frothy. This will create a binder for the breadcrumbs.
For the final coating, take a third shallow dish and combine the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, along with ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika. Stir to combine. The parmesan will add a delightful nutty flavor to the crust.
Now, it’s time to coat the chicken. Dip each chicken tender in the seasoned flour first, ensuring a good coat. Then, move it to the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off before finally coating it thoroughly in the panko mixture. Make sure the tenders are completely covered. Place them onto the prepared rack.
Once all tenders are coated, spray the tops lightly with nonstick cooking spray. This will help to achieve that beautiful golden color.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. After this, flip each tender, spray again, and continue baking. You’ll be looking for the internal temperature to reach 165°F, which should take an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
As they come out of the oven, serve the Easy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders hot with your favorite dipping sauces like ranch or BBQ sauce. Enjoy your homemade crispy goodness!
