Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Really crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders

There is no feel-good story behind these crunchy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders. Quite simply, I am yet to meet anything deep fried that I didn’t love, but a) my waistline can’t afford the real thing every time I feel like it; and b) I reserve deep frying for “special occasions”. Because… well, you know. Mess, oil wastage, gluey fingers. Waistline. Bottom expansion. Etc etc. It also irritated me no end that the breadcrumbs always came out splotchy, no matter how much oil I used. So this is how I make baked crumbed chicken.

Baked breaded chicken – my way

Toast the breadcrumbs in the oven for just a few minutes. This is the path to truly golden, truly crunchy baked breaded chicken even with a short bake time (max 20 minutes for chicken tenders). PS Much MUCH easier than pan frying!One dredge batter – the usual process for crumbing is flour then egg then breadcrumbs. For this quick ‘n easy recipe, I combine the egg with flour plus mustard and mayo for flavour + oil (attempt to replicate deep fried) to make a thick batter in which the chicken is dredged. This stuff is great glue for the breadcrumbs!Clean fingers! Use tongs to transfer the batter slathered chicken into the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over breadcrumbs to cover, press down to adhere. Transfer to tray. Marvel at clean fingers!!

Give it a light spray of oil, bake for 15 minutes and voila! This is what you get: LOOK HOW GOLDEN THEY ARE!! Just imagine that crunch when you bite into the juicy chicken inside!

Dipping Sauces

It’s pictured above with a Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Just like Maccers. Only homemade. 🙂 Other Dipping Sauces: Try the Pink Steak Sauce from the Beef Kebabs, Sweet and Sour Sauce, Thousand Island, Tartare or even a classic Seafood Cocktail Sauce. – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand! Originally published April 2015, updated with new photos, video, words in post. No change to recipe, though some minor writing tidying up has been done.