These Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are the perfect way to enjoy that fried chicken taste without all the fat! They’re baked to perfection with a crispy crust and the perfect blend of herbs and spices, and only about 350 calories per serving!
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One of my favourite things to do in the kitchen is to make-over recipes to be healthier and tastier than their originals. This Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders recipe is one of my favourite recipes to make for my family because it’s packed with delicious herbs and spices (read: FLAVOUR!) and it’s made with minimal fat, especially when you compare it to anything deep fried. We don’t really do deep fried foods in this house, and these Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are the perfect lower-fat choice if you’re craving that fried chicken taste – at only 350 calories for a very generous serving!
I’ve already shared my Crispy Oven Fried Chicken recipe with you, made with chicken drumsticks and baked to crispy perfection. These Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders are similar, but they’ve got even more delicious herbs and spices and an even crispier exterior with a tender and juicy interior. And if you’re looking for side dishes to go along with these Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders, I’ve got you covered! Try these Rustic Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes, these Crispy BBQ Potato Wedges, this Best Ever Creamy Coleslaw, or even this Greek Yogurt Caesar Salad for a lighter option! 
If you want to get this recipe just right, here are 6 tips to make these Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders extra crispy and perfect every single time:
- Preheat your sheet pan and pre-melt the butter! Preheating your sheet pan will encourage that extra crispy crust because the chicken will begin to caramelize as soon as it hits the hot pan and that hot butter.
- Make sure your oven is nice and hot! I bake this chicken at 425 degrees Fahrenheit which cooks it quickly (20 minutes or less!) and keeps the meat inside nice and juicy while the outside develops that crispy crust.
- Be generous with the spices and seasonings! The intense savoury flavour of this chicken is one of the best things about this recipe.
- Use fresh chicken breasts! The fresher the meat, the more juicy and tender it will be.
- Don’t over-bake! Stick to 10 minutes or less per side and you’ll be left with the perfect texture.
- Use Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray! A little cooking spray can go a long way to create that crispy exterior without all those added calories. A mix of a little butter and a little cooking spray is the perfect combination. Try to choose a natural brand that contains fewer additives.
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I hope you like these Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite side dish to enjoy with fried chicken? I’d love to know!!
KITCHEN PRODUCTS I RECOMMEND:
Looking for even more delicious chicken recipes? You’ll love these:
- Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
- White Wine and Herb Marinated Chicken
- Dry Rub Barbecue Chicken
- One Pan Honey Garlic Chicken
- Pineapple Chicken Rice Bowls
- Healthier Orange Chicken
- One Pan Chicken with White Wine and Mushroom Sauce
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Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this savory recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel
Healthier Oven Fried Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup coarse breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (about 1-inch wide) You'll end up with about 5 strips per breast
- 4 tablespoons butter
- vegetable oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 435 degrees Fahrenheit and set aside a sheet pan.
- In a large bowl or plastic Ziploc bag, add the flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, seasoning salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Toss or stir well to combine.
- Add the chicken strips to the flour mixture and toss very well to coat.
- Add the butter to the sheet pan and place it in the oven to preheat until the pan is hot and the butter is melted.
- Distribute the butter over the pan using a spoon or pastry brush, and place the coated chicken strips in the butter on the sheet pan.
- Spray the tops of the chicken strips with the vegetable oil cooking spray just before placing the pan in the oven.
- Turn the chicken strips after 10 minutes in the oven. Spray with a small amount of additional vegetable oil cooking spray when you turn them, if needed.
- Bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until both sides are crispy and the chicken tenders are cooked through.
- Serve immediately with your favourite side dishes!
Notes
Nutrition
*This recipe was orginially adapted from my friend Ashley’s recipe
Valentina Dube says
This was totally amazing. Our family enjoyed it a lot, including my son who refuses to eat chicken for a while now, but he couldn’t resist these delicious chicken nuggets! Yummy! Favourite now!
The Busy Baker says
So glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!! 🙂
Sarah says
Just made tonight for dinner.. love!!
Chrissie says
Thanks! Glad you loved it!
Elva Anderson says
How many strips are in a serving?
Ana Ghiran says
Hello Elva! Thank you so much for asking. It’s about 5 strips per serving or the equivalent of one breast.
Delonda says
Really good! Only thing I would change next time – needed more salt (for me) and I used panko and it didn’t stick as well as breadcrumbs probably will – so wasn’t crispy – but still delicious and great texture.
The Busy Baker says
Thank you!!😊Yes we like our chicken tenders crispier too. Glad they turned out delicious!!
Miranda says
I made these Oven Fried Chicken Tenders for dinner and my husband loved them!!! They were not dry and were very flavorful and so much better than I expected! I will be making this recipe again and am so glad I found this on your website!! Even though its just 2 adults Im cooking for now, this is a dinner I will be making more. We had sweet corn and broccoli as our sides. Thanks for sharing!
The Busy Baker says
Thanks for the feedback Miranda!!🙂
Niko says
Hello,
Can these be frozen and if made in advanced how long should they be cooked before frozen
Chrissie says
I wouldn’t recommend this as the breading might become soggy.
Lauren says
Are you able to substitute the all purpose flour for any other flours?
The Busy Baker says
I recommend you follow the recipe as is written for best results but if you have an alternative flour that performs similarly to all purpose flour, you could try. Happy cooking! ☺️
vivian says
My husband and daughter enjoyed these for dinner. When I first coated the strips, most of the coating did not adhere. I took them out of the bag with the coating, sprayed them with cooking spray and returned them to the bag. More coating adhered, but there was still a lot left in the bag. I wonder about an egg wash before the coating to make the chicken stickier. Flavours are wonderful, though. Thanks for the recipe!
The Busy Baker says
You’re welcome Vivian! Thanks for your feedback!😊
NJCar says
Do you really mean that a serving has over 400,000 calories? Maybe it should be 488 cal instead of kcal?
The Busy Baker says
Hi Nathalie!🙂 To ease calculations, energy is expressed in 1000-calorie units known as kilocalories. That is, 1 Calorie is equivalent to 1 kilocalorie. Hope that is helpful!☺️
Charles Sanders says
These tenders come out so flakey and chewy, very delicious!!
The Busy Baker says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
Amanda says
Could you use chicken breast tenderloins or would I need to adjust the cooking time? Or would you cut the tenderloins in half or something?
The Busy Baker Team says
Yes, you can use chicken tenderloins. You need to make 1 inch wide strips out of them. Happy cooking!
Bobette Gustafson says
What do you mean by “coarse bread crumbs”??? Hope to hear back from you. I am excited to try this soon.
The Busy Baker Team says
Breadcrumbs that are not very fine, like panko or homemade breadcrumbs (dried bread that you put in your food processor)
Viki hopwood says
What is the butter for is that a must ? Just wondered if I can use something more healthy
Ana (The Busy Baker Team) says
The melted butter makes the chicken tenders crisp up. For a low calorie alternative I like to use a couple of sprays of ghee or avocado oil instead.