I grabbed what I thought was chicken breasts from the freezer the other day and they ended up being chicken tenderloins. That was not a problem really as I love chicken tenderloins. If cooked properly, they always end up tender and juicy.
Then I worked at the manor, I always had to have a plate of chicken tenders in the refrigerator, cooked and ready for snacking on. I bet I had to cook up a package of them at least two or three times a week.
It was not hard to do and they cooked in a skillet really quickly. I would trim off the tendon and season them with some spices and herbs and then just quickly fry them up in butter. It took minutes. So, so, so good!
The recipe I am sharing today bakes them until crisp and golden brown in the oven. A much healthier option. I adapted the recipe from one which I found on Yellow Bliss Road. They looked so yummy, and I loved that they were baked and not fried.
I am sure you could also bake them in an Air Fryer. Same temperature, in the air fryer basket, but I would check them at 10 minutes, flip them over and check them again five minutes later. The heat in an air fryer is much more ferocious. I used to call mine the Cremator before I got used to using it, lol
Once cooked these make for an excellent dinner option, but are also good in sandwiches, salads, etc. You decide how you want to enjoy them. One recipe which they would be really good in are South Carolina Bird Dog Sandwiches. So yummy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN TENDERS
Just a few simple ingredients. I have most of these in my kitchen at all times, except for maybe the chicken. The chicken tenders can be bought in a package. They will most likely need to be trimmed, but I have explained how to do that in the recipe notes. Its not hard.
- 12 - 15 chicken tender filets, trimmed (see notes)
- 1/4 cup (35g) plain all purpose flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 large free range eggs
- 2 TBS milk
- 1 cup (120g) packaged dry bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup (135g) grated Parmesan cheese
- low fat cooking spray
I bought my chicken tenders as a package, which contained about fifteen. Some were a bit small, most were quite nicely sized.
A chicken tender, or finger as it is also know, is a small tender strip of muscle that lies directly beneath the breast. Normally when you buy chicken breasts these are already removed, and packaged to sell separately.
They are the most tender part of the chicken breast, especially if you take the time to remove the tendon from them.
I used packaged dry bread crumbs. You can use Panko if you wish. Mine were seasoned, but not with herbs, just with salt and pepper I assume. I did not add much salt to the recipe because of this. Parmesan cheese is also very salty so be judicious when adding salt.
Grate your own Parmesan cheese if you can. It is infinitely better than any packaged pre-grated Parmesan.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN TENDERS
Breading them is a bit faffy, as is trimming them, but once you have that done the rest is a breeze. They basically cook themselves. Do take the time to trim. Its not that hard to do and makes a bit difference.
Trim the chicken tender filets as per the notes.
Set up a dredging station for the chicken. You will need 3 shallow bowls. In the first, whisk together the flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. In the second, whisk together the eggs and the milk. In the third, combine the bread crumbs and the cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
Dip the chicken pieces, one at a time, into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg and milk mixture. Roll in the bread crumb/cheese to coat. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat until all of the chicken tenders have been coated. Spray the tops with some low fat cooking spray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy brown and cooked through. Serve hot or cold as you wish.
How to trim chicken tenders:
Chicken tenders almost always have a tendon running through them, this is not very nice to eat so I always remove it. To remove it easily, grab the end of the tendon with the fingers of one hand, gripping it firmly. Hold the knife at a 45 degree angle between the tendon and the meat, and pull the tendon, using the knife to free it, lifting and scraping as you go. Discard the tendon.
You can watch a video on how to do it HERE.
The key to perfection here is not to overcook them. The times suggested are just that a suggestion. It may take less time or more time depending on the size of your chicken tenders. Mine were a bit on the larger side so they took the time I have stated in the recipe.
I would check them a few minutes before that time and if you need a few minutes longer then its no problem.
These were juicy and tender and filled with flavor. I do love Parmesan cheese and it goes very well with these. They would be lovely with a marinara sauce for dipping. I garnished them with a few flakes of Parmesan cheese and served them with some mashed sweet potato, spring asparagus and sliced tomatoes.
Any leftovers can be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to six months. The leftovers are also very good in salads!
If you are a fan of chicken, and specifically chicken breasts, you might also enjoy the following recipes:
EASY MICRO-WAVE POACHED CHICKEN BREASTS - Sometimes you are in need of cooked chicken to use in salads, sandwiches and casseroles. If you don't happen to have any leftover roast chicken, the easiest and quickest way to do this is in the microwave. In this post I have shared two tasty ways to poach chicken breasts in the microwave. Both work very well, giving you delicious and succulent cooked chicken ready to use in a multitude of chicken casseroles, etc. They come out perfectly juicy every time.
Yield: 4
Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 23 MinTotal time: 38 Min
Juicy, tender and packed with flavor. These are great on their own as is or with a dipping sauce, or wedges of lemon for squeezing over top.
Ingredients
- 12 - 15 chicken tender filets, trimmed (see notes)
- 1/4 cup (35g) plain all purpose flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 large free range eggs
- 2 TBS milk
- 1 cup (120g) packaged dry bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup (135g) grated Parmesan cheese
- low fat cooking spray
Instructions
- Trim the chicken tender filets as per the notes.
- Set up a dredging station for the chicken. You will need 3 shallow bowls. In the first, whisk together the flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. In the second, whisk together the eggs and the milk. In the third, combine the bread crumbs and the cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
- Dip the chicken pieces, one at a time, into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg and milk mixture. Roll in the bread crumb/cheese to coat. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat until all of the chicken tenders have been coated. Spray the tops with some low fat cooking spray.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy brown and cooked through. Serve hot or cold as you wish.
Notes
How to trim chicken tenders:
Chicken tenders almost always have a tendon running through them, this is not very nice to eat so I always remove it. To remove it easily, grab the end of the tendon with the fingers of one hand, gripping it firmly. Hold the knife at a 45 degree angle between the tendon and the meat, and pull the tendon, using the knife to free it, lifting and scraping as you go. Discard the tendon.
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