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Crispy and flavorful, these 5-ingredient Parmesan ranch chicken tenders are an easy, family-friendly dinner! Just coat the strips in melted butter, seasoned Corn Flakes, and grated Parmesan cheese, and then pop them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Served with fries, pickles, a side salad, and your kids’ favorite dipping sauces, the baked chicken tenders make a quick and delicious weeknight meal!
Crispy Chicken Tenders Recipe
Odds are good that my kids will order chicken fingers whenever we go out to a restaurant. While I sometimes fry chicken tenders or chicken nuggets at home for a special treat, these oven baked chicken tenders are definitely much easier and healthier (and they’re actually kid-approved)! Trust me: everyone will love this dinner! Plus, with only 5 ingredients, it’s simple and fast to prepare. You can never have too many easy chicken recipes!
What is the difference between chicken breast and breast tenders? And chicken strips?
Chicken strips are slices of the whole chicken breast. The chicken tender (pectoralis minor) is the tender muscle located underneath each of the chicken breasts. For this baked chicken tenders recipe, I always purchase a package of boneless, skinless “chicken tenderloins” in the meat section at the grocery store. You can use chicken strips if that’s what you have available, but they just require the extra step of slicing the boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Ingredients for this Easy Chicken Tenders Recipe
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a batch of baked chicken tenders. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Corn Flakes cereal crumbs: for extra flavor and a crispy exterior.
- Ranch seasoning mix: the herbs and spices season the breading.
- Parmesan cheese: adds salty flavor to the meat, and helps the outside of the chicken get crispy and brown.
- Salted butter: adds flavor to the chicken, keeps it juicy, and helps the breading adhere to the meat.
- Boneless skinless chicken tenderloins: or substitute with boneless skinless chicken breasts that you cut into strips.
How to Make Chicken Tenders in Oven
Baked instead of fried, these homemade chicken tenders are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and so incredibly flavorful! They have all of the texture and taste that you crave from classic fried chicken tenders — but without an oily mess on the stovetop and without too much prep. There’s no need to whisk together eggs and buttermilk, no need to dredge in flour, and no need to whisk together a fancy or complicated breadcrumb mixture. The oven baked breaded chicken tenders are quick, easy, and incredibly family-friendly!
- Combine Corn Flakes, Ranch seasoning, and Parmesan in a shallow dish. Place the melted butter in a separate dish.
- Pat the chicken dry.
- Dip each tenderloin in the melted butter, and then dredge into the crumb coating.
- Arrange the breaded chicken tenders on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Spritz with olive oil spray or nonstick cooking spray (this helps them brown).
- Bake the chicken tenders in a 375°F oven for 14-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken should be crispy and golden brown on the outside, the juices should run clear, and the meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
What to Make with Chicken Tenders
Pair the crispy chicken tenders with any of these easy sides:
- Hush Puppies
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles or Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad
- Hoe Cakes
- Baked Potato Wedges, French fries, or Baked Potatoes
- Sweet Cornbread, Blueberry Corn Muffins, Skillet Cornbread, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Sweet Cornbread Muffins, or Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Honey Beer Bread
- Wedge Salad, Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Easy Potato Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples, Applesauce, or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon
- Charleston Red Rice
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole, Sauteed Zucchini, or Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Casserole
- Cheese Grits
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
Storage
You can prepare the breading mixture in advance, but I do not recommend breading the chicken until just before baking.
Leftover oven baked chicken tenders will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 2-3 months. This chicken is best when served immediately, however, since it does not stay as crispy once it’s chilled.
To reheat leftover chicken fingers, preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and allow the chicken to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes (this ensures that it reheats evenly). Next, reheat the chicken until it feels hot and very crispy, about 5-10 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of a packet of ranch seasoning, try other herbs, spices, and seasonings of your choice. Garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, basil, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, kosher salt, and ground black pepper are all good options.
- Swap out the Corn Flakes crumbs and use panko breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers. I find that Corn Flakes yield the crispiest exterior, though.
- Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake just 1 lb. of chicken tenderloins. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Tips for the Best Chicken Tenders Recipe
- The Corn Flakes make these tenders extra crispy and flavorful, so don’t try to substitute with plain bread crumbs.
- Spritz the breaded chicken tenders with oil or nonstick spray. This is optional, but it helps them get even browner and crispier in the oven.
- I like to use chicken tenderloins because it cuts down on prep work. That said, you can certainly use regular boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it into strips at home.
- Serve the homemade chicken fingers with ketchup, honey mustard, or Chik-Fil-A sauce for dipping!
More Chicken Tenderloin Recipes to Try
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
- Potato Chip Chicken Strips
- Fried Chicken Tenders
- Chicken and Waffles
- Goldfish Chicken Nuggets
- Ritzy Baked Chicken Tenders
Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups crushed Corn Flakes
- 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch salad dressing mix
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup, if desired); spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Combine Corn Flakes, dry ranch dressing mix, and Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish.
- Place melted butter in a separate shallow dish.
- Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry.
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip the dry chicken in the melted butter to coat, then dredge in the Corn Flakes mixture.
- Place the breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Spritz lightly with nonstick spray or mist with oil (this helps them brown even more in the oven).
- Bake for about 14-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the coating is browned and crispy.
Notes
- The Corn Flakes make these tenders extra crispy and flavorful, so don’t try to substitute with plain bread crumbs.
- Spritz the breaded chicken tenders with oil or nonstick spray. This is optional, but it helps them get even browner and crispier in the oven.
- I like to use chicken tenderloins because it cuts down on prep work. That said, you can certainly use regular boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it into strips at home.
- Serve the homemade chicken fingers with ketchup, honey mustard, or Chik-Fil-A sauce for dipping!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in September, 2014. The photos were updated in August, 2022.
These look delicious! I love corn flake crumbs as a coating for chicken fingers, so crunchy!
Thanks, Stacey! They are definitely crispy and delicious. 🙂
I used bread crumbs instead of corn flakes, turned out great! We sliced ours up and put them on spinich wraps with lettuce, tomato, spinach, and ceaser dressing.
Thanks, Felicia! Those wraps sound amazing!
How can I find the recipe that I’m looking for?Sherry
Hi, Sherry! If you’re looking for the Ranch Chicken Tenders recipe, there’s a printable recipe box at the bottom of the post with the complete ingredients and instructions. If you’re looking for a different recipe, you can use the “search” bar in the top righthand corner of my site to enter a search term or ingredient that you would like to pull up. Hope that helps!
These look fantastic! I love quick and yummy dinner ideas for weeknights!! 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by, Renee!
What a wonderful idea! I am always wanting quick and easy weeknight meal. Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by, Jolena. They are definitely quick, easy, and TASTY! 🙂
I love the use of dry each seasoning to add flavor to any dish. I’m sure the kids went crazy for these delicious chicken fingers! Thanks for sharing at Saturday Nifht Fever!
Thanks for stopping by, Laura! 🙂
These sound delicious, Blair!
Thanks, Adrian! 🙂
These look delicious! I love baked chicken fingers!
Thanks, Bri!
Sold! They look awesome, Blair!
Thanks, Michelle! So glad that you stopped by. 🙂
Looks yummy & I think I know some little boys who wouldn’t complain if this showed up on the table! I found you through the Weekend Re-treat link party. If you get a chance, I’d love it if you stopped by my blog sometime! Have a great weekend!
Hi, Courtney! Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy your weekend. 🙂
These look delicious! I do something similar with Greek yogurt. I will have to give your recipe a try! Thank you for sharing at the Merry Monday Link Party!
Amanda, I like the sound of Greek yogurt with the chicken. I might have to work that into a recipe! 🙂
This looks like something we would eat up!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
Hi Blair
These are on the feature list for Tickle My Tastebuds tomorrow on my blog, https://notatrophywife.com. Would love a social media shout out to get traffic to all these great features! Thanks for joining the party! laura
That’s awesome, Laura! Thanks so much for letting me know. I will be happy to spread the word! 🙂
My kids will love these. I am also featuring you on Tickle My Tastebuds and would love it if you’d stop by and link up more delicious recipes!
Julia @ Mini Van Dreams
Thanks so much, Julia!!!
I can already tell my kids will love this one! Thanks for sharing on Weekend Bites
Thanks for visiting, Adelina! It’s totally kid-friendly! 🙂
These look so yummy! I love anything with Ranch seasoning and we are huge chicken finger fans here. I love your idea of putting them in a sandwich too! Pinning!
Thanks for stopping by, Erin, and thanks for the pin! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. Do you by chance have how many carbs would be in any of your recipes? My 30 yr old son is on a strict diet of chicken, turkey and pork loin and vegetables. He is needing recipes for different ways to fix the chicken or turkey. Any help/ideas would be appreciated. Sorry I am so gabby. 🙂
I just wanted to come say how amazing these are. I’ve been using your recipe for a couple years now and we all love it! Thanks for sharing such a easy awesome dish!!!
That’s wonderful, Trisha! Thank you so much for letting me know!
This is a delicious, simple recipe, Blair. I truly enjoy your easy, simple recipes. My niece and her family live in Madison. It is a beautiful area. I have family in the Culpeper area going back generations. I love seeing your pictures of the area and just mentioning the areas of Orange, Charlottesville, etc makes my heart smile. Thanks!
,
That’s awesome, Heidi! It’s always fun to hear from folks that know Madison and Culpeper! Thank you so much! 🙂
These look great but I was wondering where the Ritzy baked chicken tenders went!? All the links end up back at these parmesan ranch tenders.
Hey, Julie! I redirected the Ritzy Chicken recipe over here because I think that these chicken tenders are much better! 🙂 If you want the older Ritzy chicken recipe, here it is:
Ritzy Baked Chicken Tenders
Serves: 4
Prep: 10 mins
Bake: 20 mins
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup Ritz cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers crushed)
¼ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire cooling rack on top, and spray wire rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a shallow bowl whisk together melted butter, garlic powder, and salt.
In a separate shallow bowl, combine cracker crumbs and cheeses.
Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with crumbs.
Place chicken on the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Lightly spray chicken with cooking spray or oil (this will help the crust brown).
Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink inside and the coating is golden and crispy.
Hi and thanks for sharing your recipes!
I never knew there were actual boxed Corn Flakes Crumbs.
1). I’m not sure my grocery stores sells this option. Would plain or Italian bread crumbs work?
2). What do you think of using Frosted Flakes (we have that cereal on hand at my house)?
Thanks,
Tam
Hi, Tam! The breadcrumbs would probably work, but they likely won’t be quite as crispy as the Corn Flakes (and they will obviously have a slightly different taste). You can certainly just buy a box of Corn Flakes and crush them yourself if you prefer. Frosted Flakes would give you the same crispy texture, but they obviously will add a sweet component. You’ve got options! 🙂
Has anyone cooked these on the grill with foil instead? If so, any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Hi, Brittany! I don’t know that anyone has tried it that way. Let us know if you give it a shot. 🙂
It’s May 17, 2022 and I just made your Ranch Tenderloins. They are delicious, truly delicious. I made a batch baked and fried! Wow, thank you so very much for sharing. You’ve helped this caregiver out tremendously. Stay safe and take care
Thank you, Diane! I’m so glad that you liked them. I need to make these again soon! 🙂
These look really tasty. I hope I can find the tenderloins and the cornflake crumbs. Otherwise, well, I’ll just spiff up my blender and use it! The availability of ingredients which are slightly off the beaten path is somewhat erratic in Las Cruces. I DID find frozen puff pastry. I haven’t been able to find the Crescent Roll sheets. WHY? I don’t know. Pizza crust, yes, pie crust, yes, crescent roll, no. Any ideas? Are somethings like that more available during the holidays?
Thanks as always. Take care.
I don’t know why the crescent sheets wouldn’t be available. That’s strange. If you can find the individual crescent rolls, those will work — you just need to pinch together the perforated seams rather than separating them into individual rolls.
I usually just crush the Corn Flakes myself, and you can certainly use chicken breasts that you slice into strips yourself. No worries, there! 🙂
Oh, my gosh! This recipe is just perfect for a new meal around here. The only change I will make is to use Special K original cereal instead of cornflakes. Sorry, but this gal doesn’t care for cornflakes. As a kid, many, many moons ago, that was the only dry cereal to be had in the house. To this day, I won’t touch it with a “10 foot pole”.
Can’t wait to try this recipe this afternoon!
Sandra W.
Hah! Well the Special K should work just fine! 🙂
Made these for supper tonight. Oh my gosh, they were so flavorful and delicious. We will definitely be having these again. Just put some french fries in the air fryer to go with them and it was a perfect weeknight meal.
I just love your recipes! Everything that we have had so far we have really liked. I tried one of your recipes, the One Pot Pasta last night and we had another one this past Sunday, the white chicken chili. We’re going to my sister’s for Christmas and I will be trying another one of your recipes for there, the gingerbread cake!
Thank you so much for saying that, Lisa! I really appreciate your kind note. Have a very merry Christmas, and enjoy that gingerbread!
Excellent! Flavors are much better than you can buy in the frozen food section or a restaurant.
Thank you so much, Karin!
My new fave recipe, thank you it is so good
Thank you so much, Amanda!