Homemade chicken tenders are like the holy grail of kid food, aren’t they?
Unless a kid is hard-core against meat, I’ve yet to meet a child (or any meat-eater, really) who doesn’t love a good homemade chicken tender.
The problem, though? Homemade chicken tenders can be dry, tasteless, and the bottoms get all gummy.
GROSS.
I mean, my kids would still eat it. With enough ketchup, they’ll eat anything, actually.
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Lucky for you, I’ve made approximately 9 billion chicken tenders in my life.
And along the way, I’ve figured out a handful of sneaky hacks and tricks that will seriously uplevel a plain old chicken tender.
Are you ready to hear what they are?
Oh, and you’ve been warned: this video I’m about to share is REAL LIFE, DUDES. My son was teething and crabby and clingy. He wouldn’t let me put him down so I had to cook without the use of both hands. My daughter dumped like, 18 tons of Parmesan cheese into the breading mix (whoops). My son dropped chicken tender on my shirt and then ate it anyway (and I had to go change).
This is life when you’re cooking with kids in the kitchen, and I’m sure many of you can relate! Plus, my kitchen’s not the tidiest, there are toys littering the background, and the linoleum on my rental apartment floor is truly hideous.
Whatever.
We got dinner made, and that’s the important part!
Here are the three things I do to make my homemade chicken tenders WAY more flavorful
(in case you don’t watch the video, where I describe each step)
1 Combine mustard with your egg wash before dredging the chicken.
This adds a bit of “oomph” to the flavor of the chicken.
What kind of mustard, you ask? I like wholegrain, or dijon. But you can go wild with flavored mustard (like a cherry or spicy) too!
2. Combine grated parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs before coating.
This add a bit of extra umami saltiness to the coating, and a slight chewier texture to the crispy breadcrumbs.
3. When oven baking chicken tenders, cook them on a baking rack laid on top of a sheet pan.
Doing so this way means the air will circulate around all parts of the tender, getting the whole thing crispy. No more gummy bottoms!
And here’s the recipe! Note I don’t usually use a recipe when I make tenders – it’s more of a general thing.
3 Genius Ways to Level Up Homemade Chicken Tenders
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
- 1 egg whisked
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup ground parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prep Ahead:
- Slice the boneless chicken into strips and store in a resealable bag or container.
- Stores in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a small resealable bag or container.
- Stores in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Prepare From Prepped (oven baked):
- Preheat the oven to 400*F.
- Spray a baking rack with cooking oil, or wipe with oil, and lay it on a large sheet pan.
- Mix the egg and mustard together in a large bowl.
- Transfer the flour to a large bowl.
- Place the breadrcumbs and parmesan mixture in a large bowl.
- Dredge the chicken in flour, then the egg/mustard mix, then the parmesan/panko mix.
- Lay the chicken strips on the baking rack as they are coated, leaving an inch or so between each piece.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the coating has started to crisp.
Prepare From Prepped (fried on the stovetop)
- Heat 1 cup peanut oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until shimmering.
- While the oil is heating, dredge the strips according to the “oven baked” instructions in Steps 3-6.
- As the strips are coated, place them in the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are browed and the chicken is cooked through.
- Drain the strips on a paper-towel lined plate until cool enough to handle.
Make From Fresh (oven baked)
- Preheat the oven to 400*F.
- Spray a baking rack with cooking oil, or wipe with oil, and lay it on a large sheet pan.
- Mix the egg and mustard together in a large bowl.
- Transfer the flour to a large bowl.
- Combine the breadrcumbs and parmesan mixture in a large bowl and mix well.
- Dredge the chicken in flour, then the egg/mustard mix, then the parmesan/panko mix.
- Lay the chicken strips on the baking rack as they are coated, leaving an inch or so between each piece.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the coating has started to crisp.
Make From Fresh (fried on the stovetop)
- Heat 1 cup peanut oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until shimmering.
- While the oil is heating, dredge the strips according to the “oven baked” instructions in Steps 3-6.
- As the strips are coated, place them in the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are browed and the chicken is cooked through.
- Drain the strips on a paper-towel lined plate until cool enough to handle.
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