There is nothing ho-hum about these Eggless Oven Fried Chicken Tenders! This chicken has the same crispy, golden texture as the fried version. Plus, no greasy mess to clean up.
Why I Love This Recipe
These Eggless Oven Fried Chicken Tenders look amazing, tastes just like deep-fried fried chicken, and always cure my cravings. Plus, this recipe is straightforward to make.
Looking at these photos, you’ll swear this oven-fried chicken, lower in calories and fat but still crunchy and delicious, was made in the frying pan. Nope! They’re completely baked from start to finish. There’s absolutely no searing or frying here.
The chicken has the same crispy, golden texture as the real deal.
The chicken is soaked in buttermilk, which keeps it moist and juicy, and then rolled into a crunchy and tasty coating. Even though they are made with chicken breast, they are incredibly juicy and tender.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Amounts are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down). You’ll need:
- Chicken breast: I use boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- Buttermilk: don’t have any? Here’s how to make your own buttermilk.
- Cornflakes
- Seasoned breadcrumbs: you can buy seasoned breadcrumbs or add your own seasoning of choice to plain breadcrumbs.
- Seasoning: I use garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and ground cayenne pepper.
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Detailed instructions are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down).
1 – Prepare The Chicken
Use a sharp knife to trim the fat from the chicken breasts and cut it into tenders. Dip the chicken into buttermilk and let soak for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
2 – Make the Breading
Place corn flakes, seasoned breadcrumbs, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper into a small food processor. Pulse until well combined.
3 – Bread the Chicken
Place breadcrumbs mixture in a shallow pan. Then dip each chicken piece into the breading mixture. Press down firmly so the breading sticks to the chicken.
Bring back your passion for baking, even if you cannot use eggs!
4 – Bake the Chicken
Preheat oven to 450º F. Place the chicken on a lightly oiled pan; spray the top of the chicken well with cooking spray. Bake the chicken until done, about 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use whatever cut of chicken you prefer. Just keep in mind that dark meat has more calories than white meat.
You can make this healthier fried chicken in the air fryer! Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the chicken in the basket in a single layer (cook in batches if needed). Cook for 13-15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through so they’re crispy on both sides. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
To keep the chicken crispy, reheat the chicken tenderloins in a 350ºF oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Quick Recipe Tips
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness and size of your chicken pieces. So make sure to check that the chicken is cooked through before you serve. The best way is to use a meat thermometer (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and legs).
- Don’t have regular breadcrumbs? Try panko breadcrumbs.
- This baked crispy chicken is best enjoyed right away as it loses its crispness over time.
- Leave space between the chicken breasts when placing it on the sheet pan. This way, the heat can reach all sides of the chicken to help it get extra crispy.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
If you have extra healthier oven-fried chicken, here’s how to store it.
Leftovers
These crispy chicken tenderloins can be refrigerated for 3 days. Be sure to wrap it up tightly or store it in an airtight container.
Freeze
This eggless oven-fried chicken tender can also be frozen.
- Baked Chicken Tenders: Let the chicken cool completely and then place them in a freezer plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Unbaked Chicken Tenders: Arrange the breaded chicken tenders on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, 1 to 2 hours. Then, transfer to resealable freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to eat the frozen tender, generously spray the frozen chicken tenders all over with cooking spray. Arrange on the baking rack and bake, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy and cooked through.
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Eggless Oven Fried Chicken Tenders
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast, boneless and skinless (about 2 -3 medium-size chicken breasts)
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (80 g) cornflakes
- 1 cup (100 g) seasoned bread crumbs or panko (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to trim the fat from the chicken breasts and cut it into tenders.
- Dip the chicken into buttermilk and let soak for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Place corn flakes, seasoned breadcrumbs, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper into a small food processor. Pulse until well combined.
OVEN:
- Preheat oven to 450º F (230º C).
- Place breadcrumbs mixture in a shallow pan. Then dip each chicken piece into the breading mixture. Press down firmly so the breading sticks to the chicken.
- Place the chicken on a lightly oiled sheet pan; spray the top of the chicken well with olive oil spray.
- Bake the chicken until done, about 30 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through so they're crispy on both sides. NOTE: The cooking time will depend on the thickness and size of your chicken pieces. The best way to check for doneness is to use a meat thermometer. The chicken will be done when it reaches 175º F. So make sure to check that the chicken is cooked through before you serve.
AIR FRYER:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200º C).
- Place the chicken in the basket, DO NOT crowd or overlap. You might need to do this in batches depending on the air fryer's capacity.
- Cook for 13-15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through so they're crispy on both sides. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Baked Chicken Tenders: Let the chicken cool completely and then place them in a freezer plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Unbaked Chicken Tenders: Arrange the breaded chicken tenders on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, 1 to 2 hours. Then, transfer to resealable freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to eat the frozen tender, generously spray the frozen chicken tenders all over with cooking spray. Arrange on the baking rack and bake, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy and cooked through.
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness and size of your chicken pieces. So make sure to check that the chicken is cooked through before you serve. The best way is to use a meat thermometer (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and legs).
- Don’t have regular breadcrumbs? Try panko breadcrumbs.
- This baked crispy chicken is best enjoyed right away as it loses its crispness over time.
- Leave space between the chicken breasts when placing it on the sheet pan. This way, the heat can reach all sides of the chicken to help it get extra crispy.
Nutrition
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in April 2016, photos were replaced in December 2019, and post content was edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe. The post was updated again in September 2021.
