Easy Chicken Tenders from Chicken Breast

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If you ask me, homemade chicken tenders are way better than anything from the freezer section.

These crispy strips start with regular chicken breast, cut into perfect finger-sized pieces and coated in a seasoned breading that gets nice and golden in the pan. The outside turns wonderfully crunchy while the inside stays juicy and tender.

It’s the kind of recipe that makes both kids and grown-ups happy, especially when served with your favorite dipping sauce. The simple breading technique gives you that satisfying crunch without any complicated steps.

It’s a family-friendly meal that comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for those busy weeknight dinners.

What Kind of Chicken Breast Should I Use?

For chicken tenders, you’ll want to start with fresh, boneless skinless chicken breasts that are uniform in thickness – this helps them cook evenly and ensures tender results. Regular chicken breasts from the grocery store work perfectly fine, though if you can find air-chilled chicken breasts, they tend to be a bit more flavorful and have better texture since they haven’t absorbed extra water during processing. When slicing your chicken, try to cut against the grain (across the visible muscle fibers) into strips about 1-inch wide – this makes them more tender when cooked. If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, you might want to butterfly them first before cutting into strips to keep the size consistent.

Options for Substitutions

This chicken tender recipe is pretty adaptable and you can make several swaps based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Milk and lemon juice mixture: This is basically a quick buttermilk substitute. You can use real buttermilk instead, or swap the regular milk for plant-based options like almond or soy milk (just keep the lemon juice).
• Panko breadcrumbs: If you don’t have Panko, you can use all regular breadcrumbs. The texture will be less crunchy, but still good. In a pinch, crushed cornflakes or crushed crackers work too.
• Hot sauce: Any hot sauce works here – Tabasco, Frank’s, Sriracha, or even a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can also skip it if you don’t like heat.
• Cornstarch: You can replace this with potato starch or arrowroot powder in equal amounts.
• Oil for frying: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point works – vegetable, canola, or peanut oil are all good choices. If you’re baking, just brush the tenders with a little oil or use cooking spray.
• Onion seasoning: Out of onion seasoning? Mix equal parts onion powder and garlic powder, or use your favorite all-purpose seasoning blend.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making chicken tenders is maintaining the right oil temperature – if it’s too hot, you’ll end up with burnt coating and raw centers, while too cool oil makes them greasy and soggy. For perfect results, keep your oil between 350-375°F using a thermometer, and don’t overcrowd the pan. Another common mistake is not patting the chicken dry before coating – excess moisture prevents the breading from sticking properly, so take an extra minute to thoroughly dry each piece with paper towels. To ensure your coating stays crispy and doesn’t fall off during cooking, follow the proper dredging order: flour first, then milk mixture, and finally breadcrumbs – and don’t forget to let the coated tenders rest for 5-10 minutes before frying to help the coating adhere better. For the juiciest results, avoid overcooking by removing the tenders as soon as they reach 165°F internal temperature and let them rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels to maintain their crispiness.

What to Serve With Chicken Tenders?

These homemade chicken tenders are perfect for dipping, so I always start with a few sauce options like honey mustard, ranch, or BBQ sauce. For sides, french fries or sweet potato fries are classic choices that kids and adults both love, but you could also go with mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort food combo. If you’re looking to add some vegetables, a simple coleslaw or a crisp garden salad helps balance out the meal. For casual get-togethers, I like to serve these tenders with corn on the cob or potato wedges, plus some carrot and celery sticks for extra crunch.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Let your chicken tenders cool completely, then place them in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to make extra because they’re perfect for quick lunches or dinner the next day!

Freeze: These tenders freeze really well! Place them on a baking sheet until frozen solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. It’s super handy to have a batch ready to go when you need a quick meal.

Reheat: To get back that crispy exterior, pop them in the oven at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, or use an air fryer for 5-7 minutes. Avoid using the microwave if possible, as it can make the breading soggy. If you’re reheating from frozen, add an extra 5-7 minutes to the cooking time.

Preparation Time	20-60 minutes
Cooking Time	12-15 minutes (baking) OR 4-8 minutes (frying per batch)
Total Time	32-75 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-150 g

Ingredients

• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup standard breadcrumbs (can use italian style)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon onion seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups oil or shortening (for frying, skip if baking)

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken and Marinade

Begin by cutting the chicken into strips.

To ensure tender strips, cut against the grain of the chicken rather than with it.

Once cut, place the chicken strips into a ziplock bag and set aside.

In a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, combine milk, lemon juice, and sugar.

Whisk in the cornstarch, then add in hot sauce (adjust to your taste) and pepper.

Pour this marinade into the ziplock with the chicken, seal it, and gently shake to coat.

Place the bag in the fridge and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 20 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour.

Step 2: Prepare for Frying

Heat about 2 cups of oil in a frying pan to 365 degrees F.

Using Crisco (plain shortening) will achieve the crispiest tenders.

While the oil is heating, prepare the coating by combining all coating ingredients in a shallow bowl.

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade a few at a time and coat them thoroughly in the breadcrumb mixture.

Place each piece in the breadcrumbs, spoon some on top, press down, then flip and repeat the process.

Continue until all chicken pieces are well-coated.

Step 3: Fry the Chicken

Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken pieces to the frying pan.

Fry them for about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on the size.

Smaller pieces will cook more quickly.

To verify doneness, use a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.

Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.

Serve hot with Homemade Fry Sauce.

Step 4: Baking Alternative

If you prefer to bake the tenders, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and arrange the chicken tenders on it.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tenders reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, checking frequently to prevent overcooking.

Keep in mind that baked tenders will look different as they won’t be submerged in oil.

For added moisture, lightly spray them with olive oil after coating them with breadcrumbs but before baking.

This method uses significantly less oil than frying.