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    Recipes » Appetizers

    Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

    Published: Sep 11, 2016 · Modified: Aug 20, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 46 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders served on a white plate

    Make truly crispy baked chicken tenders with this simple technique. The secret to these crispy chicken tenders is to coat them first with homemade buffalo sauce then dredge them in toasted panko breadcrumbs. Crispy baked tenders are all about double toasting the breading!! 

    Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders served

    I've been on the hunt for awhile now for a way to make truly crispy buffalo chicken tenders in the oven. After the success of these crispy Baked Buffalo Wings, I thought, "How hard can it be to make crispy tenders?" It was harder than I thought.

    How to Make Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tenders

    A little perseverance and a genius tip from a fellow blogger led to these truly crispy, juicy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders with that addictive spicy buffalo kick. But before I tell you how to make these beauties, I want to tell you (and show you) what NOT to do.

    As you can see I thought I had a winner in hand - to the point of photographing it. But then I took a bite. Hello soggy breading. Problem #1: the breading wasn't crunchy enough to start with. That's where the genius tip from my friend Nagi of Recipe Tin Eats came in. Genius Tip: toast the panko crumbs BEFORE you use them to bread the tenders.

    failed attempt at recipe

    Problem #2: I'd coated the tenders in buffalo sauce after baking, a mistake. This time I made the butter and hot sauce mixture part of the egg dip and voilà! - all of the flavor without making the breading soggy. And baking the tenders in the upper third of the oven on an oven safe cooling rack ensures that all sides get crispy.

    chicken tenders baking
    Dipping Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders into blue cheese dip

    These make perfect party or football watching fare, with blue cheese dip of course!

    More Delicious Party Food

    • Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings (There is a secret to truly crispy baked chicken wings. Hint: it's NOT baking powder.)
    • Salt Potatoes (Just 2 ingredients to make crispy on the outside, buttery on the inside potatoes that will have people begging for the recipe.)
    • Bacon Wrapped Dates (6 mouthwatering versions of this party favorite!)
    Dipping-Crispy-Baked-Chicken-Tenders-into-blue-cheese-dip square image

    Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

    Marissa Stevens
    Truly crispy baked buffalo chicken tenders with simple blue cheese dip - perfect party fare! I love to serve cold and crunchy carrot and celery sticks with this too.
    5 from 11 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 chicken tenders
    Calories 287 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ cup butter
    • ¼ cup hot sauce such as Frank's Red Hot or Cholula
    • 1 small clove garlic minced
    • 1 egg
    • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 pound chicken breast tenders

    Simple Blue Cheese Dip

    • ¼ cup blue cheese crumbled
    • 1 small clove garlic minced
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • milk for thinning
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Spread panko breadcrumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to shallow plate immediately to keep them from continuing to cook. Stir in kosher salt.
    • Place an oven-proof cooling rack inside the rimmed baking sheet and spray or brush with oil to keep tenders from sticking. (If you don't have an oven-proof cooling rack, just line the baking sheet with parchment paper)
    • Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
    • Meanwhile melt butter in a small saucepan and transfer to a bowl. Whisk hot sauce into butter to cool it down.
    • Whisk egg and garlic together in a shallow bowl. Add butter and hot sauce mixture and whisk to combine.
    • Spread flour on a shallow plate for dredging.
    • Pat tenders dry with paper towels. Dredge one tender in flour and shake to remove excess. Dip in egg mixture and lift to let excess drip away. Then dredge the tender in toasted panko crumbs, patting crumbs down to be sure they adhere. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tenders.
    • Bake tenders at 425°F for 15 to 18 minutes until breading is crisp and chicken is cooked through but still juicy.
    • Serve with Simple Blue Cheese Dip (recipe below)

    Simple Blue Cheese Dip

    • Add blue cheese, garlic and sour cream to a medium bowl. Using the back of a fork, smash blue cheese crumbles into sour cream until flavors have melded. Stir. Add milk, a teaspoon at a time to thin to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Notes

    • If you can't find packaged chicken tenderloins, buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them lengthwise into thin chicken strips.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 20gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 790mgPotassium: 372mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 475IUVitamin C: 8.6mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 1.3mg
    Keyword cravings, game day, Super Bowl
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nicole Romito says

      May 19, 2020 at 7:07 am

      5 stars
      These were delicious! The hot sauce came through just enough. Loved how crispy they were. Will definitely make again.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        May 19, 2020 at 3:53 pm

        This is wonderful to hear, Nicole! I'm so glad you enjoyed these and thank you for coming back to let me know!

        Reply
    2. Jessica says

      April 10, 2020 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was fantastic! I followed the recipe to a T except adding a bit of Tabasco for an extra kick. All of your tips were super helpful as well. Thank you so much, it was a big hit in our house! Will definitely be making again.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 12, 2020 at 12:00 pm

        That's so great to hear, Jessica! Thank you for coming back to let me know. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Naomi says

      July 03, 2019 at 8:13 am

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness! Made these last night and cannot get over how good they were! I've NEVER had tenders come out so crispy. I couldn't believe it! Instead of Frank's plus butter and garlic, I just used Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo sauce on it's own because it's what I had on hand, but I followed the rest to the letter. (Well, almost to the letter. I had to quadruple the recipe because I have 4 sons, 3 of whom are teenagers - but that's my own fault, not the fault of the recipe LOL ;-).)

      I've never used sauce UNDER the bread crumbs before, and I've never pre-toasted the coating. Both techniques worked out beautifully. Highly recommend! We served ours on Hoagie rolls with some melted pepper jack cheese and ranch dressing. HUGE success!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 03, 2019 at 8:33 am

        You made my day, Naomi!! So glad they were a hit!

        Reply
    4. Katharine says

      June 18, 2019 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      These came out great!
      Crispy and crunchy!
      I used the cooling rack on the baking sheet and prebaked the panko breadcrumbs. I baked the breadcrumbs a little longer 5 minutes at 400 degrees so they were really toasty

      Thank you for this great recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 18, 2019 at 5:00 pm

        So glad you enjoyed these, Katharine!! Thank you for coming back to let me know!

        Reply
    5. Chelsea says

      January 13, 2019 at 1:30 pm

      Hi! I’ve tried these twice now, and I’m still struggling, just wondering if you have some advice. Despite toasting the panko, the breading is always a bit soggy and the hot sauce flavor doesn’t come through. It just tastes like slightly spicy breaded chicken. I’ve used franks red hot and franks buffalo sauce but still have to add sauce after cooking as I can barely taste it. I feel like I must be doing something wrong!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 15, 2019 at 11:30 am

        Hi Chelsea! Interesting about the breading - are you baking them on an oven safe cooling rack? That's my best advice for making sure the breading stays crisp. And to kick up the heat, how about using a hotter hot sauce, maybe a habanero based sauce?

        Reply
    6. Tammy says

      January 29, 2018 at 6:22 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent flavour. I had to make them gluten free by substituting Rice Chex crumbs for the Panko and cornstarch for the flour, but the seasonings and flavours are spot on! Definitely a keeper

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 01, 2018 at 9:50 am

        Fantastic, Tammy! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    7. Amanda says

      June 01, 2017 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      My picky kids (who don't even like chicken tenders the "regular way") LOVED THESE. My 10 year old is on his 4th one. My husband and I ate them in a salad and it was so delicious. I've never had any success with "baked" chicken tenders before.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 01, 2017 at 5:26 pm

        Totally made my day, Amanda. Thank you!

        Reply
    8. SAMANTHA says

      March 28, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      I've used this recipe now a couple times. The second time I substituted BBQ sauce for the buffalo. They turned out great both ways 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 28, 2017 at 1:54 pm

        That's awesome, Samantha!! So sweet of you to come back and let me know. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Ms. Andrea Walls says

      February 26, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      I am a terrible cook but I just made these for my daughter and she loved them. Toasting is key. I also toast my oats before making oatmeal. I bet some toasted oats would be great in combo with the panko. Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 26, 2017 at 4:39 pm

        I'm so glad your daughter loved them, Andrea!! Great idea to toast oatmeal before cooking it.

        Reply
    10. Dianne Koval says

      January 09, 2017 at 9:02 pm

      I made this as a healthy alternative to fried buffalo wings. The family LOVED it! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. The recipe is a keeper!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 12, 2017 at 2:13 pm

        That's fantastic, Dianne! Sweet of you to come back and let me know.

        Reply
    11. Alexandra says

      November 20, 2016 at 2:35 pm

      This came out great. Very crispy and flavorful. I ended up having to double the amount of Panko but other then that...perfection! !

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 20, 2016 at 3:43 pm

        I'm so glad they turned out, Alexandra! I bet more Panko made them extra crispy!

        Reply
    12. Beeta @ Mon Petit Four says

      September 20, 2016 at 4:09 pm

      You know the emoticon with the heart eyes? That's basically me as I read this entire post! I'm not ashamed to say that chicken tenders remain one of my favorite foods, and I have always tried to recreate a baked, crispy version, but without success. Not anymore though!! I cannot wait to make this recipe!! This has seriously rocked my world, but then again all of your recipes do. THANK YOU!!!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 21, 2016 at 3:22 pm

        haha! I'm so glad, Beeta! Thanks for your always sweet words. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Sabrina says

      September 19, 2016 at 3:23 pm

      Awesome tips for crispy baked chicken! These sound tasty!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 21, 2016 at 3:21 pm

        Thanks, Sabrina!

        Reply
    14. helen @ Scrummy Lane says

      September 15, 2016 at 1:18 am

      Awww, I HATE it when things don't go according to plan at first, although I know that's just par for the course with blogging 🙂

      I've had this 'soggy breading' problem before too so thanks for the tips. I've never tried toasting the crumbs first before but will try it next time I bread something.

      You're making me want to scoff a pile of these for brekky!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 21, 2016 at 3:24 pm

        True..I've had more recipe fails than I'd care to admit. 🙂

        Let me know how it goes when you try out the breading technique.

        I just used your pasta water technique for extending creamy pasta sauce - genius!

        Reply
    15. Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says

      September 13, 2016 at 5:28 pm

      Fantastic post, Marissa! I love seeing and hearing about the process someone goes through to get a truly great dish. I love baked chicken tenders as a quick dinner during the week, but I haven't made them quite like this - talk about some serious crunch and flavor! Definitely making these on our next faux-fried chicken night 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 21, 2016 at 3:25 pm

        I'd love to be there when you make these, because I know you'll do some fabulous fusion flavor twist!

        Reply
    16. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      September 13, 2016 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      Great post, Marissa! I LOVE all your tips! Toasted breadcrumbs definitely rock the house and I don't know where I'd be without a wire rack for my sheet pan! I can almost taste how crunchy and buffalo-tastic these tenders taste! Football food perfection, girlfriend! I could seriously eat a platter of these in record time! Pinned! Cheers! 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 21, 2016 at 3:26 pm

        It's so true - the wire rack makes all the difference in crisping things up! Definitely football food! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Kevin | Keviniscooking says

      September 12, 2016 at 11:03 am

      Crunchtastic Marissa... I could eat a dozen. I love the trials and tribulations, too of the behind the scenes stuff. Test, test and re-test, right? I have made 3 peach crisps now with ginger snaps and it's still not right! 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 12, 2016 at 4:17 pm

        Thank you!! Stay the course, Kevin! That peach crisp sounds amazing! 😉

        Reply
    18. Mary says

      September 12, 2016 at 10:54 am

      Yum! Can't wait to add this to my P&S favorites!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 12, 2016 at 4:17 pm

        aww, thanks Mary! xo

        Reply
    19. Dorothy Dunton says

      September 12, 2016 at 10:49 am

      Hi Marissa! These are what I call "oven fried" and I love the use of panko! I always have it on hand. I started oven frying chicken many years ago when my kids were small because I did not believe they needed deep fried foods. I also baked crispy potato wedges (skin on) for the same reason. I am so used to real food that I cannot eat fast food unless I want an upset stomach...no thanks! PS I always have Frank's sauce too! This will be dinner soon!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 12, 2016 at 4:19 pm

        Hi Dorothy! Oh yes, love crispy baked potato wedges and haven't had them in ages - thanks for the reminder. I'm the same way about fast food - yuck! If you end up making these, let me know how it goes. 🙂

        Reply
    20. ann says

      September 11, 2016 at 7:21 pm

      I just knew you were going to say Nagi when you mentioned another blogger. She is pure genius and now I need to try your 'crispy' baked chicken not to forget the blue cheese dip...yum. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 12, 2016 at 4:20 pm

        Thanks, Ann! And I agree - she's amazing, super creative and her recipes are spot on.

        Reply
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