The BEST Oven Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe (No Breading)

This oven-baked chicken tenders recipe combines chicken tenderloins with a little melted butter and the perfect balance of spices to make a meal fit for a king/queen. The tenders turn out super juicy, tender, and loaded with flavor. Plus, in addition to tasting great, they're so, so easy to make. Just a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time are all that's needed to make this easy chicken recipe!

The Best Baked Chicken Tenders

These baked chicken tenders might just be one of the best chicken recipes I've made in a while. For being so quick and easy to make, the results are incredible. I mean, I'd even go as far as saying that these oven baked chicken tenders that are finger-lickin' good.

Now, when I say easy, I really mean it. All you have to do is combine the spices and seasonings, coat the chicken tenderloins with 'em, and then let the oven take care of the rest. Honestly, as far as easy chicken recipes go, this one might be the easiest. Also, since it's such a breeze to make, it's the perfect family dinner recipe to have in your back pocket for those busy weeknights where cooking anything extravagant is out of the question.

By the way, and since this baked chicken tenders recipe is so quick and easy to put together, you'll have plenty of time to work on some equally tasty side dishes. I love serving 'em alongside these parmesan noodles and these cheesy mashed potatoes. 

Ingredients

One of the best things about making these oven baked chicken tenders is that you only need kitchen/pantry staples to make it. Honestly, I guarantee that you have most - if not all - of them on hand already.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make 'em:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ½ lb. chicken tenderloins
• ½ tbsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp brown sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Not too shabby, eh?

By the way, if you're looking for some tasty dipping sauces, I definitely suggest you check out this copycat Chick Fil A sauce recipe, this halal cart white sauce, or this copycat Big Mac sauce. You really can't go wrong with dipping the tendies into any of them. 

Oh, and if you want to make breaded chicken, you can use a few of these ingredients to make these baked breaded chicken cutlets!

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

While I recommend making this baked chicken tenders recipe with the ingredients listed above, there's definitely some room to switch up this recipe if you want to.

For instance, these homemade chicken tenders are coated in butter and spices before being baked, but you can make breaded chicken tenders if you prefer. Simply combine your spice mixture with some panko bread crumbs and toss your buttered chicken strips in it right before baking 'em.

As for the chicken tenders themselves, this is a cut that comes from the chicken tenderloins, but really any cut of chicken will do. I've tried this recipe with flattened chicken breasts cut into chicken strips, and it's always turned out super tasty.

How To Bake Chicken Tenders

Now it's time for the fun part - it's time to make some baked chicken tenders!

Honestly, I can't stress enough just how easy this recipe is. You basically just coat each chicken tenders in butter, then coat 'em in your spices and bake 'em in the oven. It's really that simple!

So, with that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Prep Work

First things first, you'll want to preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Then, you can take out a small bowl and combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, oregano, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in it.

Step 2: Season The Chicken Tenders

Now you can coat the chicken tenderloins in melted butter. I usually find a shallow dish - or large bowl - works best for this step, but you could also brush the butter over the top of the tenders right on the baking sheet.

Anyway, once the chicken tenderloins are coated in butter, you can sprinkle the spice mix over each one and rub it into the chicken.

Step 3: Bake The Chicken Tenders And Serve

After you've coated the chicken tenders in the spice mix, you can transfer all of 'em to your prepared baking sheet and bake 'em in the oven for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Once the 25 minutes are up - or your oven-baked chicken tenders have fully cooked - you can serve your tenders warm with some potatoes, veggies, dipping sauce of your choice, or whatever else you want.

Enjoy!

How To Store Baked Chicken Tenders

This recipe for baked chicken tenders makes about 2 servings, so while it would make a perfect lunch or dinner for two, I wouldn't expect to have any leftovers. 

However, if you do end up with some leftover chicken tenders, you can store the cooked chicken tenders in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively, if you want to store the leftovers for longer, you can freeze the tenders in an airtight container - or freezer-safe bag - for up to 4 months.

How To Reheat Baked Chicken Tenders

When you're ready to enjoy your leftover chicken tenders again, you can either eat them cold or warm them up. I think they're best reheated.

So, to reheat your chicken tenders, all you have to do is transfer them back to a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until they're fully reheated.

Alternatively, to warm them up even faster, you can reheat the tenders in an air fryer at 375°F for 4-5 minutes or until they're nice and warm.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make baked chicken tenders with no breading!

I know they're just simple oven baked chicken tenderloins, but I swear they're the best chicken tenders you'll ever have.

Between the perfect balance of flavors and the fact that the chicken is so juicy and tender, you really can't beat this recipe.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe for chicken tenders as much as I/we do. As always, if you give this recipe a try, then be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

More Chicken Recipes

If you're in need of even more easy chicken recipes, then we have a ton on the blog for you to try next!

Here are some reader favorites:

• Lemon chicken
• Marry me chicken
• Crockpot salsa chicken
• Chicken noodle casserole
• Oven baked chicken with cream of chicken soup

Oh, and make sure to check us out on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for even more deliciousness! We post new recipes on them every day.

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