These oven-baked chicken tenders are juicy, flavorful, and ready in just 30 minutes. Each piece is perfectly coated with a homemade seasoning mix and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to ensure they don't dry out in the oven. The best part? No breading required!
If you love easy and light chicken recipes, try our thinly sliced baked chicken breasts, chicken kebabs, or baked BBQ chicken breasts next.
And if you are looking for breaded chicken, you may enjoy our Panko chicken breasts, air fryer crispy chicken tenders or air fryer chicken cutlets.
I cook chicken breasts or tenders at least once a week, and recently this recipe has become my favorite thanks to its simplicity, amazing seasoning mix, and versatility.
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Recipe highlights
- Quick and easy: chicken tenders cook fast and require minimal prep time.
- No breading: chicken tenders are generously seasoned, so you will not miss the breading here.
- Versatile: you can easily serve them as finger food with a variety of dipping sauces, as main dish, or in salads, wraps, pasta, and more.
Ingredients
This is the overview of the ingredients you will need. Please, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the ingredients' quantities.
- Chicken tenderloins: chicken tenders or tenderloins are lean, boneless small strips of meat that come from the underside of the chicken breasts. You can also cut chicken breasts into strips if you cannot find tenders at the store.
- Olive oil: a lighter ingredient (compared to butter or mayo) to keep the chicken tender and juicy, as the oil will lock all the juices inside while baking.
- Seasonings: I love to use this homemade seasoning mix that includes paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. cumin, chipotle powder, and black pepper. Feel free to use other spices or skip the ones you do not like.
- Brown sugar: you can skip the sugar, but I really recommend adding it. Sugar adds amazing complexity and depth to the dish, making it more flavorful and balancing the savory and spicy notes. It also makes the chicken slightly caramelize while baking.
How to bake chicken tenders
Below you can find the simple steps with images on how to make this recipe.
Step 1. Pat dry the chicken tenders with paper towels, so there is no excess moisture.
In a medium bowl, add your chicken tenders and drizzle them lightly with olive oil. Toss the chicken, until evenly coated.
Step 2. In a small bowl, add all the seasoning ingredients. Mix to combine.
Quick note: I like to make a batch of the seasoning and store it in my pantry to have it on hand. It will last for a few months. Without sugar even longer.
Add the seasoning mix to the chicken. Use your hands to distribute the seasoning and rub it evenly on the meat.
Step 3. Line the baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Place seasoned chicken tenders on a prepared pan, leaving some space between.
Step 4. Place chicken tenders in oven and bake them for about 15-20 minutes or until browned on the outside.
Use the meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and let them rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Recipe tips
- You can cut chicken breasts into strips if you do not have tenderloins.
- For the best texture, thoroughly pat the chicken dry with paper towels straight from the fridge; removing surface moisture is the secret to getting a good sear without breading.
- Use parchment paper for effortless clean-up and to prevent the lean tenderloins from sticking to the baking pan.
Serving suggestions
Below are our favorite serving ideas for chicken tenders:
- Dipping sauces: we like to serve them with BBQ sauce, blue cheese dip, honey mustard, or ranch.
- Side dishes: you can serve them with our air fryer roasted potatoes, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, or steamed veggies.
- Protein addition: chop up cooked chicken tenders and add them to salads, bowls, pasta, and more.
- Party finger food: Chicken fingers are great for large gatherings, as they are easy to enjoy without any utensils.
- Kids meals: chicken tenders are one of the most popular foods among kids. Serve them with classic sides like French fries, baby carrots, and apple slices for a kid-friendly meal.
Storage instructions
To keep the chicken tender even the next day, let it cool down first completely, and then store the leftovers in the airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
You can reheat cold chicken in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds or until hot.
You can also reheated in the oven preheated to 350F for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Air fryer directions
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for about 5 minutes. In the air fryer basket, place seasoned chicken tenders in a single layer, leaving some space between them. Air fry for about 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Frequently asked questions
I have the best success by baking chicken tenders at 400°F. It allows the chicken to cook evenly and achieve a crispy exterior without over-drying it.
Absolutely, you can use chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs. You will only need to adjust the cooking time.
Yes, you can freeze cooked chicken tenders for up to 3 months. After cooking, allow the chicken tenders to cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer bag before placing them in the freezer.
More easy chicken recipes
- Cast iron chicken breasts
- Baked chicken leg quarters
- Cheesy chicken fritters
- Air fryer thin chicken breasts
- Instant pot pulled BBQ chicken
- Boiled chicken drumsticks
- Air fryer chicken bites without breading
📖 Recipe
Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 Baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder *see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pat dry chicken breast tenders with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add chicken tenders and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat the chicken.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the chicken. Rub chicken tenders well using your hands so the seasoning coats the meat evenly.
- Arrange seasoned chicken tenders on a prepared baking pan, leaving some space between each piece.
- Bake chicken tenders for about 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove cooked chicken from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
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