Baked Chicken Tenders

4.72

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These baked chicken tenders are coated in almond flour or meal, shredded coconut and a blend of spices. They’re absolutely delicious and perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce.

I feel like most adults deem chicken tenders as a kids food. But I’m a big fan of chicken tenders! They’re super flavorful, crispy and can be eaten on their own or in a variety of ways.

Overhead shot of baked chicken tenders on 2 plates with dipping sauce.

Instead of using traditional bread crumbs for breading, I made these baked chicken tenders paleo and grain-free by using almond meal. My family is hooked on this simple dinner!

Ingredients measured out to make baked chicken tenders: cayenne pepper, almond meal, egg, chicken, coconut flakes, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.

Here’s What You Need

  • boneless skinless chicken breast – cut into strips. You can also buy pre-cut chicken tenders but they’re usually more expensive and it’s easy to slice a chicken breast into strips!
  • egg – to bind the almond meal to the chicken.
  • almond meal – the base of the breading! I typically use almond meal, but you can definitely use almond flour instead. You’ll mix spices into the almond meal or flour to make it extra flavorful.
  • unsweetened shredded coconut – to add flavor and crunch to the breading! If you’re not a big coconut fan, you can just use more almond meal.  
  • spices – a delicious combination of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.
tip!
Bake these chicken tenders on a baking sheet with a wire rack. The wire rack will result in a crispier texture! 
Side by side photos. The first is of coconut, almond flour and spices in a bowl. The second photo is a bowl of whisked egg and a bowl of the whisked almond flour mixtire.
Overhead shot of chicken tenders on a baking sheet.

Dip Pairings

You can’t have chicken tenders without dipping sauce, right?! Here are some of our favorites:

What to Serve Baked Chicken Tenders With

Like I mentioned earlier, these baked chicken tenders are actually pretty versatile! Here are some ways to serve them:

Overhead shot of a serving platter with baked chicken tenders.

How to Store Baked Chicken Tenders

Leftover chicken tenders store really well! After allowing them to cool, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, I like to pop them in the conventional oven or toaster oven for a few minutes so they crisp back up!

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4.72 from 60 votes

Baked Chicken Tenders

These baked chicken tenders are coated in almond flour or meal, shredded coconut and a blend of spices. They're absolutely delicious and perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients  

  • 1 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup almond meal (or almond flour)
  • ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (or ¼ cup more almond meal)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and coat a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place almond meal, coconut, paprika, cayenne, garlic, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
    Overhead shot of a bowl with almond meal, coconut, paprika, cayenne, garlic, sea salt and black pepper ready to be combined.
  • Crack egg into another shallow bowl and whisk.
  • One by one, dredge each chicken tender in the egg bowl, wiping off any access and then dip each into the almond meal mixture. Roll until each tender is covered completely.
    Overhead shot of two bowls. One bowl has eggs that have been whisked and the second bowl has a mixture of dry ingredients with a whisk resting in the bowl.
  • Place the coated tenders on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or a wire rack that fits on a baking sheet. The wire rack will make for a crispier texture.
    Overhead shot of chicken tenders on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, flipping the tenders once at the 10 minute mark. When done the chicken tenders will be golden brown and completely cooked through.
  • Remove tenders from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
  • Leftover chicken tenders store really well. After allowing them to cool slightly, store in an airtight container for 5 days. To reheat, I like to pop them in the conventional oven or toaster oven for a few minutes so they crisp back up!

Video

Notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/4 of recipe | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    Additional Info

    Course: Lunch/Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: baked chicken tenders
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

    About Brittany

    Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

    More about Brittany
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    Recipe Rating




    116 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      This is now going to be my go to recipe for chicken tenders!!! So good and so easy. I didn’t have shredded coconut so added a little more almond flour and turned out so good-toddler approved too! 😉

      1. Yay!! Happy to hear these chicken tenders were a hit, Annelise! Thanks so much for trying them out and for the review. It means so much to me!

    2. 5 stars
      This recipe was TO DIE FOR!!! It turned out absolutely AMAZING and all my roommates were asking for the recipe. Love your recipes, truly genius, healthy and delicious!

      1. Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Taylor! Thanks for coming back to leave a review and star rating. It means the world to me.

      1. Yum! Such an easy and delicious recipe. So glad you all loved this recipe. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me.

      1. Hi Jaycee – Did you make sure they were all evenly coated? Sounds like some spots might have had a thicker coating than others.

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