Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These crispy, spicy buffalo chicken tenders are baked instead of fried for a healthier take on classic buffalo wings.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast sliced lengthwise into strips
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup plain regular breadcrumbs or use seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Buffalo Sauce
- ¾ cup cayenne pepper hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (*see note)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ranch or blue cheese for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil, or line with a silicone baking mat, parchment or greased aluminum foil.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
- In another shallow bowl, spread out the plain regular bread crumbs.
- In a third bowl, spread out the panko bread crumbs.
- Season the chicken breast strips with salt and pepper and, one by one, dredge them first in the egg mixture, then in the regular bread crumbs, then back in the egg mixture, and then last in the panko bread crumbs, pressing to adhere.
- Place the coated chicken strips on the prepared baking sheet and spray evenly with cooking spray.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, flip, spray the other side with cooking spray, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- While the chicken is baking, make the Buffalo wing sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, butter and garlic powder.
- As soon as the chicken tenders come out of the oven, place the tenders in a large bowl, pour the desired quantity of hot sauce over them (I use it all!) and toss gently to coat.
- Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
Notes
Instructions for freezing: freeze the chicken strips after breading but before baking in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer the frozen tenders to a freezer bag, taking as mush air out as you can, and freeze for up to 6 months. Bake from frozen, adding about 5-10 minutes to the cooking time, and toss in buffalo sauce straight out of the oven.
The sauce is at about a medium heat level. If you prefer a milder or spicier sauce, adjust the amount of butter to taste. Alternatively, the sauce can also be served on the side.
If you are serving kids who prefer ketchup to buffalo sauce, keep a few aside for them before tossing in the sauce.