Crispy Baked Panko Chicken Tenders

By Sprig Originals ✓ · with credit

Adapted from amindfullmom.com

Juicy chicken strips in a golden panko crust, baked on a rack so they crisp all over without a drop of frying oil. They come together in under half an hour and disappear even faster.

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken tenderloins, or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, for the flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, for the egg wash
• 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, for the panko
• cooking spray

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 425°F (215°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and give the rack a light coat of cooking spray.
2. Tidy up the chicken: pull away any fat and the tough white tendons from the tenderloins. If you're working with breasts instead, trim the fat and slice them lengthwise into strips about 1 inch thick so they cook evenly.
3. Set up three shallow dishes. In the first, whisk the flour with 1 teaspoon seasoned salt. In the second, beat the eggs with the water and 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt. In the third, stir the panko with the remaining 1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
4. Coat each strip in turn: toss it in the flour and shake off the excess, dip it in the egg wash and let the drips fall away, then press it into the panko, using your hands to pack the crumbs on all sides. Lay the tenders on the rack in a single layer, leaving a little space between them.
5. Mist the tops of the breaded tenders with cooking spray — this is what turns the crumbs golden. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the chicken registers 165°F (74°C) at the thickest point. No flipping needed; the rack lets hot air crisp the undersides.
6. Serve hot, straight from the pan, with whatever dipping sauce your table votes for.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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