Buffalo Chicken Tenders (Oven-Baked)
Crispy oven-baked buffalo chicken tenders with a three-layer coating: a seasoned flour and cornstarch dredge, a hot-sauce egg wash and fine breadcrumbs. Baked on a rack at 425°F, then tossed in a Frank's RedHot butter sauce and served with ranch or blue cheese.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken tenderloins or boneless breast cut into strips
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Breading Station
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp Frank's RedHot sauce for the egg wash
- 1 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs or panko
- olive oil spray for the rack and the tenders
Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
To Serve
- ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
- celery and carrot sticks optional
Equipment
- Sheet Pan with Wire Rack
- Three Shallow Bowls
- Large skillet
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowls
Instructions
Season and Bread
- Heat the oven. Set the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment, set a wire rack on top and spray the rack with oil.
- Season the chicken. Pat the tenders dry with paper towels and season them on both sides with the salt and pepper.
- Mix the dredge. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and salt.
- Make the egg wash. In a second bowl, beat the eggs with 2 tablespoons of hot sauce until smooth. Spread the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
- Bread the tenders. Dredge each tender in the flour and shake off the excess, dip it in the egg wash, then press it into the breadcrumbs on all sides. Lay the tenders on the rack without touching and rest them for 10 minutes so the coating sets.
Bake
- Bake until golden. Spray the tops lightly with oil and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping once halfway, until the coating is deep golden and the thickest tender reads 165°F (74°C).
Make the Sauce
- Melt the buffalo sauce. While the tenders bake, warm the 1/2 cup of hot sauce, the butter and the garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and glossy.
Toss and Serve
- Toss. Move the hot tenders to a large bowl, pour the warm sauce over and toss gently until every piece is coated.
- Serve. Serve right away with ranch or blue cheese for dipping, plus celery and carrot sticks if you like.
Notes
Pictured: the recipe as written, baked on a rack, tossed in the buffalo butter sauce and served with ranch.
Make ahead: bread the tenders up to 24 hours ahead, cover loosely on the rack and refrigerate; bake from cold, adding 2 to 3 minutes. Hold baked, unsauced tenders in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes and sauce just before serving.
Storage: refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat on a rack at 400°F or in an air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes. Freeze baked, unsauced tenders up to 3 months and reheat from frozen at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes before saucing.
Substitutions: panko or crushed cornflakes for the fine breadcrumbs; boneless breast or thigh cut into strips for the tenderloins; a gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free crumbs for a gluten-free batch. Pan-fried option: shallow-fry the breaded tenders 3 minutes a side, then finish on the rack for 8 to 10 minutes.
Doneness: 165°F in the thickest tender, with a deep golden coating. Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1650mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg