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Cornflake Chicken Tenders are a a classic dinner that the whole family will love! Seasoned with ranch, the cornflakes add such a nice flavor to this recipe and is sure to be a hit with your family! It is so simple to make with pantry ingredients too.
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Check out my Mississippi Chicken and my Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga for more great dinner ideas.
Chicken tenders are a favorite at our house! My favorite thing to take homemade chicken tenders up a notch or two is coating them in cornflakes. These chicken tenders are juicy inside and crispy on the outside.
This oven-fried chicken is an easy dinner recipe when you're ready for a comfort food classic!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthier than traditional fried chicken because there's no skin on the chicken and it's not deep fried.
- The breading is seasoned just right, adding another dimension of flavor and texture.
- Baked to crispy perfection, while the chicken remains juicy and tender.
- Kid-friendly meal, and on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- Chicken Tenders: The perfect strips for the tenders.
- Milk: Reacts with chicken to tenderize it.
- Eggs: Beaten eggs are the key to getting the cornflake crust to adhere to the chicken.
- Cornflakes: Adds the perfect crust for crunchy chicken.
- Sweet Paprika: Adds color and a mild peppery flavor.
- Ranch Seasoning: Adds rich ranch flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: Simple seasonings are all you need.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and then place an ovenproof rack overtop. Set aside.
Step 2:
Place the cornflakes, paprika, ranch seasoning, salt and white pepper in a food processor and blitz until cornflakes are finely ground. It's okay if the texture isn't completely uniform. (You can also use a large zip top bag and crush the cornflakes with a rolling pin.)
Step 3:
Place the crumb coating mixture in one bowl, then place the milk and eggs in a second bowl. Beat the eggs and milk until fully combined.
Step 4:
Dip each chicken tender in the milk mixture, then coat completely in the cornflake mixture.
Step 5:
Place the crumb-coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 6:
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until chicken tenders reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Buy chicken breast tenders already pre-cut which saves on prep time.
- Chicken tenders are best served immediately after they come out of the oven. Refrigerating will soften the cornflake coating.
- Use a variety of spices in the cornflake coating, such as smoked paprika, onion powder or sugar.
- Use chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer dark meat chicken.
Variations
- Spicy Cornflake Chicken Tenders: Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the cornflake mixture for a kick of heat.
- Parmesan Cornflake Chicken Tenders: Add ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the cornflake mixture for a cheesy flavor.
- Cajun Cornflake Chicken Tenders: Add 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning to the cornflake mixture for a spicy and flavorful chicken tender.
- Coconut Cornflake Chicken Tenders: Replace the Cornflakes with unsweetened coconut flakes for a tropical twist.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Place cooled tenders in an airtight container. They will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Tenders are best warmed up in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes.
Freezing: It's best to freeze the tenders before baking. After the chicken is coated in the cornflake coating, place chicken on parchment covered baking sheet. Place sheet in freezer for a few hours, or until frozen solid. Then, transfer the frozen tenders to a freezer safe zip top bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQ's
Cornflakes are a classic stand-in for traditional breadcrumbs. Corn or rice Chex would also make a great crust.
Fingers, tenders and strips are often used interchangeably to refer to breaded tenders.
Sweet potato fries, roasted broccoli, tater tots, green beans and fruit are all great side dish options.
Yes. Corn grits are rolled out into flakes. Those flakes are then cooked, dried and toasted.
More Dinner Recipes You'll Love
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Cornflake Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders approximately 3 breasts
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 ½ cups Cornflakes
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and then place an ovenproof rack overtop. Set aside.
- Place the cornflakes, paprika, ranch seasoning, salt and white pepper in a food processor and blitz until cornflakes are finely ground. It's okay if the texture isn't completely uniform. (You can also use a large zip top bag and crush the cornflakes with a rolling pin.)
- Place the crumb coating mixture in one bowl, then place the milk and eggs in a second bowl. Beat the eggs and milk until fully combined.
- Dip each chicken tender in the milk mixture, then coat completely in the cornflake mixture.
- Place the crumb-coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until chicken tenders reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Notes
- Buy chicken breast tenders already pre-cut which saves on prep time.
- Chicken tenders are best served immediately after they come out of the oven.
- Refrigerating will soften the cornflake coating.
- Use a variety of spices in the cornflake coating, such as smoked paprika, onion powder or sugar.
- Use chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer dark meat chicken.
- Storing: Place cooled tenders in an airtight container. They will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Tenders are best warmed up in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes.
- Freezing: It’s best to freeze the tenders before baking. After the chicken is coated in the cornflake coating, place chicken on parchment covered baking sheet. Place sheet in freezer for a few hours, or until frozen solid. Then, transfer the frozen tenders to a freezer safe zip top bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Enjoy!
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