Crispy, juicy, and tremendous flavorful, this home made Rooster Tenders Recipe leaves speedy meals hen tenders within the mud! Best possible of all, you don’t even want to fry them—simply pop them within the oven for a very simple weeknight dinner.

Why You’ll Love those Crispy Rooster Tenders
- Circle of relatives Pleasant. Children LOVE this recipe (my 4 nieces can attest, they devour them each week), but it surely’s healthy and increased sufficient to be loved via adults.
- Nostalgic. When I used to be a child, my default speedy meals order used to be hen tenders with honey for dipping. Now that I’m a good grownup, I make this hen tenders recipe at house—and as a substitute of straight-up honey, I whip up a creamy honey mustard dipping sauce.
- Wholesome. In contrast to heavy drive-through fare, home made hen tenders are wholesome and one thing you’ll really feel just right playing frequently (like those Grilled Rooster Tenders and Air Fryer Rooster Tenders!).
- Freezer-Pleasant. Make a large batch in bulk, then pop them into the oven immediately from frozen. Who wishes the type within the field?!

5 Superstar Assessment
“I made those for most definitely the tenth time remaining evening. Circle of relatives favourite.”
— Elizabeth —
About This Home made Rooster Tenders Recipe
Nowadays’s baked hen tenders recipe combines delightfully crispy hen with a honey mustard sauce that’s creamy, tangy, and juuuust candy sufficient to make issues attention-grabbing.
Don’t be improper, even though—there’s extra to those hen tenders than that crispy baked coating. There’s additionally a candy and tangy buttermilk honey marinade, along side mustard overwhelmed into the egg that you simply’ll use for dredging.
The marinade locks within the moisture and offers the hen tenders a flippantly candy, zippy taste, whilst the crunchy Panko bakes right into a crispy, golden crust. It’s like a down-sized model of my Baked Fried Rooster!
After you are making this baked hen tenders recipe, you’ll by no means wish to devour speedy meals nuggets ever once more.

How you can Make Rooster Tenders
Fortunate for me (and also you), making your individual baked hen tenders from scratch is fast and simple.
The Components
For the Rooster Tenders:
- Kosher Salt. Kosher salt crystals are higher than desk salt, so in case you replace desk salt, you’ll want to use about 1/4 much less.
- Smoked Paprika. Smoked paprika is a kind of magical substances that belongs in each kitchen pantry. You’ll use common candy paprika, but it surely doesn’t have that great, smoky taste.
- Onion Powder and Garlic Powder. The classics lend a hand season those tenders!
- Honey. Use a runny honey—an on a regular basis roughly honey, no longer the fondness spreadable stuff.
- Low-Fats Buttermilk. For the marinade of our desires.
- Rooster Tenderloins or Boneless Skinless Rooster Breasts. For those who use hen breasts, reduce them into 3/4-inch strips.
- Complete Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs. Common Panko is ok too if you’ll’t to find entire wheat.
- Additional-Virgin Olive Oil. For our breading.
- Egg Whites. Or just use one massive egg.
- Dijon Mustard. Whisked along side the eggs for the dredging.
For the Creamy Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
- Non-Fats Simple Greek Yogurt. Provides us that tang!
- Dijon Mustard and Honey. Making sauce is creamy, tangy, and completely candy.
The Instructions

- Marinade. The hen tenders must sit down within the buttermilk marinade for half-hour.

- Make the Breading. Do that in a large, shallow dish.

- Make the Rainy “Dip”. This may lend a hand the breadcrumbs stick.

- Get Able for Dredging. This procedure is more straightforward if the whole lot is in a line.

- Dredge. Dip every hen mushy into the egg combination, adopted via the breadcrumbs, then position the hen mushy on a twine rack set on a baking sheet.

- Bake. 350 levels F for 15 to twenty mins, or till the hen tenders golden brown and the juices run transparent.

- Make the Dipping Sauce. Serve the baked hen tenders with the sauce and ENJOY!
Seasoning Concepts
- Cajun Baked Rooster Tenders. Skip the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder and use Cajun seasoning as a substitute. You’ll additionally wish to skip the mustard within the egg whites.
- Herbed Rooster Tenders. Use Italian-style panko breadcrumbs, or upload Italian seasoning to the breadcrumb combination as a substitute of paprika. You’ll additionally upload Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs in case you’d like. (Skip the mustard within the egg whites right here, too.)
- Highly spiced Rooster Tenders. As a substitute of mustard, whisk your favourite sizzling sauce into the egg white combination, then upload cayenne pepper to the breading. Pair your fiery hen tenders with cool ranch dressing.
- Crispy Asian Rooster Tenders. Best for pairing with sweet-and-sour sauce!

Garage Pointers
- To Retailer. Refrigerate baked hen tenders in an hermetic garage container for as much as 3 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat leftovers within the oven at 350 levels F or within the air fryer. In a pinch, you’ll use the microwave, however the external gained’t be as crispy.
- To Freeze. Prepare the hen tenders in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze simply till forged, then switch the frozen tenders to an hermetic container or freezer bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. Reheat without delay from frozen.
What to Serve With This Rooster Tenders Recipe
- Tongs. Whilst you’ll use your fingers (or a unmarried hand, as described beneath) for this hen tenders recipe, tongs will stay your palms from getting covered in panko.
- Stainless Metal Breading Set. This creative little set has attached shallow dishes to attenuate the mess whilst you’re breading hen and veggies.
- Twine Baking Rack. For crispy hen tenders within the oven, a twine rack is vital. Like an air fryer basket, it lets in the new air to flow into all over the tenders so the bottoms don’t steam and get soggy.

For the Honey Mustard Rooster Tenders:
For the Creamy Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup non-fat simple Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey plus 1 teaspoon, plus further to style
- Pinch salt
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For the Honey Mustard Rooster Tenders: In a big bowl, mix 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a big bowl. Upload the buttermilk and honey and whisk till smartly blended. Upload the hen tenders, toss to coat, then let stand at room temperature for half-hour. (Don’t permit to take a seat longer, or the hen will grow to be too salty.)
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In a big, shallow dish (a 9×13-inch pan works smartly), mix the Panko breadcrumbs and closing 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Drizzle the oil excessive, then toss to moisten.
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In a 2nd shallow dish, whisk in combination the egg whites and mustard.
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Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then position an ovenproof twine rack on best of it. Coat the rack with cooking spray.
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Prepare the bowls in a line from left to proper as follows: egg white dish; Panko breadcrumbs; baking sheet. Operating with a couple of items of hen at a time, along with your left hand, take away the hen from the marinade and shake off any extra (that is the “rainy” hand). Nonetheless along with your left hand, dip the hen into egg combination, turning to coat both sides, then position in breadcrumb combination. Along with your proper hand (the “dry” hand), pat the hen on both sides with the breadcrumbs, urgent them on flippantly in order that the hen is easily covered. Nonetheless along with your dry hand, position the hen at the baking sheet, leaving somewhat area between every. Repeat for closing tenders.
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Bake the hen till golden brown and the juices run transparent, 15-20 mins.
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Whilst the hen bakes, stir the dip substances in combination in a small bowl: Greek yogurt, Dijon, honey, and salt. Style and upload further honey as desired. Serve hen sizzling or at room temperature with the dip.
- No buttermilk? Stir 1 cup common milk (1% or 2% is preferable) along side 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice and let sit down 5 mins. Stir another time then use within the recipe as directed.
- You’ll additionally use common, unseasoned breadcrumbs rather than Panko, however the hen tenders might not be as crispy.
- Dietary knowledge for this recipe is a coarse estimate, as a result of a lot of the marinade is discarded. Use this data as a information simplest. You’ll additionally calculate it your self and tweak factor quantities at myfitnesspal.com
- TO STORE: Refrigerate baked hen tenders in an hermetic garage container for as much as 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat leftovers within the oven at 350 levels F or within the air fryer. In a pinch, you’ll use the microwave, however the external gained’t be as crispy.
- TO FREEZE: Prepare the hen tenders in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze simply till forged, then switch the frozen tenders to an hermetic container or freezer bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. Reheat without delay from frozen.
Serving: 3hen strips with 3 tablespoons sauceEnergy: 412kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 46gFats: 1gSaturated Fats: 2gLdl cholesterol: 107mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g
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Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Rooster strips and hen tenders—to not point out hen palms—are phrases which might be incessantly used interchangeably, however they’re no longer rather the similar. Rooster strips and palms are made via reducing hen breasts into strips; hen tenders are a real reduce of hen referred to as the tenderloin or interior filet.
There are a couple of pointers for ensuring the breading sticks to hen tenders. First, shake off the surplus marinade; let the surplus egg drip off too, then press the hen into the breadcrumb combination.
In case your palms begin to get gunky (sure, that’s a technical time period), wipe them off—I’ve discovered that breadcrumbs from the hen are much more likely to come back off on my palms if I have already got a layer of breadcrumbs and egg on them.
In the end, remember to completely coat the twine rack with cooking spray to stay the breadcrumbs from sticking to the rack and pulling off when the hen is completed baking.
For best possible effects, hen tenders must be cooked for a minimum of 15 to twenty mins. The precise cooking time depends upon the dimensions and thickness of the items, however an effective way to test if the tenders are cooked is to pierce them with a fork or knife—if the juices run transparent, then they’re in a position.
Sure, hen tenders are actual hen. They’re constituted of the tenderloin, which is a small strip of muscle situated on each side of the breastbone.
One of the vital best possible techniques to stay hen wet and juicy is via the usage of a marinade; this hen tenders recipe makes use of a easy buttermilk marinade for very best, succulent hen. It’s additionally essential to not overcook your hen—test for doneness after quarter-hour or test the inner temperature of the hen and take away it from the oven when it reaches 165 levels F.
Similar Recipes
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