As a teenager, my favourite thing to order off of any menu was the classic chicken tenders and fries. It didn't matter which restaurant I was at, I wanted to try those juicy strips. My friends would make so much fun of me, as they could always guess what my order would be. Now fast forward 15 years later, and here I am making my very own baked crispy chicken strips.
It is just so much more rewarding making homemade versions of your favourite recipes. And to top it off, making them healthier. Now that feeling is in a category of its own! Since the majority of restaurant-ordered chicken strips are deep fried, the fact that this version is baked makes it a zillion times healthier for you.
It is also healthier because we know exactly what we are adding into the bread mixture. I mean, just look at the ingredients. There is nothing outrageously bad for you in this recipe. So you know exactly what you are coating these bad boys with. A lot of chicken strips tend to include a big-sized serving of Parmesan cheese in their breaded crumbs... bet you didn't know that!
And just because they are healthier does not mean they aren't as tasty. In fact, they are tastier. These baked crispy chicken strips are phenomenal! Not that I am biased or anything... Juicy long strips of chicken shaped perfectly for dipping into your favourite sauce, coated with a flawless crispy and crunchy exterior created by a combination of panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning blend and paprika, should I keep going? 🙂
For those of you that don't know, in the world of breaded chicken, there are breadcrumbs and then there are panko breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are a Japanese-style breadcrumb with a jagged coarse texture that gets super crispy without having to be deep-fried, hence why they make the perfect coat for baked chicken strips. I found them in the "International" aisle of my local grocery store. You can also find them at any specialty Asian supermarket.
Although, my restaurant activities have changed immensely from when I was a young teenager, and I now like to try new and more intricate dishes on the menu, I can still appreciate a batch of good old-fashioned chicken strips. I particularly consume them when I am at a baseball game or hosting game day at our home. It is the perfect appetizer to munch on while cheering on your favourite team.
Pair this with a side of your favourite dipping sauce (mine is barbecue sauce) and watch it disappear right before your eyes!
Recipe
Baked Crispy Chicken Strips
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 chicken strips
Description
Juicy long strips of chicken shaped perfectly for dipping and coated with a flawless crispy and crunchy exterior, baked crispy chicken strips are a pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 and ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into long strips
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- dipping sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. Line a cooking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil or brush with oil.
- In a frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously until the breadcrumbs start to brown. Be careful not to burn them, you only want them to slightly turn a golden colour. Remove from heat and mix in the italian seasoning blend, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a bowl, beat your egg. Add the mayonnaise and continue to beat. Pour into a shallow dish.
- In another shallow dish, add the flour.
- Now, start coating your chicken strips. First, dip the chicken into the flour and fully coat it. Next, dip it into the egg mixture and fully coat. Lastly, place your chicken into the panko breadcrumb mixture and coat fully.
- Place the coated chicken strip onto your cooking tray. Continue for all pieces.
- Bake the strips for 15-18 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside.
- Serve immediately with a side of your favourite dipping sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Yehudis says
Delicious! Came here because I didn't have an hour to freeze your chicken nuggets, and i definitely don't regret it! Will be making these again and again 🙂
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Yehundis. So happy you liked the recipe!
Jamie says
Made these for lunch for me and my 1-year-old daughter. Phenomenal! Best crispy chicken recipe I've ever tried. Thanks for sharing!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
So glad you both enjoyed the recipe!! 😀
Sasha says
Love this recipe, and so did my family! Can you make these ahead, freeze them and rebake them successfully? I would love to make up a huge batch to have some in hand for when I work late.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks! So glad you all liked the recipe! I have never tried freezing them, but I don't see why not. Just store the prepped and uncooked chicken in ziploc bags and then cook from frozen as desired. Note that you would need to adjust the cook time when baking from frozen.
Sandy says
These came out beautifully crunchy and so moist! Best baked chicken tender recipe I've come across! I actually served them in a wrap with homemade chunky avocado salsa. Delicious!
MALLORY says
I did not think it could be so easy to make chicken strips at home without a deep fryer! These strips turned out so good!
plasterers bristol says
These sound really nice. Thanks for sharing this.
Simon
Despina says
Thanks for sharing. Just a tip that the correct spelling is "panko" not "planko" as written in the recipe intro.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
I can't believe you are the first person to notice the typo! Thank you so much, I have corrected it.