Easy Buffalo Chicken Tenders Recipe
This Buffalo Chicken Tenders Recipe is baked to crispy perfection and bursting with flavor! With just the right amount of spice, it's perfect for dunking in blue cheese or ranch!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $9.21
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
- Cooling rack optional
Ingredients
Chicken and Breading
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins tendons removed
- 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs see note 1
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cooking spray
Batter
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup hot sauce I like Frank’s original red hot sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoon(s) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, for serving, see note 2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a large sheet pan with cooking spray. If available, add an oven-safe metal cooling rack on top of the sheet pan and generously grease that as well. (This is optional, but ensures more even baking/crispier chicken.) Pat each tender very dry with a paper towel. Remove the tendons (cut them out with a sharp pairing knife).
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add panko and salt to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon). Stir constantly until lightly and evenly browned, then transfer to a wide, shallow dish.
- Add all batter ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Generously coat chicken tenders in batter and then in breading. Add tenders, spaced apart, to the sheet pan on top of cooling rack. Press any leftover crumbs on top of chicken. Generously spray the tops of the tenders with cooking spray. (We’ll spray the other side later.)
- Place sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove and gently flip tenders to the other side (careful to avoid losing breading). Generously spray new tops with cooking spray and bake another 5–10 minutes or until chicken is 160°F on a food thermometer (carryover heat will bring it up to 165°F). Remove from oven and taste. Add a light sprinkle of salt on top if needed.
- While chicken bakes, make sauce by melting butter on the stovetop over medium heat. Once fully melted, add rest of sauce ingredients and whisk to combine until smooth. Season to taste with salt (I add 1/4 teaspoon). If you’d like the sauce to be sweeter, add additional brown sugar. Remove from heat.
- Toss tenders in sauce (I like to coat half, eat, then coat the rest to keep things nice and crispy!) and enjoy dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing. I love serving celery and carrot sticks on the side as well!
- Air Fryer Instructions: Set air fryer heat to 400°F. Add breaded tenders to the fryer basket in an even layer (you may need to do this in batches; don’t overlap chicken). Cook 5–8 minutes, flip the tenders, spray with cooking spray on the other side, and cook another 5–8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked to 160°F. (Carryover heat will take them to 165°F.)
Video
Notes
Note 1: Panko bread crumbs are similar to regular bread crumbs, but they create a much crunchier, lighter, and more delicate result. Using panko ensures a crunchier end product than regular bread crumbs.
Note 2: I love serving these tenders alongside cut carrots and celery with a tasty blue cheese or ranch. Look for freshly made dressings/sauces located in the chilled produce section of the store as opposed to shelf-stable options.
Nutrition Note: Buffalo Chicken Tenders calories take into consideration all of the sauce being used, but do not include optional dipping sauces or sides.
Storage: The tenders don’t stay crispy when stored, so I recommend cooking only what will be enjoyed the same day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 30.2g | Fat: 29.1g | Cholesterol: 155.5mg | Sodium: 1225mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 7.9g