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With only 10 minutes of prep, these Ritzy Baked Chicken Tenders are an easy way to make weeknight family dinners stress-free! Nobody can resist the crispy, garlicky, golden crust or the tender juicy meat inside. It’s like restaurant fare in your own kitchen — in just 30 minutes!
If you struggle to find that easy meal that everyone at your table will actually eat, then you have come to the right place. Chicken tenders are always a kid (and Dad) favorite when dining out, so I’ve been on a mission to create an equally delicious version of baked chicken tenders at home…and these do not disappoint!
How Do You Get A Crispy Coating As Good As The Fried Version?
We all know that the key to successful baked chicken tenders lies in the crust. But how do you get that coating as crispy and as golden as the fried version?! After various attempts, I’ve determined that it comes down to two factors:
- The Coating
- The Cooking Method.
For The Crispy Coating
The Ritz crackers work perfectly here because of their rich flavor and tender crumb. When the crackers are combined with some garlic, butter, and cheese, the end result is a flavorful, golden, crisp coating that mimics the restaurant version beautifully!
And to get these Ritzy Baked Chicken Tenders crusty on BOTH sides? Bake them on a wire cooling rack that’s been placed over a cooking sheet. That way the air can circulate and they’re not sitting flat on a try getting soggy on the bottom. Works like a charm!
So put an end to the chaos at home by bringing your family together around the dinner table.
It’s a simple, 10-minute solution to one of the most difficult parenting battles. When you serve these baked chicken tenders, you won’t have to fight with your kids about eating the food on their plate…and instead you can just enjoy their company!
Top Tips For Making Baked Chicken Tenders
- Use good quality chicken for best flavor and results
- Use a hardy and flavorful crumb – Ritz crackers work perfectly
- Add cheese, garlic powder and other delicious flavors to the crumb. Paprika and chili would wok well!
- Use a wire rack to avoid a soggy crumb
- Serve with dipping sauces such as ketchup, mayo and mustard
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes You Might Like:
- Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders
- Dump and Bake Chicken Kiev Casserole
- Southern Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Crispy Roast Chicken with Vegetables
Ritzy Baked Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Ritz cracker crumbs about 20 crackers crushed
- ¼ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire cooling rack on top, and spray wire rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl whisk together melted butter, garlic powder, and salt.
- In a separate shallow bowl, combine cracker crumbs and cheeses.
- Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with crumbs.
- Place chicken on the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Lightly spray chicken with cooking spray or oil (this will help the crust brown).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink inside and the coating is golden and crispy.
Nutrition
Looking for even more quick-prep meals that your family will love? Check out my cookbook, Fast, Fresh & Fit! It includes 30 of our favorite go-to recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner — and they’re all super simple! You can learn more HERE.
Now this is my kind of chicken! Such a great idea to coat it with Ritz, Blair! And I love that these are easy to make. Such a fun twist on a classic dish!
Thanks, Gayle!
What a creative use of Ritz crackers! I love how fun and easy this. I’m sure you’re kids must love it.
Thanks, Megan!
Anytime I attempt a ‘crust’ on chicken it always turns out soggy. These look incredible though. Ritz crackers are my weakness – that buttery crunch gets me every time!
I know! I have the soggy crust problem too, usually. That’s why I was so excited about these! Thanks, friend!
You could start your own healthier fast food place with these chicken tenders! They look perfect!
Hah! Thanks, Kristy. 🙂
My family loves chicken tenders! I cooked some a few nights ago, but used a combo of almond flour and coconut flour to coat the tenders. It was delicious!
That’s a great idea! I bet that coating was delicious!
Love that you added cheese to the batter too. What a delicious idea, and SO much better than frozen nuggets.
Thanks, Krystle! The cheese is key! 🙂
I made these the other night and I can honestly say…I won’t make them again. The chicken tenders, for me, came out not at all. They have the awesome flavor of ritz crackers but the breading was coming off very easily. Turning over half way through cooking them took off some and I was doing it very gently. Picking them up to eat took off some more. My kids were having to eat them with a fork because of how the breading was coming off. Not sure what I would do differently. Maybe do a more typical breading involving flour, egg and then the crumb for sure. The ritz crackers with the cheeses was very rich though and my kids’ stomachs couldn’t handle it. Let’s just say they were sending them to a certain room of the house…. I hardly ate them. I ate the really tiny pieces that I breaded and threw on the pan. The flavor was too much for me. (And I love ritz crackers!) Now I have chicken tenders sitting in the fridge probably not going to be eaten. I will move on to try another recipe.
425 for baking chicken… shit burned like hell