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Oven Fried Chicken Tenders – tender chicken breaded in a delicious coconut panko mixture and baked to crispy perfection! Skip that trip to KFC!

Oven Fried Chicken Tenders on a white plate

Hey everyone, it’s Kelly back again from Life Made Sweeter. Today I’m sharing some delicious chicken tenders that are a family favorite.

If you asked my husband what he’d like for dinner every night, crispy fried chicken would be his first choice. He is obsessed with KFC’s perfectly crunchy coating!

With these Oven Fried Chicken Tenders, there’s no need to pull out that deep fryer. It’s so easy to make them in the oven and with less mess to clean up.

Oven Fried Chicken on a white plate with sauces

Plus, they’re better for you because the chicken is baked and not fried. My family loves that you still get that crispy crust on the outside.

The sweet tropical twist makes these chicken tenders even more delicious! You mix some sweetened coconut together with Panko crumbs to get an amazing crunch!

And the best part is, everyone will love that they can enjoy an extra piece without the added guilt!

Serve it with your favorite dip for an extra tasty treat!

Oven Fried Chicken with red dipping sauce

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Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

4.50 from 4 votes
Oven Fried Coconut Chicken Tenders - tender chicken breaded in a delicious coconut panko mixture and baked to crispy perfection!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 Chicken Tenders

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 Place butter on a large rimmed baking tray and melt in the oven for a few minutes. Remove baking tray once butter is melted.
  • In a large zip-top freezer bag, combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and pepper. Add the chicken and shake well to coat, pressing through the bag. Set aside.
  • In a shallow bowl, add the eggs and beat lightly with the milk; set aside. In another shallow bowl, combine the coconut, Panko crumbs and dried basil and parsley.
  • Dip each chicken piece in the egg mixture then coat well into the panko mixture, pressing down to make sure the coating sticks.
  • Place the chicken onto the baking tray. Bake for 12 minutes, using tongs to carefully flip chicken. Bake for another 6-8 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken pieces are). Finish by broiling for 1-2 minutes, or until chicken turns golden and crispy.
  • Remove chicken and pat with paper towels. Enjoy immediately served with your favorite dipping sauce.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 438mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 240IUCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Kelly Kwok

Kelly is the blogger behind Life Made Sweeter. She is a self-taught baker and loves using her slow cooker. You can often find her in the kitchen dreaming up tasty new dishes that are quick and easy to make for her family. She also enjoys adding a fun and healthy twist to many classic favorites.

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21 Comments

  1. I Haven’t made this yet but it seems every time I try a crispy breaded chicken in the oven it ends up being soggy on one side, even before I pull it out. Any suggestions?

    1. Oh bummer! That is not fun! I would recommend a higher temperature in the oven. This will make it crispy and cook in shorter amount of time. Hope that helps! XOXO

    2. I found putting them on a cooling rack inside a cook sheet works to make them crisp up. May not need butter in the bottom of the pan though. Worked great for wings and been doing that for breasts too now.

  2. 3 stars
    I tried this and followed the recipe exactly. The breading didnt cook through for some reason even though a bits were burnt. They just look so ugly and not at all what was pictured, idk what i did wrong.

    1. I am so sorry to hear this! I am not sure what went wrong. I hope you will be able to find another recipe that works out for you.

  3. Can you do the first step with the flour, etc. and keep cold until you are ready? Can’t give star ratings as I haven’t tried it yet:)

    1. Yes, I would think by keeping the chicken in the fridge in the bag for a few hours may be okay; however, I wouldn’t keep it longer than over night. I hope that helps and it still tastes the same for you! It is a great recipe to try! Thanks for your question. Xo

      Your Recipe Critic,
      Alyssa

  4. 5 stars
    I substituted coconut flour for wheat flour! Delicious!! Will definitely be serving this again.

    1. I served it with hot pepper jelly, diluted with a bit of water and heated a few seconds in the microwave

      1. Mmmm! That sounds great! What a great way to be inspired while cooking! Thanks for commenting!

        Your Recipe Critic,
        Alyssa

    2. That is a great substitute! So happy you made it your own! Thanks for your comment!

      Your Recipe Critic,
      Alyssa

    1. 5 stars
      I make an orange marmalade & jalapeno sauce to put on top of my coconut chicken. Just buy a jar (or two depending how much chicken you are cooking), put it in your blender or food processor along with some chopped jalapeno. How much jalapeno depends on how hot you like it!

  5. Amazing!! This is a mouthwatering recipe! Mixing coconut with Panko crumbs does add amazing crunchiness. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  6. love this variation! coconut shrimp was one of my favorites growing up, and this sounds like the breezier, weekday cousin (: