These light and airy oven-fried chicken tenders provide a crunchy texture that isn’t fried and pairs perfectly with spicy mustard and sweet BBQ sauce for dipping.

When my husband and I lived in Boston, we loved getting together with friends and family for dinner at Not Your Average Joe’s, a local restaurant chain. My Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders with Panko is my healthier version of their famous Mustard Crusted Chicken. Light, fluffy, and airy – panko is my go-to ingredient whenever I need a crispy, crunchy crust without gallons of oil. Dijon mustard adds flavor, spice, and tang with minimal added calories. Bake at a high temperature on an elevated cooling rack and you are well on your way to a diet-friendly chicken dinner the whole family can enjoy!
Ingredients
- Chicken: Chicken tenderloin work best, but you can also use chicken breasts or thighs and cut them into strips of your liking.
- Dijon mustard: Tangy, sharp, and a little spice to coat the chicken and help the panko breading to stick.
- Garlic: Adds some aromatic, nutty undertones to the chicken strips.
- Panko: A kind of Japanese bread crumb that is fine, light, and fluffy and helps to make food crispier.
- Olive oil: Helps to bind the panko mixture together and stick to the chicken tenders.
- Paprika: Adds a bit of depth to the flavor profile of the chicken with the sweet and peppery notes.
- S&P: Salt and pepper seasons and enhances the flavors of the dish.
How to Make Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders with Panko

Start your oven-fried chicken tenders by making your panko mixture. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a large dish.

Season with some kosher salt and black pepper.

Then add the paprika.

And a drizzle of olive oil.

Mix it all together with a fork or whisk until fully combined.

Then put your dijon mustard in a small bowl, and coat your chicken tenders well on both sides.

Once coated in Dijon mustard, place in the panko mixture and coat generously.

Continue this process until all tenders are coated.

Then lay your chicken tenders onto an elevated wire rack on a prepared baking sheet and toss them in an oven at 475 until crispy and golden-brown, about 12-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool, then serve alongside your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy your Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders with Panko!
Easy Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free. Panko can be bought gluten-free, or you can use matzo meal.
- Spice things up. Do you like spicy chicken? Add some cayenne seasoning to the panko mix!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my chicken tenders not crispy?
Don’t go easy on the coating! Make sure they’re generously dipped and coated to be crispy.
Do chicken fingers freeze well?
Yes they do! Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 3 months!
Can I make these in an air fryer?
Yes you can! Just set your air fryer to 425 and cook for around 12 minutes.

More Kid-FRiendly Meals
- Cheeseburger Meatloaf Muffins
- Beef Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Tuna and Peas
- Sausage Pesto Pasta with Caramelized Onion and Peas
- Baked Chicken Taquitos
Eat It, LIke IT, Share It!
Did you try this recipe and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.

An easy and family-friendly meal in 20 minutes or less, my Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders with Panko are the perfect dinner for any weeknight.
No fork required.

Oven Fried Chicken Tenders with Panko
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast (boneless skinless cut in strips)
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic (grated)
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 475 and lay a metal cooling rack flat on top of a baking sheet. Spray cooling rack with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine mustard and garlic. Using a small brush, gently "paint" the chicken strips with the garlic mustard.
- In a shallow bowl, use fork to combine panko, salt, pepper, olive oil and paprika. Working in batches, add mustard coated chicken to the panko mixture and press to evenly coat all sides. Place panko covered chicken strips on metal rack lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until browned, turning once halfway through.
- Serve with BBQ or dipping sauce of choice.
I have made these 2 weeks in a row! My son is such a picky eater and these are so easy and delicious. I am so happy I found your website.
Oh I’m so glad he likes it!! Picky eaters are not easy. Thanks for letting me know!
Yum yum! These are in my oven as I am typing this. So easy to make and smell delicious. Never thought of putting garlic with the mustard, yum. Timer just went off. Yeh. Thanks again for this recipe.
How did they turn out Kathy?? I hope you enjoyed them!!
These were awesome. Everyone loved them flavorful and delicious. I forgot to flip half way through cooking so not as crispy on back as on top. Awesome recipe. Thank you for a flavorful and delicious and quick dinner last night
Oh I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!! :) Let me know if you try anything else!
These are the best, better than any frozen and just as easy to make! I didn’t have fresh garlic so I just added some powdered garlic to the panko mix. I also just threw the chicken pieces in a bowl with the mustard and mixed well – it worked very well! My husband couldn’t stop eating them and can’t wait to share with my daughter.
Oh I’m so glad to hear!!!! We haven’t made these in awhile but your comment is a good reminder to add them to the menu soon! So glad you enjoyed them.
You just solved the ‘how to get panko crispy in the oven’ question! Thank you!!!
Oh I’m so glad to hear!!! Enjoy!!
Made these for dinner and we all loved them!!! My husband went back for more and ate some cold out of the fridge and said he wouldn’t mind just keeping them in there for snacks! My three year old had fun helping me do the breading as well. All around fun and yummy:) Thanks Liz, can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!
Oh I’m so glad to hear Cami! Let me know if you try anything else!!
These sound perfect! I’m making them tonight and adding some parmesan cheese to the panko crumbs! Serving them with a cucumber/pepper salad to be extra healthy!=)
I made this dish for my son and myself last week and it was delicious! Best oven baked chicken strip recipe I have tried and there have been many. I never would have thought of adding the olive oil to the panko. It really helped crisp them up. Thank you!
Oh my goodness that makes me so happy!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
I made these last night. Amazing!!! I made my own honey mustard sauce too which was a fantastic complement. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Wow I love that you made your own honey mustard!! Sounds incredible! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Liz, these were amazing and so easy to put together! I just loved the punch from the mustard and paprika, genius! I think this recipe is going to be on my regular rotation from now on ;) So glad I found your blog!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!!!
I can’t wait to try these!! Thanks for sharing,
Let me know what you think!! I hope you enjoy!!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I never cooked chicken at such high heat before and I have to say it kept it very moist! Instead of paprika I used Pecorino Romano and it was delish! Will try the paprika some time, too. :) I also have never combined oil into the bread crumb mixture. It was a little difficult to mix, but I stuck with it.
Thanks again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chicken!! Let me know if you try anything else!! :-)
Made this for dinner tonight. It was quick, easy and delish! My son said I hit it out of the park with this one! Thanks.
Chicken fingers are my favorite food ever! Sometimes I’m naughty and fry them and then eat about a dozen. Just because, you know… fried food is just bad reheated. ;)
So I’m happy that baked chicken fingers exist! These look especially nice. :)
hahha – so true about fried food being horrible reheated!!! I hope you like these – we loved them!
I seriously love panko. I could eat anything covered and baked in it!! Happy New Year my friend! So happy to have met you in 2012! xoxo- K
haha I could eat anything covered in panko too!!! I’m going to sprinkle them on baked mushrooms tonight. So good! Happy New Year friend – I’m so glad we got the chance to meet as well!! xoxo
My husband enjoys eating like a child, most of the time, so he will loooove these! I love anything with a good yet healthy crunch!
That’s funny – my husband loves eating like a child too – haha!! Let me know if you give them a try!!
I love these!! Easy to make and great option for the kiddos!
Yummmm. I can’t resist crispy panko and love the addition of paprika. These would be great to have stock-piled in the freezer!
Happy New Year! :)
Happy New Year to you too friend!! Cheers to a happy and healthy 2013! :)
These chicken strips look great! I can see these appearing on my super bowl party menu! :)
Oooo good call! I can’t believe we are almost at the super bowl time of year!!
This is something my boys would absolutely devour!
My boys did exactly that!! It’s amazing how tasty a simple chicken finger is!! :)
My kiddos would love these ; ) Happy Friday Liz xoxox
My kiddos… I mean husband and son… LOVED these! Gobbled them right up. I need to make them in bulk and freeze. HAPPY FRIDAY! xoxo
Do you freeze after they are coated & cooked?
The panko breading does not get soggy? Thats great!
How do you reheat them?
Thanks
They freeze excellently! Panko is much less soggy than a traditional breadcrumb. You’ll prefer panko!!