Description
Crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken tenders coated in a flavorful breadcrumb mixture, finished with a garlic butter and parmesan topping. Served with a fresh cos lettuce salad, dipping sauce, and your choice of fries, this recipe offers a deliciously golden and juicy chicken dish perfect for a family meal in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup (125 g) mayonnaise
- â…“ cup (90 g) Greek yoghurt or sour cream
- ½ tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Chicken Coating
- 1½ cups (90 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup (75 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
Chicken
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken tenderloins (mini fillets) or sliced boneless, skinless breast
- Olive oil spray (for cooking)
Garlic Butter Topping
- 50 g (1¾ oz) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated parmesan (for sprinkling after baking)
Salad
- 1 large cos (romaine) lettuce, cut into strips
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Sides & Garnish
- Air fryer chips, crispy oven fries or freezer fries
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven or air fryer – Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C fan/400°F fan-forced) and allow to heat for 10–15 minutes after reaching temperature to ensure it is fully hot for crispy results. Alternatively, preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for 3 minutes.
- Make the dipping sauce – In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt or sour cream, freshly minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley, chives, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the crumb – In a shallow bowl, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, sweet paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Place the flour in a separate bowl and the whisked eggs in another separate bowl.
- Coat the chicken – Dust each piece of chicken with the flour, then dip it into the whisked eggs, and finally coat evenly with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to help the crumbs stick.
- Bake or air fry – For oven: Arrange the chicken tenders evenly spaced on a lightly oiled rack set over a tray (or a heavy unlined tray sprayed with oil). Spray the tops with olive oil spray. Bake for 16–18 minutes, flipping once halfway through and spraying again with oil, until golden and cooked through. Do not bake longer than 22 minutes to avoid dryness. For air fryer: Spray the basket with oil, place chicken in a single layer, spray tops with oil, and air fry for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway and spraying oil again until crispy and golden. Do not exceed 18 minutes.
- Make the garlic butter – In a small bowl, combine melted unsalted butter with freshly minced garlic, sea salt, and chopped parsley.
- Finish the chicken – Once cooked and golden, brush the chicken tenders generously with the garlic butter mixture, then immediately sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan. The residual heat will melt the cheese slightly to cling to the coating.
- Make the cos salad – Just before serving, toss the cos lettuce strips with extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Serve – Plate the garlic parmesan chicken tenders with the dipping sauce, fresh cos salad, your choice of air fryer chips, crispy oven fries or freezer fries, and garnish with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Do not overbake or over-air-fry the chicken tenders to prevent drying them out; keep within the suggested time ranges.
- Using a rack in the oven helps the chicken cook evenly and stay crispy on all sides.
- The garlic butter is best applied immediately after cooking while the chicken is hot to enhance flavor absorption and melt the parmesan slightly.
- Make sure to preheat your oven or air fryer properly for the crispiest coating.
- The dipping sauce can be prepared ahead and refrigerated to let flavors meld.
