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This Gluten Free Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe yields crispy and flavorful crowd-pleasing chicken tenders that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner!
I worked at a pizzeria during high school. One of my absolute favorite things to eat on break there was a chicken finger (aka chicken tender) sub with blue cheese!
I’ve had this type of sandwich in other parts of the country, so I don’t think it’s a Buffalo thing. But I will say, the best chicken finger subs I’ve ever had are in Buffalo.
I still like chicken fingers (I mean, we all do, right?), but now I like them a little healthier. Enter this Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe, which also happens to be gluten free!
In This Article
Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
These chicken tenders are baked instead of deep-fried! Don’t worry, they’re still crispy, golden, and packed with flavor.
And bonus, baking is a lot easier than deep-frying and it requires a lot less supervision. (This recipe cooks up in just 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for a healthy weeknight meal.) And double bonus, your house won’t smell like oil from deep-frying!
Gluten Free Chicken Tenders
This crispy chicken tenders recipe is gluten free and grain free. And I’m telling you, it’s every bit as delicious as the original!
Ingredients for This Gluten Free Breadcrumb Coating:
- Almond flour
- Parmesan cheese
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried Italian herb seasoning
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
Pro Tip: For this recipe, freshly grated Parmesan cheese must be used instead of pre-grated. This is because when you grate the Parmesan (preferably on a microplane, which grates it so it’s very fluffy), it gives the cheese quite a bit of volume, and we need it to coat all the tenders. Not to mention, the flavor of fresh-grated is so much better!
Baked Not Fried - How Long to Bake Chicken Tenders at 350
Chicken tenders take about 30 minutes to cook at 350F. For this recipe, I cook the chicken tenders at 425F to help them cook a little faster, and to help them get a bit crispier.
No matter what temperature you’re cooking chicken tenders at, be sure to fully cook chicken until there’s no pink inside. If you’re using a thermometer, it should read 165F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
What Goes with Baked Chicken Tenders?
While the chicken is in the oven, you can:
- Throw together a salad.
- Cut up carrot and celery sticks.
- Or get out the fixings to make homemade subs/sandwiches/heros/hoagies/whatever you want to call them.
- And don’t forget to serve chicken tenders with something like homemade Buttermilk-Herb Dressing for dipping!
More 30 Minute Chicken Dinners:
- Thai Noodles Recipe with Vegetables and Chicken
- Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
- One-Skillet 30-Minute Chicken Parmesan
- Keto Crack Chicken Recipe
- Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Gluten Free Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
By: Faith Gorsky
This Gluten Free Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe yields crispy, flavorful, crowd-pleasing chicken tenders that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 ounce freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 3-inch by ¾-inch strips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F; drizzle ½ tablespoon olive oil on a large baking sheet and spread it around with your hand.
Lightly beat together the egg, egg white, and milk in a shallow bowl.
Stir together the almond flour, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herb mix, paprika, salt, and black pepper in another shallow bowl.
Dip each chicken strip first in the egg mixture, letting the excess drain off, and then in the almond meal mixture, lightly pressing the mixture into the chicken.
Arrange the coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet so they’re not touching. Drizzle the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil on top.
Bake until the chicken is lightly browned and fully cooked (there should be no pink in the center when you cut into it), about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan once.
Faith's Tips
- Net Carbs: 3g per serving
- For this recipe, freshly grated Parmesan cheese must be used instead of pre-grated. This is because when you grate the Parmesan (preferably on a microplane, which grates it so it’s very fluffy), it gives the cheese quite a bit of volume, and we need it to coat all the tenders. Not to mention, the flavor of fresh-grated is so much better!
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 298Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 119mg40%
Sodium 423mg18%
Potassium 466mg13%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 272IU5%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 142mg14%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Baked Chicken Tenders, Gluten Free Chicken Tenders, Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on November 1, 2013. It was updated with more information on January 10, 2020.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
