Crispy Cornflake Chicken Tenders

These crispy cornflake chicken tenders are coated in cornflake crumbs and baked to perfection. They’re a breeze to make and will be gone in seconds!

Our family LOVES chicken. I’m sure you’ve probably figured that out by now just by browsing through the recipe index. We probably eat it 5 times a week, which means I’m constantly trying new recipes just to switch things up a bit. Our toddler especially, always loves when I make chicken nuggets or chicken strips, so I when I came across a recipe using cornflakes as the crust, I knew it was going to be a hit!

First, you’ll start by cutting the chicken breasts into strips, then tossing them into a large ziploc bag or a container with a lid. I like to pour a generous amount of buttermilk over top, then season them a bit with salt, pepper, paprika and dried parsley. Toss it in the refrigerator for 25 minutes, then remove it while you whip up the breading. For the breading, you’re going to grind the cornflakes into panko-like crumbs. We prefer extra crunchy chicken tenders, so I like to leave them on the coarser side (like in the picture above). Just know that underneath all of those flakes, you’ll have teeny little crumbs, so don’t pulse them too much.

Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and season with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Place one strip at a time into the breading, press to coat. Set the strips on a lined baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. I generally use sunflower, avocado, or grapeseed oil, all of which have high smoke points. Both Spectrum and La Tourangelle carry these products, you can find them in well-stocked grocery stores and online. Place in the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes at 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, you can whip up your own honey mustard sauce, or grab a bottle of BBQ sauce for dipping!

When they’re extra golden on the outside and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees, pull them out of the oven and let them rest for 3-4 minutes before serving them. Like I mentioned above, we dipped ours in honey mustard and BBQ sauce, they were devoured in no time! We’ll definitely be making these again, possibly into little nuggets, because who can resist bite-size finger food?!

Cornflake Chicken Tenders Recipe

Crunch time! Enjoy these Cornflake Chicken Tenders with all the crispy goodness you love without the grease of frying. Perfect for dipping, snacking, or dinner.

4.93 from 13 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 35 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 47 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 288kcal

Author: Andrea

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into strips
• ▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 3/4 tsp paprika - divided
• ▢ 1/2 tsp kosher sea salt - divided
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground black pepper - divided
• ▢ 1/4 tsp parsley flakes
• ▢ 4 1/2 cup corn flakes
• ▢ 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp onion powder
• ▢ cooking spray - (sunflower, avocado or grapeseed oil)

Homemade Honey Mustard

• ▢ 1/4 cup honey
• ▢ 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ pinch ground black pepper

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Instructions

• Place the chicken strips into a large Ziploc bag or a container with a lid. Pour the buttermilk over the top, then season with ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon kosher sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and the parsley. Zip or cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 25 minutes (up to 2 hours), then remove it and let it sit at room temperature while preparing the breading.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or foil; set aside.
• For the breading, pulse the cornflakes into panko-like (slightly larger) crumbs. We prefer extra crunchy chicken tenders, so I like to leave them on the coarser side.
• Pour the crumbs into a shallow dish and season with the remaining paprika, salt, pepper, parsley, sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder. Place one strip at a time into the breading, and press to coat. Set the strips on the prepared baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Place in the oven and bake for 12–14 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 3–4 minutes before serving.
• For the honey mustard sauce, whisk all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

NOTES

-Use high smoke point oils when baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to prevent burning and achieve optimal crispiness.

To STORE Baked Cornflake Chicken Tenders leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, arrange the tenders in a single layer on a baking sheet and FREEZE until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag; they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

To REHEAT, bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for 10-15 minutes until heated through and crispy. Avoid microwaving, as it may result in a soggy texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 6serving | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 601IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 7mg