Healthy Chicken Tenders are the perfect easy dinner made with only 7 ingredients! Baked chicken tenders that are Whole30, paleo & gluten free.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my policy and more about affiliate links. This post was originally shared in 2017 but has since been updated.
If you LOVE chicken tenders but are looking for a lighter option – these baked chicken tenders are for you! Baked instead of fried, paleo, whole30 and SO yummy – these are one of my all time favorite meals.
When I was growing up… I basically lived off of chicken nuggets/chicken tenders + pasta. I was the PICKIEST eater ever.
I also loved fries… I mean.. can you blame me? Fried potatoes and chicken… a match made in heaven.
If we’re being totally honest, I never really grew out of my chicken tender loving phase, and I still crave them.
That’s why I came up with my Healthy Chicken Tenders recipe! (Which I personally think is even better than whatever you’d get from a restaurant!)
What makes these Homemade Chicken Tenders healthy?
- Minimal ingredients – These chicken tenders are paleo, whole30, gluten free and so delicious!
- Baked, not fried– Even though these tenders are baked instead of being fried – you’d never taste the difference!
- Gluten, sugar, and soy free– Most chicken tenders are coated in bread crumbs and have all kinds of funky additives – these don’t!
- Low carb – While low carb doesn’t necessarily = healthy, the batter on these tenders is made from better-for-you nut flours instead of bread crumbs!
Even though these chicken tenders are healthy, they really don’t taste like it – I swear!
In addition to being good for you, these baked chicken tenders are also SUPER easy to make – they only have a few ingredients and a few steps. Let me show you how I make them!
Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe Ingredients
I make my healthy chicken fingers with a mix of:
- Almond Flour (or Almond Meal)
- Coconut Flour
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- An Egg
- A little bit of Almond Milk
- Pepper, Paprika, and Garlic Powder (optional)
I’ve also included some substitutions below if you don’t have these ingredients or need to make them nut free!
How to Make Chicken Tenders in a Healthy Way
Making healthy chicken tenders really is so easy. I know it can be simple to just pop the ones you like from the freezer in the oven.. but I promise when you try these you’ll love them!
- Mix together your breading.
- Dip the chicken tender in your egg mixture.
- Coat evenly in breading. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet + bake – that’s it!!
Substitutions for Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
I purposely created these healthy chicken fingers with my paleo + Whole30 friends in mind – but you can definitely customize them for your family!
Flour: You can substitute almond flour/coconut flour 1:1 with whole wheat or panko breadcrumbs, however, they will not be paleo or whole30 friendly.
Nut Free: Substitute almond/coconut flour with bread crumbs
Milk: You can use any milk in this recipe
Salt/Pepper: I don’t use salt/pepper in this recipe because I typically serve these with salted french fries. You could add 1/4 teaspoon of each to the breading if you like.
Can chicken breasts be used instead of chicken tenders? Yes, you can use chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders. If you’re using whole chicken breasts they might need a little bit longer to cook. You can also cut chicken breasts into tender like ‘strips’.
Spices – You can add parsley, cayenne pepper or really any spices you like depending on your tastes!
Can you make these in the air fryer? I don’t have an air fryer, but many other people have made these in their air fryers and enjoyed them! I’d recommend following your air fryers conversion chart and trying them out!
How Long to Bake Chicken Tenders
Chicken needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. We recommend baking chicken tenders at 450 for 15-25 minutes. This fully cooks the chicken and results in a crispy exterior.
Baking at 350: You should bake for at least 25 minutes
Baking at 375: You should bake for at least 22 minutes
Baking at 400: You should bake for at least 20 minutes
How long do you cook fully cooked chicken tenders? How long you should cook fully cooked chicken tenders depends on if they are frozen or defrosted. From frozen it usually takes about 15 minutes at 450. If defrosted they should warm through in about 5 minutes at 450.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Baked Chicken Tenderloins
I store these chicken tenders in the fridge for up to 4 days. I have never tried freezing the chicken tenders, but I think they would freeze well.
When you want to reheat your chicken tenders – place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400 and heat for 5-10 minutes until edges are crispy.
I would not recommend microwaving these chicken tenders. They can get soggy and do not taste as good!
Freezing: You can freeze these chicken tenders. Lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer. When they’re frozen completely, place them in a ziploc bag. THey’ll last in the freezer for 2 months. When you want to reheat them, place them in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes until thawed and crispy. Make sure to freeze them after you have cooked them!
How to Serve Homemade Chicken Tenders
- Fries: Healthy Baked French Fries are a must make with these chicken tenders!
- Dipping: You can dip these in ketchup, or usually dip them in mustard. This one is one of my favorites. These baked chicken tender are also delicious dipped in the buffalo sauce in this recipe
- On a salad: This Strawberry Avocado Goat Cheese Salad is one of my favorites
- Roasted Veggies: Garlic Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Healthy Green Beans Almondine go great with these chicken tenders!
- Pasta Salad: We love this with our Caprese Pasta Salad!
- With Healthy Mac and Cheese
Sauces to try with Baked Chicken Tenders
Any sauce goes well with these chicken tenders! We love:
- BBQ Sauce
- Buffalo Sauce
- Honey Mustard
- Cilantro Lime Sauce
Baked Chicken Tenderloins FAQ
To avoid overcooking chicken tenders use an internal temperature thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees. Chicken tenders only take about 25 minutes to cook.
Your baked chicken tenders might be tough if they were over cooked, or depending on the quality of meat. Some chicken tenders are naturally tougher than others. We like to buy organic chicken tenders and find that they’re always juicy and moist.
Chicken tenders and chicken tenderloins are the same thing.
You can cook chicken tenderloins at 450 for 15-20 minutes.
We don’t recommend cooking chicken from frozen. Cooking chicken from frozen is a food safety issue. Make sure it is completely thawed before cooking.
Yes, you can use chicken breasts in place of chicken tenders. Simply cut them in strips.
We recommend baking chicken tenders uncovered in the oven so that they can get nice and crispy!
Other Healthy Chicken Recipes
We love cooking with chicken because it’s so versatile! Here are some of our other favorite healthy chicken recipes!
Baked Chicken Tenderloins
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika optional
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large shallow bowl mix together shredded coconut, coconut flour, almond flour and spices.
- In a separate bowl beat one egg and milk
- Form an assembly line. Dip the chicken into egg mixture, and then dip into breading until all chicken is coated.
- Place the chicken tenders on lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes until outside of chicken is browned and crispy.
Video
Notes
- Flour: You can substitute almond flour/coconut flour 1:1 with whole wheat or panko breadcrumbs, however, they will not be paleo or whole30 friendly.
- Milk: You can use regular milk in this recipe
- Salt/Pepper: I don’t use salt/pepper in this recipe because I typically serve these with salted french fries. You could add 1/4 teaspoon of each to the breading if you like.
Kate says
These look amazing – I’m looking for a replacement for chicken nuggets for my children as I do worry about what is inside these sorts of meals. Is the chicken moist inside the coating as my one worry is that they might be a bit dry? Also do you make your own ketchup or is there a good premade one that is ‘clean’? thanks 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Kate – I think your kids will love these! They’re definitely not dry in the middle at all! We rarely eat ketchup so I don’t make my own, but there are lots of recipes online if you want to make it! This is Tessemae’s Ketchup that I bought at the store!
Aaron says
Any recipe for the potatoe wedges?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yes! It’s linked multiple times in the post. Those are my Healthy Baked French Fries: https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/healthy-baked-french-fries/
AshleyRae says
Hello! I am also looking to replace chicken nuggets for my daycare kids. Do these work to freeze ahead of time, and then just bake like you would a chicken nugget?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi AshleyRae- I’m so sorry but I have never frozen these before. We always eat them right out of the oven! I have reheated them in the toaster oven and them come out great, but that was from the refrigerator and not the freezer. If you try freezing them let me know!
Margaret says
Hello, just made these and they turned out excellent. Question: We had to add salt to the end product. How much do you add up front also while it is moist at the middle it is a bit a dry on the ends . Any recommendations? Thank you for the recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Margaret-This recipe doesn’t have salt. If you wanted to add some you would need to test and see what works for your tastebuds. Maybe 1/4 teaspoon? I would add it to the batter with the flours. I’m not sure why the tenders would be coming out dry. Maybe check them a few minutes before they’re supposed to come out of the oven and take them out a little earlier. Everyones oven is a bit different!
Emma Smyth says
Favorite recipe on the site! I’m a junior in college and for the first time have my own kitchen. I meal prep weekly and try my best to eat as healthy as possible. In the past 2 months I have made these nearly every week. So easy, so delicious, and I have yet to get sick on them.
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like them, Emma!! They’re seriously one of my favorite things to make too and I never get sick of them!!
Mary Ann says
Loved these – quick and easy for meal prepping. Keep the recipes coming !
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked them, Mary Ann!! They are great for meal prep!
Cynthia says
Love so many of your recipes! This is an easy and healthy chicken tenders recipe that I use for my boys. Did feel like you need to add some salt.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like them, Cynthia! I don’t have salt in the recipe but do have a note that you can add salt/pepper to them!
Lauren V says
These come together so fast and are super satisfying! All the flavor of a great chicken tender without all the greasy, hard breading you find with store bought. I love to pair mine with honey mustard. Thanks, Liz!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked them, Lauren! Honey mustard + buffalo sauce are my fav things to pair them with too!
Amanda says
The recipes are amazing and so easy to make.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Amanda – I really appreciate it!
Marlena Endsley says
This is one of my favorite resides! It’s easy and delicious, and the chicken always turns out perfectly crispy. Would highly recommend!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Marlena! So glad you like the recipe!
Fiorella says
Yay!! Tomorrow’s lunch is going to be exciting with this recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hope you love them!!
Amy says
These turned out so yummy! I had to sub almond flour and oat flour in because a quarantine is a quarantine! Haha! For real these were great and fairly easy to make! Will be making again soon! Thank you!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked them Amy! Glad the substitutions worked!
Dana Olson says
In your description you say ‘combination of almond flour, coconut flour, and coconut flakes’ but your ingredient list says almond meal. Which is it? Sounds good, and looking forward to trying out. Thanks!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Almond flour and almond meal are the same thing! The recipe says almond flour as does the instructions 🙂 Hope this helps!
Deb says
Hello, is there anything I can do if I do not have any coconut flakes? Thanks
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Deb, I’m sorry but I haven’t tried it without the coconut so I can’t offer a substitution!
Michelle Linsley says
The chicken tenders were excellent. Very easy to make.