Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders Baked Light and Crispy
This baked gluten-free chicken tenders recipe delivers juicy chicken strips with a perfectly crispy coating. Made with simple ingredients like chicken breasts or tenders, flour, egg, and bread crumbs, it’s easy to prepare. With instructions for both baking and air frying, serve them with Honey BBQ sauce or your favorite dip for a crowd-pleasing meal.
This baked gluten-free chicken tenders recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken strips with a perfectly crispy coating, all without the fuss. Whether you’re craving chicken fingers, nuggets, or crispy chicken strips, this recipe has you covered. Made with simple, natural ingredients, you can choose between chicken breasts or tenders for a meal that’s both satisfying and full of flavor. Serve them alongside my Honey BBQ sauce or your favorite dipping sauce and fries for a comforting lunch or dinner that everyone will love.
With a few time-saving hacks, this recipe simplifies the process of coating the chicken in flour, egg, bread crumbs, and oil, all in just two easy steps—making it ideal for busy weeknights. You’ll also find instructions for both baking and air frying, giving you the flexibility to create these crispy tenders just the way you prefer. It’s a recipe I rely on all the time, and it’s designed to make your time in the kitchen as efficient as possible without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Chicken Strips Recipe
- Juicy and crispy: Get tender chicken with a perfectly crispy coating, baked or air-fried.
- Simple ingredients: Made with chicken breasts or tenders, flour, egg, and bread crumbs for easy prep.
- Quick and easy: Time-saving hacks make this recipe perfect for busy weeknights.
- Versatile: Serve with Honey BBQ sauce or your favorite dipping sauce for a meal everyone will love.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make my easy crispy chicken tenders:
Chicken Tenders (or Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast): You can also use turkey tenders, pork tenderloin strips, firm tofu strips, or tempeh.
Tapioca Flour: This is also known as tapioca starch. Try substituting with corn starch, arrowroot flour, potato starch, coconut flour, yellow corn flour or any other gluten-free flour. You can also use all-purpose flour if you don’t need gluten-free.
Eggs: Replace with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water), a chia egg (1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water), unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup per egg), or plain yogurt (1/4 cup per egg).
Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs: Opt for crushed gluten-free cereal (such as rice or corn cereal), gluten-free crackers, or crushed nuts like almonds or pecans. You can also use almond flour, yellow corn meal, or a corn flake crumb.
Light Olive Oil: Swap with avocado oil, coconut oil, melted ghee, or use cooking spray for a lower-fat option.
Italian Seasoning, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Salt, Black Pepper: Customize with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, fresh herbs, Cajun seasoning mix, taco seasoning, or a blend of curry spices.
How to Make My Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Strips Recipe
Here are easy, detailed, step-by-step instructions for making the best-tasting tender chicken strips. The simple ingredients are also repeated in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
Step 1: Prepare the Coatings
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet and set aside.
If using chicken breasts, pound them to an even thickness and remove any excess fat. Then, cut them into 1″ wide strips.
Combine eggs and tapioca flour in one bowl. In a second bowl, combine gluten-free panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and light olive oil. Stir to form a crumb consistency.
Step 2: Coat the Chicken
Dip pieces of chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet with the wire rack. If you don’t have a wire rack, you can line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3: Bake the Chicken
Oven: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Air Fryer: Bake for 9-11 minutes at 385°F or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Helpful Recipe Notes
Baking Tips: Placing the chicken tenders on a wire rack ensures even cooking and maximum crispiness. If you don’t have a wire rack, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and flip them over halfway through baking.
Juiciest Chicken: Use a meat thermometer and remove the chicken as soon as the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The chicken will become dry and tough the longer it bakes over that temp.
Extra Crispiness: To get extra crispiness and color on the coating, set the oven to broil on high for 1-2 minutes before removing the pan of chicken from the oven after the chicken is baked through.
Serving Suggestions for Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Dipping Sauces: For added flavor, serve with honey mustard, my Honey BBQ sauce, Homemade Ranch dressing, Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce, or your favorite dip.
- Side Dishes: For a balanced meal, pair with fresh vegetables, a crisp garden salad, gluten-free fries, or sweet potato wedges.
- Wraps and Sandwiches: Use the chicken tenders in a gluten-free wrap or sandwich, adding lettuce, tomato, and your favorite sauce for a quick and tasty lunch.
- Tacos: Slice the chicken tenders and fill them with them for gluten-free tacos. Top with avocado, salsa, shredded lettuce, and a squeeze of lime.
- Salad Toppers: Cut the chicken tenders into bite-sized pieces and add them to a salad for extra protein and crunch.
- Bowls: Create a nourishing bowl with quinoa or rice, roasted veggies, and chicken tenders drizzled with a tahini or avocado dressing.
- Kids’ Meal: For a kid-friendly dinner, serve gluten-free mac and cheese with a side of apple slices.
- Party Platter: Arrange the chicken tenders on a platter with dipping sauces and vegetable sticks for an easy and appealing party appetizer.
Do you love chicken? Check out more of my easy and nutritious chicken recipes:
Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders Baked Light and Crispy
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenders (or chicken breast)
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups gluten-free panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- dash black pepper
- 3 tablespoons light olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet and set aside.If using chicken breasts, pound them to an even thickness and remove any excess fat. Then, cut them into 1" wide strips.Combine eggs and tapioca flour in one bowl. In a second bowl, combine gluten-free panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and light olive oil. Stir to form a crumb consistency.
- Dip pieces of chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet with the wire rack. If you don't have a wire rack, you can line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Oven: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool slightly before serving.Air Fryer: Bake for 9-11 minutes at 385°F or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Video
Wow, just wow! I can and might just eat these every day!
Haha…I can relate, Royce! Thank you for the review 🙂
These are so good!!! That is genious to combine the oil and bread crumb. They turned out crispy and tasty. The whole family loved them!!!
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! These are easy and delicious!!