Cheesy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
One of my favorite snacks growing up and in college was Cheez-It Crackers. I’m not sure why I fell out of the habit of buying them — ok, the meaningless carbs, fat, and sodium do come to mind — but they’re so good. But recently before a day at the beach I grabbed a box and my daughter and I scarfed them down. Then I got the idea to make these oven baked chicken tenders breaded in Cheez-Its and panko breadcrumbs. And I have to say it was a pretty great idea because we loved this Cheez-It chicken recipe! These Cheez-It crusted chicken tenders are plenty crispy on the outside thanks to the crackers and the panko breadcrumbs. Why bother frying chicken when you can get so much flavor from baked chicken? Meanwhile, the chicken is tender and juicy on the inside. The Cheez-Its add an unmistakeable cheesy flavor that all Cheez-It fans will appreciate.
What’s in the Cheez-It Chicken Tenders?
For this cheesy, crispy chicken tenders recipe, you’ll need:
Cheez-It Crackers Panko breadcrumbs Egg Kosher salt and pepper Boneless skinless chicken tenders
How to Make Cheez-It Chicken Tenders
Simply beat an egg, dip the chicken into it, add the chicken to a large ziptop plastic bag with crushed Cheez-It Crackers and panko breadcrumbs. Seal up the bag and shake. When you want to spruce up classic shake-and-bake chicken, Cheez-It chicken is how it’s done. Bake the tenders for 15 minutes and dinner is ready — perfect for busy weeknights! These are also great for game day parties or any time you need a casual appetizer or snack that everyone will love.
Can I Use Regular Breadcrumbs Instead of Panko?
The chicken gets its crispiness from both the Cheez-It Crackers and from panko breadcrumbs. Note that panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs and are not the same as regular breadcrumbs so don’t substitute those. These are bigger, crunchier crumbs and yield chicken tenders that have a lovely crispiness on the outside that you wouldn’t get from regular breadcrumbs.
Storage Instructions
Cheez-It chicken will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months, noting that reheated chicken will not retain its crispiness.
Dipping Sauces for Chicken Tenders
Chop up these Cheez-It crusted chicken tenders to enjoy atop a salad, or dunk into one of the following dipping sauces!
BBQ sauce Honey mustard sauce Smoky Honey Mustard Ketchup Blue cheese dressing
Tips for Making Cheez-It Crusted Chicken Tenders
Be sure not to overbake the chicken because tenders cook up so fast in a hot 400F oven. I recommend using classic (full fat) Cheez-Its rather than the reduced fat version so that the chicken has a better chance of staying juicier and moister. There are also all kinds of spicier versions of Cheez-Its out now, and I think they would be great as well if you want to spice things up.
More Easy Chicken Dinners:
Everything Bagel Baked Chicken Tenders – EASY, ready in 15 minutes, and perfectly CRISPY on the outside!! Tastes like an everything bagel met chicken on the way to the oven and so GOOD! Don’t bother frying chicken when you can bake it!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Kicked Up Cornflake Chicken – EASY, ready in 30 minutes, so CRISPY on the outside and tender and juicy inside!! The sauce has the perfect amount of KICK to keep you going back for more!!
Baked Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard – You’ll never guess they’re baked and not fried! Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside! Goodbye storebought nuggets because homemade are way better!
Baked Parmesan-Crusted Chicken – You’d swear this chicken was fried but it’s baked! The interior is so tender, juicy, and moist while the exterior is extra crispy!! Easy, ready in 25 minutes, and so good!
Baked Bacon Cheddar Chicken Tenders – Fast, EASY, perfectly CRISPY on the outside, and juicy on the inside!! Don’t bother frying chicken when you can bake it! The BACON and CHEDDAR coating is irresistible!!
