How Long To Bake Chicken Tenders At 350 Degrees In Oven ?

Baking chicken tenders in oven is easy and implies less mess than skillet frying. I love to cook them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And you get perfectly tender and succulent pieces of chicken that melt in your mouth. However, controlling the chicken tenders cook time is key to getting good results. The question is this. How long to bake chicken tenders at 350 degrees in oven? In this post, I like to give an answer to this and share tips on the recipe to get the best baked chicken tenders in the oven.

How long to bake chicken tenders in oven at 350 degrees?

It takes 30 minutes to bake chicken tenders in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. At the end of the bake time, they will be pleasingly crispy on the outside and utterly tender in the middle. Since tenders are small chicken pieces, they are pretty vulnerable to overcooking. That’s why it’s good to check their temperature with a meat thermometer in the course of cooking to make sure they don’t get over-dried and rubbery.

What are other temperatures to grill chicken tenders in the oven?

You can roast chicken tenders at 400 degrees F in the oven. This will get them ready faster in about 25 minutes, and will render them exceptionally crispy and crunchy and a nice and white tender meat inside. However, bigger pieces of chicken tenders may end up with a pinkish meat in the center. This pinkish center will be more obvious if you choose a even higher baking temperature of 425 degrees. This high temperature makes the outer edge cook much faster than the center.

Which is the best cooking temperature for chicken tenders in the oven?

When it comes to chicken tenders, it’s best to roast them at 350 degrees and you will get them tender and crispy at the same time. We also like this temperature because it reduces the risk of tenders getting overcooked and burnt. If you still prefer the tenders super crunchy and golden brown, go for 400 degrees instead.

Recipe for baking chicken tenders in the oven

There are plenty of recipes for chicken tender. But i like this easy chicken tenders recipe as I can make these oven baked chicken tenders with no breading.

1. Prepare the tenders

Remove chicken tenders from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. Once they are back to room temp, remove the tenders from the package and pat dry. Otherwise, the moisture in them will prevent them from getting crispy.

2. Add Seasoning for chicken tenders

Add olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder in a bowl. Then mix the chicken tenders with this seasoning. You can also substitute garlic for onion powder. For more flavor, add in aromatic herbs, such as thyme, sage and coriander. For even better flavor in your tenders, consider marinading the chicken tenders for a few hours or even overnight for the flavor to penetrate into the tenders.

3. Arrange on the baking sheet

Place the baking sheet on the tray. Grease a baking sheet with butter or line it with foil to prevent the chicken tenders from sticking on to them. Arrange the tenders in one layer. If you have many pieces to bake, you can choose to place them all on one baking sheet, but they will not come out crispy. To prevent the chicken tenders from steaming and ensure they get golden and crunchy, make sure to arrange them a few inches apart from each other. If there’s not enough space, it’s better to use another baking tray.

4. Bake

Bake the chicken tenders in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Once baking is done, remove the tenders from the oven and let them rest aside for 10 minutes, then serve with sauces and side dishes.

How to cook chicken tenders in oven fast?

Use convection

Convection helps you to cut down the bake time with a better hot air circulation around the chicken tenders for a faster and more even cooking. And it does not create crispiness in your tenders.

Broil chicken tenders

If you are ok with your chicken tenders getting extremely crispy and brown, opt for a broiling session. In this case, you can cook the chicken tenders at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then broil the chicken tenders for 5 minutes to a extra crispy crust. It’s important to keep a close watch during this process, as the high temperature will over cook the meat easily or even result the tenders having burnt crust.

What sauces goes well with chicken tenders?

Barbecue sauce can help a lot in enhancing the taste of chicken tenders. You can dip the tenders in it after removing them from oven, or cover them with it before baking. Whichever method you choose, the tangy barbecue sauce will add layers of flavor and taste to your tenders. Pesto and mango salsa are also great sauces that goes well with chicken tenders.

What to serve with chicken tenders?

Aside from sauces, you can add side dishes for the oven fried chicken tenders.  A plate of mashed potatoes and a platter of roasted vegetables alongside chicken tenders make for a perfectly balanced meal. Taste-wise, it won’t disappoint you either. We would also recommend you to make a cheddar bacon corn casserole to eat with chicken tenders. The savoriness of the bacon and creaminess of cheddar and corn will pair excellently with the mild-flavored tenders. Other mouthwatering sides that are worth giving a try include parmesan brussel sprouts, creamy cucumber salad, and garlic mushrooms.

FAQs on cooking chicken tenders

How many chicken tenders per person in a serving?

The rule for me is 6 chicken tenders per person in a serving. This is for serving with other side dishes. However, if I’m serving them as a finger food, I would prepare 12 chicken tenders per person since they are small pieces of meat and won’t fill the stomach much.

What is the internal temperature for chicken tenders when done?

The internal temperature for chicken tenders is to hit 165 degrees Fahrenheit for it to be fully cooked. It is recommended to check the internal temp over the course of baking as these are small pieces of meat and are easy to overcook.