A 30 minute, kid-friendly recipe for crispy, baked, Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders that are crunchy and flavorful on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME 35 minutes
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup butter
3 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed or bottled
3/4 cup panko, (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ dried oregano
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp grated lemon peel
Sprinkle of ground black pepper, optional
Instructions
In a small, wide bowl melt the butter and stir in the lemon juice.
In a separate small, wide bowl, mix together panko, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, garlic powder, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, onion powder and grated lemon peel.
Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in thirds or fourths.
Dip the chicken tenders into the butter mixture.
Coat the chicken tenders with the breadcrumb mixture.
Place them on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with additional ground pepper, if desired.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.
Optional: use a thin, metal spatula/turner to flip the chicken tenders (making sure to scrape up the coating along with the chicken) halfway through cooking to help brown both sides.
To brown the chicken tenders a bit more, put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.