These Buffalo Chicken Tenders are baked to crispy perfection with a flavorful, spicy kick. Dunk them in blue cheese or ranch and get ready to be hooked!
Table of Contents
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Danish Creamery Butter
- How To Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Tools To Give You Crispy Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Tenders Recipe Notes
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Serving Ideas For Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Leftover Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- More Crispy Chicken Recipes
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Tenders Recipe
Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Actually crispy! Getting ultra-crunchy chicken tenders without deep frying can be tricky, but these baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders deliver big on texture and flavor. Here’s how:
- Use panko breadcrumbs: Lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs for the best crunch.
- Brown the panko: Toasting it in a skillet with butter makes it extra crispy.
- Spray the chicken: A light coat of cooking spray prevents sticking and boosts crispiness.
- Bake on a wire rack: This allows heat to circulate evenly, crisping every side.
Danish Creamery Butter
A big thanks to Danish Creamery Butter! If you’ve been here a while, you know I love this butter—I use it in everything, from sweet treats to savory meals.
And of course, it’s in these Buffalo Chicken Tenders, adding rich flavor to both the coating and Buffalo sauce.
Why I love it:
- Same recipe since 1895 – Just quality cream and a pinch of sea salt.
- Great for everything – Baking, sauces, or just spreading on toast!
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Start with chicken tenders, or slice chicken breasts into thin strips (about 3-4 per breast).
- After prepping, coat in batter, bread, and bake.
- While they bake, mix up the Buffalo sauce and toss the crispy tenders in it just before serving.
Tools To Give You Crispy Chicken
- Wire rack: Bake the chicken on an oven-safe cooling rack placed on a sheet pan to keep it crispy all over.
- Cooking spray: Lightly spray the breaded tenders with olive oil spray to help them brown evenly and get extra crispy.
Buffalo Chicken Tenders Recipe Notes
- Spiciness: The sauce is spicy! Brown sugar and butter make it milder, and dipping in blue cheese or ranch cools it down even more. For less heat, add more butter or sugar.
- Saltiness: The breading is already salty from the ranch seasoning, so no extra salt is added to the chicken. I sprinkle a little on the panko and sauce for balance.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Set to 400°F.Place tenders in one layer (cook in batches if needed).
- Air fry 5-8 mins, flip, spray with cooking spray, and cook 5-8 more mins until golden and 160°F (carryover heat brings them to 165°F).
Cooking time depends on your air fryer and chicken size—smaller tenders cook faster. Use a thermometer to avoid overcooking.
Serving Ideas For Buffalo Chicken Tenders
I love serving these Buffalo tenders with celery, carrots, and a good dipping sauce—chunky blue cheese or ranch are my favorites!
For store-bought sauce, check the produce section for fresher options instead of the bottled dressings.
If making this for dinner, serve with Roasted Broccoli, Asparagus, or Green Beans. A Caesar Salad, Olive Garden Salad, or Italian Salad also pairs well!
Storage
Leftover Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These tenders are best freshly coated in Buffalo sauce, so I usually coat half, eat, then coat the rest.
They lose their crispiness when stored, so it’s best to only cook what you’ll eat that day.
For make-ahead prep, wait to coat the tenders in panko until just before baking—otherwise, the breading softens and won’t be as crispy.
More Crispy Chicken Recipes
- Coconut Chicken with a honey dipping sauce
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini with a crispy Parm coating
- Crispy Chicken Salad with a honey BBQ dressing
- Applebee’s Chicken Salad with crispy chicken
- Orange Chicken copycat recipe!
Easy Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These Buffalo Chicken Tenders are baked to crispy perfection and bursting with flavor! With just the right amount of spice, they’re perfect for dunking in blue cheese or ranch!
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15″ x 21″)
- Cooling rack optional
Ingredients
Chicken and Breading
- 1 pound chicken tenders tendons removed
- 1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs see note 1
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cooking spray
Batter
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup hot sauce I like Frank’s original red hot sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoon(s) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, for serving, see note 2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a large sheet pan with cooking spray. If available, add an oven-safe metal cooling rack on top of the sheet pan and generously grease that as well. (This is optional, but ensures more even baking/crispier chicken.) Pat each tender very dry with a paper towel. Remove the tendons (cut them out with a sharp pairing knife).
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add panko and salt to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon). Stir constantly until lightly and evenly browned, then transfer to a wide, shallow dish.
- Add all batter ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Generously coat chicken tenders in batter and then in breading. Add tenders, spaced apart, to the sheet pan on top of cooling rack. Press any leftover crumbs on top of chicken. Generously spray the tops of the tenders with cooking spray. (We’ll spray the other side later.)
- Place sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove and gently flip tenders to the other side (careful to avoid losing breading). Generously spray new tops with cooking spray and bake another 5–10 minutes or until chicken is 160°F on a food thermometer (carryover heat will bring it up to 165°F). Remove from oven and taste. Add a light sprinkle of salt on top if needed.
- While chicken bakes, make sauce by melting butter on the stovetop over medium heat. Once fully melted, add rest of sauce ingredients and whisk to combine until smooth. Season to taste with salt (I add 1/4 teaspoon). If you’d like the sauce to be sweeter, add additional brown sugar. Remove from heat.
- Toss tenders in sauce (I like to coat half, eat, then coat the rest to keep things nice and crispy!) and enjoy dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing. I love serving celery and carrot sticks on the side as well!
- Air Fryer Instructions: Set air fryer heat to 400°F. Add breaded tenders to the fryer basket in an even layer (you may need to do this in batches; don’t overlap chicken). Cook 5–8 minutes, flip the tenders, spray with cooking spray on the other side, and cook another 5–8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked to 160°F. (Carryover heat will take them to 165°F.)
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Panko bread crumbs are similar to regular bread crumbs, but they create a much crunchier, lighter, and more delicate result. Using panko ensures a crunchier end product than regular bread crumbs.
Note 2: I love serving these tenders alongside cut carrots and celery with a tasty blue cheese or ranch. Look for freshly made dressings/sauces located in the chilled produce section of the store as opposed to shelf-stable options.
Nutrition Note: Buffalo Chicken Tenders calories take into consideration all of the sauce being used, but do not include optional dipping sauces or sides.
Storage: The tenders don’t stay crispy when stored, so I recommend cooking only what will be enjoyed the same day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 30.2g | Fat: 29.1g | Cholesterol: 155.5mg | Sodium: 1225mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 7.9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are great. Have made several times now. I do them on the weekend because I do think they are a lot to fuss with. But they are totally worth it. Last night I made them and used to top a dinner salad. Topped with Bleu cheese dressing it was a huge hit. Thanks for the receipe!
So happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment Sharon! 🙂
Made these tonight, family loved it. Definitely a keeper.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Kathy! 🙂