These Chicken Fingers with Panko Breadcrumbs are oven baked, golden brown and crispy and tender on the inside. Easy to make with simple ingredients in under 30 minutes.
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What makes this panko chicken special?
The secret to my perfectly healthy oven fried panko chicken fingers is double crumbing for a crunchy coating and delicious juicy chicken. There are also only 2 bowls needed, instead of the usual 3 as I combine the egg and flour into one bowl, and the dried herbs, parmesan and panko into another bowl.
It makes a big difference and you will end up with thick crusty crumb that is like it’s been deep fried, but it hasn’t!
Making dinners under 500 calories is my specialty, with many of my most popular being low calorie chicken recipes, low calorie meal prepping recipes and low calorie slow cooker recipes.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: you can use tenderloins or breast meat, sliced into evenly sized fingers
- Panko Breadcrumbs: these are essential for creating create crispy and crunchy texture, although regular breadcrumbs can also be used
- Parmesan cheese: to add flavor to the crumb mixture
- Dried Herbs: Garlic salt, dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary. You could also use black pepper, garlic powder or onion powder for extra flavor.
- Eggs and Flour: to help the breadcrumbs stick
- Soy Sauce: I like to whisk a little soy into the egg was for extra flavor but this is optional
- Spray Oil: to get the chicken golden and crispy. You can use any spray oil.
How to Make
- Cut Chicken: trim and pat dry the chicken then slice them into strips of 1 to 1.5 inches in width for uniformity.
- Dredging: Dip the chicken strips in the egg mixture, then press into the crunchy panko breadcrumbs. Repeat.
- Arrange on prepared baking sheet: Place chicken fingers onto a baking tray, lined with baking paper. Use a light coating of olive oil spray or vegetable oil for best results.
- Cook: Cook in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Enjoy diving into these with your favorite dipping sauce: BBQ sauce, honey mustard sauce, dijon mustard, or sweet chili sauce.
Common Questions
To make panko stick to chicken, dip the chicken in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally coat it with panko breadcrumbs.
While regular breadcrumbs can be used, panko breadcrumbs are recommended for their coarser texture, resulting in a crunchier and crispier chicken. If you opt for regular breadcrumbs, consider adding some additional seasoning or herbs to enhance flavor and texture.
To prevent sogginess, place a baking rack on the baking sheet and arrange the breaded chicken fingers on top. Elevating them allows air to circulate, ensuring even crispiness on all sides.
I love chicken fingers with panko breadcrumbs because they deliver a perfect crunch that regular breadcrumbs just can't match. The coarse texture of panko creates this irresistible crispy exterior, making each bite incredibly satisfying.
It's such a simple yet effective way to elevate the texture of the chicken, and the versatility of panko means I can enjoy that crispy crunchiness on my other favorite dinners, like panko chicken nuggets, and air fryer fish tacos.
Recipe Tips
- Pat Dry: Before coating the chicken, pat it dry with paper towels. Excess moisture can hinder the adherence of the panko breadcrumbs. Dry chicken ensures a crispier coating.
- Even Coating: Ensure an even coating by pressing the panko breadcrumbs onto the chicken firmly. This step helps the breadcrumbs adhere better and results in a more uniform and crispy texture.
- Baking Rack: For an all-around crispy texture, place a wire rack on the baking sheet. Elevating the chicken allows air to circulate, preventing the bottom from becoming soggy and ensuring an even crunch.
- Leftovers: Store leftover crispy baked chicken tenders in an air tight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, lightly spray with oil and place on a wire rack in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to get them crispy again.
I love using panko for crumbed chicken as its coarse texture creates crunch and crispiness with just a little oil. Easily accessible in most supermarkets, panko works well for white fish or steak using the same double-breading, light oil spray, and oven-baking method.
I make this recipe often because its quick, fuss free and it goes with basically anything you have in your fridge or pantry. Plus its a great recipe for low calorie meal prep.
For an alternative low carb chicken tender recipe, check out my Air Fryer Chicken Tenders without Breading. They practically cook themselves and they have a delicious spice combination that cooks up beautifully in the air fryer.
Chicken Fingers with Panko Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
Chicken
- 500 grams/1 pound chicken tenderloins
Crumb/Breading
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
- 1 teaspoon Garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried rosemary
Egg Wash
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Plain/All Purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce - Optional
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Other
- Spray Oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C/320 F.
- In a large bowl, crack the eggs, add the flour, soy sauce and pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Add panko, garlic salt, rosemary, oregano, basil, and parmesan to a second large bowl. Use a fork to mix through evenly combined.
- Dip one chicken finger at a time into the egg wash, and press into the panko both sides. Repeat this process so that each chicken piece has been coated with twice with panko. As the tenders are coated in panko, place them on a lined baking tray.
- Bake the chicken tenders in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Cutting chicken into fingers: To transform chicken tenderloins or chicken breast into chicken fingers, start by trimming excess fat and patting them dry. Cut each tender lengthwise into strips of about 1 to 1.5 inches for a bite-sized result. Ensure uniformity for even cooking.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: these are essential for creating create crispy and crunchy texture, although regular breadcrumbs can also be used
- Even Coating: Ensure an even coating by pressing the panko breadcrumbs onto the chicken firmly. This step helps the breadcrumbs adhere better and results in a more uniform and crispy texture.
- Baking Rack: For an all-around crispy texture, place a wire rack on the baking sheet. Elevating the chicken allows air to circulate, preventing the bottom from becoming soggy and ensuring an even crunch.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
Daysi Kinsley
Awesome stuff!