How Long to Bake Chicken Tenders at 400

Serving high-quality chicken tenders require skills and effort. You have to season them well and be mindful of the baking time, which may be more complicated than they seem. So, for how long should you bake your chicken tenders at 400?

Suppose you have everything needed to bake chicken tenders on the table and have prepared all ingredients. The only thing you need right now is a guide and a recipe. Don’t worry; this article will provide them.

How Long To Bake Chicken Tenders At 400?

How long you can bake chicken tenders at 400 degrees Fahrenheit varies, depending on several factors, like the nature of chicken tenders, oven type, size of the chicken tenders, and more. Here’s how long it will take you to bake various kinds of chicken tenders in multiple conditions:

Raw/Uncoated Chicken Tenders

Baking uncoated chicken tenders at 400 will take about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your chicken’s size. Note that the time used to preheat the oven is not factored here. And that this time reflects the actual baking time.

Coated Chicken Tenders

For crispier chicken tenders, some people opt to coat them with bread crumbs. This is significantly more common in fast-food establishments.

Coating your chicken tenders with bread crumbs will take longer to bake than if uncoated. Generally, it will take around 20 to 25 to bake breaded chicken tenders at 400 degrees F.

When baking breaded chicken tenders, bake them for 15 to 20 minutes. Then turn them and cook for another 5 minutes or until the coats turn brown and yellow.

Frozen Chicken Tenders

Baking frozen chicken tenders will need you first to thaw them. The best way to thaw chicken tenders is to do so overnight in the fridge. Avoid defrosting your chicken tenders at room temperature, as this may lead to bacterial infestation.

Once completely defrosted, bake your chicken tenders in the oven at 400. This will take you about 22 to 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can bake your chicken tenders frozen. This works excellent for previously marinated chicken tenders. However, it will take you longer to bake frozen chicken tenders than unfrozen, by around seven minutes per pound.

How To Bake Chicken Tenders At 400

For this recipe, you’ll need the following:

One-pound Chicken tenders – it’s best to buy chicken tenders as they are pretty soft, come in the correct size, and are pre-trimmed. If you cannot, use normal boneless skinless chicken breast. Just trim and cut it into tender/chicken finger sizes.
Flour – use regular all-purpose flour.
Cornstarch – this help in making the chicken tenders crisp.
Seasonings – you’ll need garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, salt, and smoked or sweet paprika.
Eggs – these add moisture to the adhesion of the flour to the chicken.
Panko – panko bread crumbs have a flakier and drier texture than regular bread crumbs, making them crispy and crunchy once cooked.

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. line a large baking sheet with a wire rack. Spray the wire rack with nonstick frying spray and set aside.
Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the chicken tenders and set aside.
Take three shallow dishes and whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in the first bowl.
Whisk together the eggs and water using a fork in the second bowl.
Place panko breadcrumbs in the third bowl.
Coat both sides of the chicken tenders with the seasoned flour, dip them in the egg mixture, and then transfer them to the panko mixture.
Coat both sides with panko, pressing firmly to ensure it adheres well.
Arrange the chicken tenders on the wire rack, so they don’t touch one another.
Bake for 25 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
If you want a more golden color and crispier coating, broil the chicken tenders for 2 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve alongside your preferred dipping sauce.

What Can You Serve With Baked Chicken Tenders?

Baked chicken tenders are best served with dipping sauces like BBQ sauce, honey mustard sauce, ketchup, ranch, bruschetta sauce, fry, and hoisin sauce.

Here are other side dishes ideas that pair well with baked chicken tenders:

Sweet potato fries.
Tomato salad.
Baked potato wedges.
Popeyes cajun fries.
Seven-layer salad.
Mexican street corn salad.
Roasted broccoli.
Red potato salad.
Easy buttermilk drop biscuits.
Orzo salad.
Roasted green beans.
Wedge salad.
Mashed potatoes.

How Can You Store Baked Leftover Chicken Tenders?

Consume your baked chicken tenders within two hours of cooking. If the weather is hot, this time is reduced to one hour. Eating chicken tenders that have been at room temperature for longer than two hours is not recommended. Doing so puts you at risk of contracting food-borne illnesses.

If the chicken tenders are more than what you or your family can consume at the time, consider refrigerating them as soon as they are cooled. Place the leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container or Ziploc bags and store them in the fridge. Consume them within 3 to 4 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze your leftover baked chicken tenders if you don’t plan on consuming them in the next few days. When freezing, use heavy-duty freezer bags and wrap them in foil.

Frozen leftover baked chicken tenders can be kept in the freezer for 3 to 4 months under peak conditions. When thawing, remember to do it in the fridge overnight and not at room temperature. Reheat your leftover baked chicken tenders in the oven or microwave, and they’ll be safe to consume.

Conclusion

How long it takes to bake chicken tenders at 400 depends on various factors. If the chicken tenders are raw and uncoated, bake them at 400 for around 15 to 20 minutes. If they are coated with breadcrumbs, bake them at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Lastly, baking frozen chicken tenders at 400 will take between 22 to 30 minutes. Note that this applies to defrosted chicken tenders. If you are baking unthawed chicken tenders at 400, you’ll need to locate additional seven minutes per pound of meat.