Super crispy parmesan baked chicken fingers marinated in buttermilk and baked to crispy perfection! These baked chicken tenders are way better than the fried version. And of course, healthier!

hand dipping baked chicken fingers in homemade sriracha honey mustard sauce{Takes a bite} *Crunch*

Hot, crispy, parmesan baked chicken fingers don’t usually last long around here. They’re one of our most favorite/ most versatile dinner items. Especially if there’s sweet sriracha honey mustard dipping sauce to accompany! I love serving these babies with a Big Salad. (side note: did you also think of that Seinfeld episode!) Or tucked inside a burger bun with a mashed up avocado, lettuce, and this sauce! And the best way, is along with healthy garlic fries or oven-baked sweet potato fries.

And I triple dog dare you to not have your entire face covered in this sweet sriracha honey mustard sauce!

Did I say face? I meant chicken fingers. Chicken fingers, your fingers, your face, a combination of all three. That’s the way God intended these chicken fingers to be eaten! True story.

image created with words to show baked chicken fingers on white surface, white plate with sauce
I love serving these baked chicken fingers in a miniature size for parties as well. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t like eating with their hands? Possibly like 1 person on the planet. It’s not me. Really.

Let’s get down to business. The first thing we’re going to do is let the chicken tenders sit in buttermilk. This ensures super moist chicken on the inside with all that yummy crunch on the outside. I usually let the chicken marinate in the buttermilk for 1-2 hours covered in the refrigerator. If you’re short on time, do it for 30 minutes. It’s a step you don’t want to skip though.

Next we’re going to do a little dipping in a few different ingredients. Set up your work station with three different bowls. We’re dipping these fingers in seasoned flour, then beaten eggs, and lastly, a panko + parmesan mixture.

close up of bitten chicken fingers dipped in honey sriracha bbq sauceWhat is Panko? Panko is Japanese-style bread crumb. It’s the stuff they usually coat the shrimp with in those crispy shrimp sushi rolls (can you say, yum). We’re using Panko instead of breadcrumbs because Panko doesn’t burn as easily as breadcrumbs. And since we’re baking these chicken fingers at a high 400 degrees F, it’s exactly what we need.

The best way to go through this process quickly and hassle-free: have a dry hand and a wet hand. The dry hand should only touch the seasoning flour and the panko + parmesan mixture, aka dry ingredients. The wet hand should touch the buttermilk dipped chicken and the beaten egg mixture, aka wet ingredients. That way, you’re coating the chicken fingers and not your own! And its also nice when you don’t have to stop and wash/dry your hands a bajillion times.

Make sure to dip chicken fingers in all 3 of these mixtures. Leaving any steps out won’t produce the same results!

chicken fingers dredged in Panko coating on sheet pan lined with silicone baking padInto a 400 degree F oven they go. The baking time with depend on the thickness of your chicken fingers. Mine took about 24 minutes. After the first 12, I flipped them over and continued to bake.

picnic checkered paper in basket holding baked chicken fingers with sauce in metal bowlThat. is. it. It’s so simple to make these baked chicken fingers. And the crunch. I LIVE for that crunch! The best part: I can have it anytime I want. You know, with it being healthy and all!

Yield: 4 servings

Parmesan Baked Chicken Fingers

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Super crispy parmesan baked chicken fingers marinated in buttermilk and baked to crispy perfection! These baked chicken tenders are way better than the fried version. And of course, healthier!

Parmesan Baked Chicken Fingers

Ingredients

For the baked chicken finger:

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 and 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenders
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (all purpose flour works fine too)
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large eggs, beaten (or 1 egg + 2 egg whites)
  • 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

For the sriracha honey mustard sauce

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce (I used Kraft's Honey Hickory Smoked)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1/2 tablespoon sriracha sauce

Instructions

  1. for the sriracha honey mustard sauce: Place all ingredients in a medium bowl, give it a good stir until the sauce is mixed well. Additional sriracha can be added for more heat. Store covered in the refrigerator while you prepare the baked chicken fingers.
  2. For the baked chicken fingers:
    Pour the buttermilk into a large bowl. If using chicken breasts, pound down till they're thinner and cut into strips. If using boneless, skinless chicken tenders - cut lengthwise in half. Add the chicken strips to the bowl and stir to coat with the buttermilk. Cover tightly and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
    Place 2 racks spaced apart near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone pad. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
    In a shallow baking dish, combine the flour, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another shallow baking dish, pour the beaten eggs. Place the panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a third baking dish. Coat each chicken tender in flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, dip in beaten eggs and drip off excess. Lastly, roll in the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess. Place chicken strips on the prepared baking sheet. Spray each strip with nonstick spray on both sides, this prevents the breading from staying raw.
    Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each piece over and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Baking times vary depending on the thickness of chicken. Make sure yours is cooked through. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat at 300 degrees F for a few minutes in a toaster oven.

Have you made this recipe?

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