Cheez-it Chicken Tenders are baked to perfection, come out perfectly crispy every time, and always a huge hit!
Chicken Tenders are always my go-to recipe when I need something quick for dinner. They taste great, are super easy to make, and have only uses a few ingredients.
I just throw my Cheez-it crackers in a food processor, and they're done in about 30 seconds. Or you could put the them in a Ziplock bag and smash them with a rolling pin. Whatever works for you.
These chicken tenders are baked to crispy perfection like my Oven Fried Chicken Thighs, not fried, but nobody would ever know. I like to use this baking sheet and cooling rack, which helps the chicken get crispy all the way around. Juicy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and just bursting with flavor. Definitely takes chicken tenders to a whole new level.
Perfect for the whole family, served on a salad or with creamy mashed potatoes, or just with a side of your favorite dipping sauce.
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Cheez it Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 10-12 Chicken tenders about 3 pounds
- 2/3 cup Mayo*
- 1/2 cup Butter melted
- 2 cups Crushed Cheese Nips or Cheez-It
- 3/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- 2/3 cup Bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper optional
- Ranch dressing optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Crush Crackers by placing them in a Ziplock bag and rolling over the bag with a rolling pin or by placing them in a food processor for 1-2 minutes (be careful not to over processor them).
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add the melted butter in and mix well.
- Rinse and pat the tenders dry
- Spray a wire cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a cookie sheet
- Brush the mayo on the chicken tenders, be sure to coat both side evenly, then place the chicken in the Cheese crumbs mixture and press firmly to make sure the coating sticks.
- Put chicken tenders on a wire cooling rack This helps the heat to circulate all the way around the chicken to ensure crispness.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden in color and juices run clear
- **you can substitute mayo for sour cream or greek yogurt
I haven't made this yet but when I do. I'll be using buffalo flavored cheez-its
Has anyone tried this in an air-fryer?
Yay Patti! Its one of our favorites too!
It's amazing!
Making it for the 2nd time in 2 weeks and not for children, but for myself!
Sooooo good!
No its not spicy, the cayenne pepper is optional.
Does this recipe come out spicy? I'm making it for a 4 as and 6 year old.
I've never tried it Kathy but I would think it would work fine. The breading stays on nicely. Let me know if you try 🙂
Do you think you could bake these in an air fryer? This recipe sounds delicious can't wait to try it
I absolutely loved this recipe! The chicken tenders were very moist and I loved the salty crunch from the cheeze-its. I will diffidently bake this again! Thank you 🙂 🙂