GLUTEN-FREE CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS
on Nov 09, 2024, Updated Jun 25, 2025
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Juicy, crispy chicken tenders with gluten-free cornflake breading? Sign me up!
My obsession with these Gluten-Free Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders is real! And I know that you all are obsessed with this recipe too.
Of course, the version I’m sharing today is far healthier than anything you’d get through a drive-through fast food chain or even a hotel room service offering.
Nothing beats the crispy exterior of these baked tenders. The mix of gluten-free flour and cornflakes gives the chicken a perfectly crunchy exterior.
The best part of this recipe is how fun it is to make!
You dip the chicken into an egg and gluten-free flour blend mixture before dousing each tender into a bowl of crushed cornflakes.
Bake them in the oven on a wire rack, and in less than 20 minutes you have a breaded chicken tender that can be dipped into your fav condiment.
This recipe is for kids and the kids at heart. I hope you try it and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
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Ingredients for Gluten-Free Baked Chicken Tenders
Winner, winner chicken dinner! Make sure you have these ingredients on hand for your next chicken tender craving.
- Chicken: Look for chicken tenders at the grocery store, or cut chicken breasts into thinner strips.
- Cornflakes: One of my favorite gluten-free brands is @therealcerealcompany because it has just two ingredients: corn grits and sea salt. See the FAQs below if you’re looking for alternative options.
- Eggs: This helps bind the flour mixture to the chicken.
- Gluten-free Flour Blend: @bobsredmill 1:1 baking flour makes a regular appearance in my gluten-free recipes.
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Pin It- Mustard: A squeeze of yellow mustard is needed for the egg and flour mixture.
- Spices: To modernize the classic childhood treat, I use a combo of garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
- Avocado Oil Spray: You’ll want to spray the chicken tenders with a bit of oil before placing them into the oven. This ensures the exterior comes out perfectly crispy!
How to Make Crispy Baked Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders
Let’s get these chicken tenders started, shall we? Go ahead and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Next, break the cornflakes into small crumbs. I find this is easiest done in a food processor, but you can also put the cornflakes in a sealable bag and give them a good smash!
In a shallow bowl, stir together the eggs, gluten-free flour, avocado oil, mustard, spices, salt and pepper.
Dip each chicken tender into the egg and flour mixture then into the crushed cornflakes, ensuring each tender is fully covered.
Place the tenders on top of a metal rack on a sheet pan. If you don’t have a metal wrack, no stress. This just makes it extra, extra crispy.
Spray the chicken tenders generously with avocado oil and bake for 15 minutes until crispy.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven to broil on high.
Return the chicken tenders to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get a nice crisp on the outside. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they can burn easily!
Once the tenders have finished broiling, allow them to cool slightly and serve with dipping sauces of your choice. Enjoy!
FAQs and Recipe Variations for Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders
A gluten-free flour blend is essentially a gluten-free version of all-purpose flour. It’s typically a blend of various gluten-free flours along with starches and leavening agents. My preferred brand for this recipe is @bobsredmill 1:1 baking flour. If you aren’t gluten-free, you can substitute for all-purpose flour.
Two tablespoons of yellow mustard is added to the egg mixture to help tenderize the meat. I don’t think the tenders taste like mustard if that’s what you may be afraid of!
Gluten-free potato chips or plantain chips would work here too! For my Taco Chicken Tenders, I used crushed tortilla chips.
Other High-Protein Handheld Bites:
- Chicken Bacon Green Goddess Ranch Wraps
- Taco Chicken Tenders
- Miso Tuna Salad Handrolls
- Crispy Ginger Chicken Rice Paper Wraps
- Buffalo Baked Chicken Wings
GLUTEN-FREE CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- 2 cups cornflakes, crushed (I used The Real Real Cereal Company)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ⅔ cup gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Break the cornflakes up into small crumbs (this is easiest done in a food processor).
- In a shallow bowl, stir together the eggs, flour, avocado oil, mustard, spices, salt and pepper.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry. Then, dip each chicken tender into the egg and flour mixture then into the crushed cornflakes, ensuring each tender is fully covered. Place the tenders on top of a metal rack on a sheet pan. Note, if you don’t have a metal rack that fits on your sheet pan, you can skip the rack as it just helps with crispiness.
- Spray the chicken tenders generously with avocado oil and bake for 15 minutes until crispy.
- Remove from the oven and turn the oven to broil on high.
- Return the chicken tenders to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get a nice crisp on the outside (watch closely because they can burn easily).
- Once the tenders have finished broiling, allow them to cool slightly and serve with dipping sauces of your choice. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this tonight but the egg & flour mixture was too thick to stick to the chicken. I did use regular flour – would that make that big of a difference? I ended up just dipping in the egg/mustard mixture, then flour, egg again and cornflakes last.
Hi, Aleigha! Thank you for the feedback. If you didn’t pat the chicken dry, try that next time. It should help the mixture stick.
Making these for us and the kiddos, but topping ours with hot honey! Yum!
That sounds amazing! Let me know how they are with a side of hot honey!