With just Five Ingredients and Five Minutes of prep time, these baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders will be your new easy dinner. This is our favorite easy Chicken Tenders Recipe.
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It can be difficult to make simple staples taste good quickly. MyBaked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders Recipe does just that. With a five minute prep time, you can pop them in the oven and help kids with homework, get a couple of chores done, or just sit back and put your tired feet up.
These healthy baked chicken tenders are also a great kid-friendly option! Or if you want some heat in a chicken tenderloin recipe try my Blackened Chicken Tenders!
How To Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Making this parmesan garlic chicken is super simple and really doesn’t take much effort at all. It’s great for serving to a crowd of hungry guests or kids! Everyone will eat every last bite in record time. Take a look at the video at the top of this post to see simple it is:
First Step: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Second Step: Mix together the mayonnaise, ¼ cup of cheese, garlic, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Place the chicken in the bowl and stir, so it’s all coated. Lay the pieces of chicken on the baking sheet.
Third Step: Add the rest of the cheese on top of the chicken.
Fourth Step: Bake the garlic parmesan breaded chicken for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is all the way cooked.
Fifth Step: If you want the chicken to be golden brown, broil it for 2-3 minutes. This will brown up the cheese.
Expert Tip: If you decide to broil the chicken, it’s important not to cook it too long and keep a close watch. It can burn really quickly in the broiler. Plus, if it cooks too long, it can dry out some.
Mayo? Do I have to use Mayonnaise in Garlic Parmesan Chicken?
Mayo is my favorite condiment ever. It takes almost any savory dish and kicks it up a notch. It is my go-to for making anything dairy-free creamy. That delicious emulsified oil can replace cream in many recipes.
You cannot taste it in this recipe. Really. But if you are adamantly opposed to using mayonnaise I've had readers use yogurt or sour cream successfully.
Can I Sub in Chicken Breasts?
Chicken tenderloins are my favorite meat for quick dinners. They cook fast and don't require cutting or trimming first. Since chicken doesn't have a ton of flavor on its own you can incorporate them in hundreds of ways.
I'm able to get them for about .50 more per pound than chicken breasts. Since they are a better cut of poultry this price difference is worth it to me. But if you prefer to use chicken breasts you can. Just cut them into strips and proceed with the rest of the garlic parmesan chicken recipe.
If you prefer you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
What Temperature Do Chicken Tenderloins Need to Cook to?
Chicken should be 160 degrees F. before it’s consumed. As the chicken bakes, once it reaches 158 degrees, you can remove it from the oven and let it rest for around 5 minutes. This gives it time to finish raising the temperature to 160 degrees F as it sits.
When it comes to chicken (or any meat really), you don’t want to overcook it. I know it sounds like a good idea to cook it until it’s hotter in theory, but you will end up with a dry and flavorless meal if you do. As long as it’s prepared to 160 degrees F., it’s safe to consume, and you don’t need to worry.
Can cooked chicken be pink?
Yes, sometimes chicken that’s fully cooked will have a slight pink color in the center. As long as it’s not raw and you are positive that it reads the correct temperature, it’s okay to eat. Undercooked chicken can make you very ill, so it’s always a good idea to check the temperatures when making any type of chicken dish.
How many servings does this make?
These keto chicken tenders make 8 servings. Typically, you will end up with around 3 maybe 4 tenderloins per person. So if you are feeding a large crowd, you may need to make a double or even triple batch. Additionally, you can easily half the ingredients if you don’t need to make as much. It’s an easy recipe to adjust as needed.
What should I serve with this?
This is one of those recipes that goes with almost anything. Serve it with some roasted veggies like garlic broccoli, oven-roasted green beans, or cauliflower. You could also pair it with some mashed cauliflower, cucumber tomato salad, or some keto garlic bread.
This garlic parmesan chicken also goes excellent with zucchini fries, onion rings, and other side items like that as well. You could even serve it with a Caesar salad and some fresh fruit too. You can’t go wrong with pretty much anything you decide to make with this chicken dinner idea.
How do you store garlic parmesan chicken tenders?
Let the chicken cool down after cooking it, then place the chicken tenderloins in a container with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the fridge. This garlic chicken will last 3-4 days, and it’s incredible for leftovers.
You can also freeze the chicken too. I like to flash freeze it on a baking dish for around 2 hours, then take the pieces and put them in a freezer bag. Then they won’t stick together, and you can just grab out the pieces that you want.
How do you reheat keto garlic parmesan chicken?
You can quickly reheat the keto chicken tenders in the microwave by putting it in a microwave-safe container and heating it for a couple of minutes. I recommend heating it in 1-minute intervals because it warms up pretty quickly when you are just heating a few.
You can also lay the chicken tenders on a baking sheet at heating them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Once they are warm all the way, you can eat them.
Can I use the sauce in other ways?
This recipe has the same topping I use on my Garlic Parmesan Zucchini. It is a family favorite and I knew it would also be great on chicken. My kids gobbled this up.
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Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds chicken tenderloins
- ¾ cup mayo
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Combine the mayo, ¼ cup of the cheese, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Put the chicken on a large baking sheet. I put parchment on mine to save on the cleanup.
- Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. It should read 160 on a meat thermometer. I try to take it out at about 158 and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Optional: Broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese. Watch the chicken closely if you are broiling so it doesn't burn.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Here are a few of my other favorite Keto Chicken Tenders Recipes:
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders with Ranch Dip
Cumin Rubbed Chicken with Black Bean & Corn Salsa
Greek Chicken with Feta and Dill
Creamy Tomato Chicken & Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ham & Cheddar Chicken Skillet Dinner
Originally published on 11/3/2017. Revised and republished on 2/6/2020.
Reneé Tull says
This is a go to meal for my extended family. Young and old LOVE these tenders!! It is often requested for birthday diners as well (and works for lager pieces of chicken with an adjust of cooking time). We truly love this recipe.
Jan Turner says
Excellent use of chicken tenders!!! pretty enough to use for a fancy dinner or just everyday nutrition!
Donna says
Has anyone used Greek yogurt in place of the Mayo?
Taryn says
Yes, I've had readers do that successfully.
Sherrie says
This dish totally saved dinner. My son ordered fast food to an address in another state and I didn't get a full refund so had to end up making something quick with stuff I had on hand.
I cannot believe how easy, quick, and JUICY the chicken was..
Priscilla says
I have 7 kids, some of whom have more narrow tastes. This is a 7 for 7 recipe and a favorite for all! I have difficulty making enough for them. 🙂
Susi Vazquez says
These are a family favorite! They are delicious and juicy. So easy to make. Thank you for the recipe
Taylor says
Delicious! So flavorful and juicy.
Jenny says
Made this as directed. It was a crowd favorite - even from My impossibly picky 5 year old. This is the new staple. Thank you! Especially because it’s Ketofriendly.
Karen says
I give this recipe 5 stars because it's so easy and has so much flaver. But every time I make it, the chicken is tough. I've tried the chicken tenders and chicken cutlets, and both turn out tough. I cook them for 20-22 minutes at 400, and the meat thermometer ususally reads between 180 and 185. I wonder if you have any tips. I'm wondering if I should pound the meat before prepping, or try using boneless thighs. Any feedback would be great. Thanks.
Taryn says
Just cook them less. Your oven may only need to cook them for 12-15 minutes.
Karen says
Okay, I'll try that. Thanks for your response.
Mary says
This was delicious and so easy! Thank you.
GAIL EREDDIA says
I've been wanting to try this for a while...even bought the parmesan cheese, but never got around to it. I thawed out one chicken breast the other day, and today I cut it up, mixed up the ingredients (guessed at proportions because I only made on chicken breast), and baked them in my toaster oven (hot here in AZ!). They looked a little anemic on the bottom side, and I flipped them over and broiled them for a few minutes. This was a victory for me because I actually cooked instead of running out to pick up, probably fast food. This took little effort, and was very tasty. While cooking I mixed up the cucumbers with a favorite dip recipe and reheated some leftover green beans. Thanks for a good, easy recipe!
Diane G says
So easy! It was a hit with some pretty tough critics. I will definitely make one of my regular quick meals. Thank you!
Connie Davis says
What kind of thermometer do you use? Do you leave it in the chicken so you see as soon as it reaches 158 degrees? All ovens are different and I don’t want mine to hit 200 at 18 minutes like happened to someone else. By 25 minutes it would be well over cooked! All I have is an instant read so I would have to keep opening the oven to check it but would be glad to purchase the kind you use!
Taryn says
I do keep opening the oven to check. I just use one of several instant-read thermometers we own. I buy the cheap ones from amazon. Once it is 145 I set the time for 1 minute and check again. And then do that one more time. The last 10-15 degrees generally only takes 2 minutes.
Tracy Reynolds says
Can I use regular small chicken tenders? If so how long would they cook?
Taryn says
That is what the recipe calls for.
Ladykttu says
Yummy! Made 1/3rd recipe.
Put in too small of pan, drained juices and put back in warm, but off oven. Husband and I loved our lunch. Was surprised that I didn't have to turn over. When the cheese on top is browned, its good. Not dry in the slightest!