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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Corn Flake Chicken Tenders

    January 8, 2025 | Updated January 8, 2025 | Heather

    JUMP TO RECIPE RATE RECIPE
    Pin image of corn flake chicken tenders in a pile and on a white plate with dipping sauces.

    Corn Flake Chicken Tenders are coated in seasoned corn flakes and oven baked to perfection. Turns out juicy, crispy and delicious every time. The perfect go to dinner that kids and adults will both enjoy!

    Corn flake chicken tenders on sheet pan with dipping sauces in corners of pan.

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Click HERE to read my policies.

    This post was originally posted on 9/8/2020 and updated on 1/8/2025.

    Why We Love These Corn Flake Chicken Tenders

    • A family friendly dinner item that the whole family loves. Who doesn't love some good ole chicken strips?!
    • This is an easy recipe. A bit tedious coating the chicken but still super simple.
    • These chicken tenders are oven baked so no oily mess to clean up. They can also be air fried!
    • Simple ingredients is all that is needed. Most of them are basic pantry staples.
    • This chicken recipe is versatile. Serve it as a main with some potatoes or cut up on top of salads. Or it also makes a great appetizer or first course.
    • Talk about delicious!! I love the flavor of the cornflakes, not to mention the texture it gives. So crunchy!

    Corn Flake Chicken Tenders Recipe Ingredients

    • Chicken Tenderloins
    • Eggs
    • Milk
    • Crushed Corn Flake Cereal
    • Onion Powder
    • Garlic Powder
    • Paprika
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper

    Substitution Suggestions

    • Chicken Tenderloins: You can simply cut chicken breasts into strips too.
    • Milk: Any milk will work. I use 2% cows milk because it's always in my fridge. I've used homemade buttermilk too and that is delicious as well. You can use what you drink.
    • Corn Flakes: Use the unsweetened corn flakes cereal. Do NOT use frosted flakes. I mean if you do it will just be a sweet chicken strip.
    • Spices: If you want a bit more spice or flavor you can add some siracha or hot sauce to the milk. You can also add some cayenne pepper to the coating mixture.
    Corn flake chicken tenders recipe ingredients.

    How to Crush Corn Flakes Cereal

    You can crush corn flakes in a food processor or save yourself some dishes and use a zip top bag. Add the corn flakes to the bag and smash with a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet. Work out any aggression you may have. 😉 You want small crumbs but not powder or dust.

    How to Make Oven Baked Corn Flake Chicken Strips

    1. First, preheat oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place an oven safe wire rack on the sheet pan. Spray the rack with some nonstick cooking spray.
    2. Next, whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl.
    3. Add the chicken tenders to the bowl and submerge them as much as you can, and the set the bowl aside.
    4. Crush the corn flakes and then measure out the amount you need. Add the crushed corn flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper to a large zip top bag and give it a good shake to mix together.
    Chicken tenders bathing in milk egg wash in large glass mixing bowl.
    Corn flake coating mixture in zip top bag.
    1. Take a piece of chicken from the bowl and let any excess milk & egg wash run off. Place the chicken piece in the bag of coating and shake it up. Use your hand to pat the corn flakes into the chicken.
    2. Place the chicken on prepared rack on sheet pan. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
    3. Spray the top of the coated chicken pieces with cooking spray. I like to use olive oil.
    Coated chicken tenders on wire rack on sheet pan.
    Baked chicken tenders on wire rack on sheet pan.
    1. Then bake the chicken strips in preheated oven for 15-25 minutes depending on the size of your tenders. Internal temperature should reach 160°F, then let the chicken rest for 5-8 minutes to finish cooking and reach 165°F.
    2. Dip these fabulous crunchy chicken strips in your favorite sauce and enjoy every single bite!

    How to Air Fry Corn Flake Chicken Tenders

    1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F and lightly grease the bottom of the basket or shelf with nonstick cooking spray. Whichever kind of air fryer you have.
    2. Place the coated chicken in a single layer in air fryer basket.
    3. Spray the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray.
    4. Air fry for 10-15 minutes, flipping chicken over half way through cooking.
    Chicken tenders fried in air fryer basket.

    Pro Tip: If the tendons are still in your tenderloins you can use a fork to remove them or a sharp knife, but the fork works best for me. Put the tendon between the prongs of the fork and hold the tendon with one hand and push the fork down with your other hand. You might have to wiggle it to get it started but then the tendon will pull right out.

    Chicken Dipping Sauces

    There are so many different sauces to dip chicken in these days. I like my tried and true BBQ sauce from Sweet Baby Ray's. However, my kids like other sauces. Here are some more dipping ideas:

    • BBQ Sauce - My Fav!
    • Ranch - I can't believe how many types of ranch there are now. So far we like all the ones we've tried!
    • Honey Mustard
    • Hot Honey
    • Ketchup and BBQ Sauce mixed together
    • Mayo and Ketchup mixed together
    • Honey
    • Mayo and Hot Sauce mixed together

    What to Serve with Cornflake Chicken Tenders

    Nothing goes better with chicken strips than french fries or is it waffles?! Try my recipe for Crispy Oven Fries or Homemade Belgian Waffles and check out these other side dish ideas:

    • Roasted Ranch Potatoes
    • Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
    • Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
    • Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
    • Air Fryer Potatoes
    • Homemade Cole Slaw
    • Oven Roasted Potatoes
    • Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
    Close up side view of corn flake chicken tenders on white plate.

    Looking to make corn flake chicken with full pieces of chicken? I've got you covered with my Crispy Corn Flake Chicken Recipe! It's absolutely divine! Chicken thighs (you could use any cut of chicken) are marinated in a buttermilk mixture then coated with crispy corn flakes and parmesan cheese. It's oven baked and turns out flavorful and crunchy every time. Makes the best chicken dinner!

    Storing Corn Flake Chicken

    Storing: Store any leftover chicken strips in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Reheating: Place chicken on wire rack and reheat in a 350°F oven or toaster oven just until warmed through. Another option is to use an air fryer preheated to 375°F and reheat the chicken until warmed all the way through. You can also reheat in the microwave but the coating tends to get soggy.

    Freezing: You can freeze the chicken tenders cooked or uncooked. Place cooked and cooled chicken strips in freezer safe airtight container, label, date and freeze for up to 4 months. Reheat from frozen.

    Freezing uncooked chicken: First, make sure the chicken hasn't already been frozen. Place the uncooked coated chicken on parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze them for an hour. Once they are frozen place in freezer safe airtight container, label, date and freeze. Bake the chicken tenders from frozen adding additional time to cook them all the way through.

    Top view of corn flake chicken tenders in a pile on sheet pan.

    Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe

    • I love my food processor for Cuisinart. I use it a lot!
    • I have a Nuwave basket air fryer. It works great.
    • An instant-read thermometer is ideal for checking the temperature of chicken. I use the Pampered Chef one but this instant read thermometer from OXO is great too!
    • These aluminum sheet pans from Nordic Ware are a great option if you need the half sheet size.

    Tips for Making the Best Corn Flake Chicken Tenders

    • Use chicken tenders that are all about the same size. That way they all cook evenly in the oven.
    • If the tendons are still in your tenderloins and you want to remove them you can use a fork or a sharp knife, but the fork works best for me. Put the tendon between the prongs of the fork and hold the tendon with one hand and push the fork down with your other hand. You might have to wiggle it to get it started but then the tendon will pull right out. If the tendons don't bother you just leave them be.
    • Make sure your corn flakes are crushed well. If the flakes are too big they won't adhere to the chicken well. However, you don't want them to be dust either.
    • Use your fingers to press the coating on the chicken to make it stick better.
    • If making a double batch, make 2 separate bags of coating. If you make too much at once, it will be all wet and gummy before all the chicken is coated and it won't stick to the chicken very well.
    • Bake the chicken on an oven safe wire rack, this will help with air circulation around the chicken and won't give soggy bottoms. If you don't have a wire rack, spray the pan with a good amount of cooking spray to help crisp the bottoms of the chicken.
    Corn flake chicken tenders on white round plate with dipping sauces.

    More Chicken Dinner Recipes:

    • Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
    • Honey Mustard Chicken
    • Oven Fried Chicken Legs
    • Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Broccoli Chicken
    • Bruschetta Chicken
    • Baked Chicken Parmesan
    • Oven Baked Chicken Legs
    • Simple Roasted Chicken Breast
    • Baked Cumin Chicken
    • Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
    • Crock Pot Whole Chicken

    Did you make this recipe? Rate it!

    If you enjoyed this recipe give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below. It really helps the recipe stand out and I appreciate the feedback to make recipes everyone will enjoy.

    Corn flake chicken tenders on sheet pan with dipping sauces in corners of pan.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.37 from 50 votes

    Corn Flake Chicken Tenders

    Corn Flake Chicken Tenders are coated in seasoned corn flakes and oven baked to perfection. Turns out juicy, crispy and delicious every time. The perfect go to dinner that kids and adults will both enjoy!
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Author: Heather
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds chicken tenderloins, about 16 tenders
    • 2 large eggs
    • ¼ cup milk
    • 4 cups crushed corn flakes
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • cooking spray

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400°F, line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and place a wire rack on the pan. Spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk very well. Add the chicken tenders to the bowl and submerge them as much as you can.
    • Crush the corn flakes and then measure them. Add the crushed corn flakes to a large zip top bag with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Give the bag a good shake to mix it all together.
    • Take a piece of chicken from the bowl and let the excess milk and egg wash run off. Add the chicken to the bag of corn flakes and shake to coat. Use your hand to pat it on the chicken if needed.
    • Place coated chicken on wire rack. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
    • Spray the top of the chicken tenders with cooking spray.
    • Bake for 15-25 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces and until the internal temperature reads 160°F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and finish cooking to 165°F.

    Air Fryer

    • Preheat air fryer to 400°F and lightly grease the bottom of the basket or shelf with nonstick cooking spray. Whichever kind of air fryer you have.
    • Place the coated chicken in a single layer in air fryer basket. Spray the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray.
    • Air fry for 10-15 minutes, flipping chicken over half way through cooking, and checking to make sure it's reached 160°F.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6oz | Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 401IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Please rate the recipe, leave a comment and tell me how much you loved it!
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    Comments

      4.37 from 50 votes (46 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. linoo says

      February 05, 2025 at 1:23 pm

      hi! can I fry them w oil?

      Reply
      • Heather says

        February 10, 2025 at 11:36 am

        Sure can! Set the oil at 375°F and fry until deep golden brown and internal temp has reached 160°F. If they are getting too brown, take them out and finish in the oven. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    2. linoo says

      February 05, 2025 at 1:23 pm

      hi! can I fry them w oil?

      Reply
    3. Isabella Jimenez says

      May 22, 2024 at 11:44 am

      Hi, will almond milk work?

      Reply
      • Heather says

        June 01, 2024 at 3:12 pm

        Yup, unsweetened almond milk is a good substitute.

        Reply
    4. Kathy says

      April 14, 2024 at 10:46 am

      5 stars
      I am a personal chef for an elderly couple on a low sodium diet. They love corn flakes for breakfast and so I gave this recipe a try using less sodium. The chicken was tender and juicy with a crispy delicious no fry exterior. I had enough coating leftover for my picky husband that is more sophisticated in his taste. I added a drizzle of melted butter before baking. He balked at having chicken fingers for dinner then ate his portion, saying “these are actually really good!” He had seconds and then finished the rest off for lunch the next day!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        April 17, 2024 at 7:31 am

        Awesome!!! Thank you so much for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Robin Dinsmore says

      March 04, 2024 at 7:38 pm

      Would soaking the tenders in buttermilk work as well.

      Reply
      • Heather Warburton says

        March 06, 2024 at 11:09 am

        That's a great idea!!! It would most definitely work.

        Reply
    6. shelly says

      October 18, 2023 at 3:41 pm

      Would baking these in a convection oven change the cooking time or oven temperature? Can't wait to try these

      Reply
      • Heather Warburton says

        December 20, 2023 at 3:57 pm

        I personally don't cook/bake with a convection oven, but I would suggest reducing temperature to 375F and check them at the 10 minute mark. Hope that is helpful.

        Reply
    7. Lauren says

      April 10, 2023 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      I made these tonight for my family…my kids were playing next door, so I ended up taking the chicken over while everyone played outside.

      Multiple picky eaters devoured these! Adding to my dinner rotation, thank you!

      Reply
    8. Lindsay says

      March 15, 2023 at 12:57 pm

      I was just wondering what the reason is for spraying the top with cooking spray. Anyone know if it is necessary?

      Reply
      • Heather Warburton says

        May 22, 2023 at 10:20 am

        It's not absolutely necessary, but it helps the tops get extra crispy.

        Reply
    9. Katie says

      February 21, 2023 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      I make this recipe on a regular basis (on average 2-3 times per week), due to my daughter requesting it! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.

      Reply
    10. Kathy says

      January 05, 2023 at 12:00 am

      I had a whole chicken on hand so I cut it into 10 pieces (2 breasts = 4 pieces) and followed the instructions for the tenders, except baked it longer (about one hour) and covered with foil for the last 30 minutes to prevent over browning. It was my first try at this recipe and I had company coming so I drizzled melted butter over the chicken before baking, for fear the nonstick spray wouldn’t be flavorful enough. Delicious! I served it with waffles (and mashed potatoes, gravy, and greens) and it was a huge hit.

      Reply
      • Heather Warburton says

        February 12, 2023 at 7:00 pm

        Awesome! Great idea with the melted butter!!!

        Reply
    11. Vic says

      January 25, 2021 at 9:48 pm

      5 stars
      Omg these are amazing!!! I’ve tried oven tenders many times and cornflakes are the ingredient I have been missing!!!! So delish and crunchy. Made these in the air fryer and my kids loved every bite, and so did I 🙂 will make this and share with all my mom friends!

      Reply
      • Heather Warburton says

        February 04, 2021 at 3:51 pm

        Thank you! I'm so glad you all enjoyed them! 🙂

        Reply
      • Audrey H says

        May 03, 2021 at 4:18 pm

        Hi! What is the serving size..I'm trying to figure out calories for 2 pieces of chicken lol thank u!! This is my family's new favorite meal

        Reply
        • Heather Warburton says

          May 03, 2021 at 4:50 pm

          So glad your family loves them! Thank you! A serving size is 6 ounces, so it will depend on the size of your chicken tenders. 4 oz is about the size of your palm, so I would guess 2 small-medium tenders would be about a 6 oz serving.

          Reply

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