Ingredients
- 2 cups hot and spicy Cheez-It crackers, crushed
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Alternatively, spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray if you don’t have a rack.
- Prepare the Crumb Coating:
- Place the Cheez-Its in a Ziploc freezer bag and crush them (you’ll need about 2 cups of crushed crackers). Alternatively, pulse them in a food processor until crushed, but avoid over-processing.
- In a large bowl, combine the crushed Cheez-Its, parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and salt.
- Prepare the Buffalo Coating:
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and hot sauce until well combined.
- Coat the Chicken Tenders:
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. Brush a thin layer of mayonnaise over each chicken tender, ensuring they’re evenly coated.
- Dredge the mayo-coated tenders in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to make sure the coating sticks.
- Bake the Chicken Tenders:
- Place the breaded tenders on the cooling rack or directly on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Serve:
- Serve hot with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, or add extra buffalo sauce for even more heat.
Notes
- For a lighter version, you can skip the mayo and use a thin layer of olive oil to help the breadcrumbs stick.
- Adjust the level of heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of hot sauce used in the coating.
- You can serve these tenders with a side of celery and carrots for a more traditional Buffalo wing experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tenders
- Calories: 589 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1240mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
