These Key Lime Chicken Tenders have a crunchy coating, a light lime flavor and the chicken is tender and moist. They’re my family’s favorite chicken recipe!
My whole family loves chicken tenders, especially when they are homemade. Their favorite is parmesan crusted chicken tenders that are fried in a skillet…until these oven baked, crispy Key Lime Chicken Tenders came along.
Now they have a new favorite and that makes me happy because these chicken tenders are easier to make!
How To Make Key Lime Chicken Tenders
Step One:
In a small, wide bowl melt the butter and stir in the key lime juice. Set aside.
Step Two:
In a separate small, wide bowl, mix together panko, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, onion powder and grated parmesan.
Step Three:
Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in thirds or fourths.
Step Four:
Dip the chicken into the butter mixture.
Step Five:
Coat the chicken tenders in the breadcrumb mixture.
Step Six:
Place the chicken tenders on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.
Optional: use a thin, metal spatula/turner to flip the chicken tenders (making sure to scrape up the coating along with the chicken) halfway through cooking to help brown both sides.
Step Seven:
Cook the chicken tenders under the broiler for a couple of minutes to make the tops more golden brown, if desired.
Step Eight:
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little grated key lime zest for added flavor.
My husband said that this was some of the best chicken he has ever eaten! These Key Lime Chicken Tenders have a crunchy coating, a light lime flavor and the chicken was tender and moist.
Key Lime Chicken Tenders Recipe Tips
1. Love chicken nuggets? Cut the chicken breasts into nugget size instead of tenders and then follow the rest of the recipe.
2. Don’t like key lime? Skip the key lime juice and key lime juice.
3. Want to skip adding the seasonings? Use seasoned panko and seasoned breadcrumbs.
4. Love frying food? Follow steps 1-5 to cut and coat the chicken. Then, heat two tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook about 6 chicken tenders for 3-4 minutes per side until the fully cooked. Repeat the process with more oil and chicken tenders. Do not overcrowd the chicken in the pan or it won’t be able to get crispy.
5. Try cooking the chicken tenders on a wire baking rack on top of the baking sheet if you are having issues with getting crispy tenders.
6. Want to make the key lime chicken tenders crispier? After cooking them, brown them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
7. Chicken tenders sticking to the pan? Allow them to cool a bit and then use a thin, metal spatula/turner to scrape the chicken tenders along with the breading off the pan.
8. Love lemon? Try making Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders.
Key Lime Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup butter
- 3 tablespoon key lime juice (fresh squeezed or bottled)
- ¾ cup panko
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- ½ dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon grated key lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. In a small, wide bowl melt the butter and stir in the key lime juice.
- In a separate small, wide bowl, mix together panko, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, garlic powder, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, and onion powder.
- Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts in thirds or fourths.
- Dip the chicken into the butter and key lime juice mixture.
- Coat the chicken tenders in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. You can flip the chicken tenders halfway through cooking to help brown both sides.
- Optional: use a thin, metal spatula/turner to flip the chicken tenders (making sure to scrape up the coating along with the chicken) halfway through cooking to help brown both sides.
- Cook the chicken tenders under the broiler for a couple of minutes to make the tops more golden brown, if desired.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little grated key lime zest for added flavor.
Nutrition
More chicken tenders recipes:
Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders | Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders | Parmesan Chicken
Emma says
Sounds great! Do you have a recommended dipping sauce for these?
Tonia says
Thanks! I have a recipe for a dipping sauce that I am for sweet potato fries but it would work really well for these chicken tenders as well: http://www.thegunnysack.com/dipping-sauce-for-ore-ida-sweet-potato/
Donna says
OMG! Just tried these tonight and they were absolutely delicious!! Paired them with broccoli slaw salad with cranberries and roasted almonds. Perfect! Oh, added a glass of Rose wine! Thank you for sharing!
Bliss says
Stopping in to pin. Two of my favorite things….lime and Parmesan.
Kathy H says
These look really good! I’m definitely going to make these, and soon! Thanks for the recipe.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
This is such a fun twist to chicken tenders, Tonia! I love the refreshing zest that key lime gives.