These almond flour chicken tenders are baked in the oven. They're ready in about 30 minutes.
They are easy to make and they are so flavorful, especially with the tasty dipping sauce.
Chicken tenders are like magic. You take the blandest of meats - chicken breast - coat it in a tasty coating, bake or fry, and you've got yourself a tasty, crispy delicacy!
This is an easy recipe - for sure easier than deep-frying (though perhaps not as easy as these grilled tenders). Coat the chicken pieces in seasoned almond flour, bake them for 15 minutes in a 450F oven, then briefly broil to brown them.
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make these almond flour chicken tenders. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
For the dipping sauce:
Mayonnaise: I like to use avocado oil mayonnaise. But any mayonnaise will do.
Dijon mustard: Dijon is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
Unsweetened ketchup: Traditional ketchup is quite sugary. This ketchup is just as good! I find it at Whole Foods or on Amazon.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
For the chicken:
Avocado oil spray: I use it both for the pan and to spray the chicken pieces before I bake them.
Mayonnaise: Again, I use avocado oil mayonnaise. My favorite brand is Sir Kensington.
Dijon mustard: I use this creamy traditional French mustard to coat the chicken pieces before dredging them in almond meal.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper.
Raw chicken tenders: 1 lb., which is about 8 pieces.
Coating: Almond meal and grated (not shredded) parmesan.
Instructions
Making these almond flour chicken tenders is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Your first step is to mix the dipping sauce ingredients. Then set it aside.
- Now, coat the chicken pieces in a mixture of mayonnaise, Dijon, and spices.
- Your next step is to dredge the chicken pieces in a mixture of almond meal and parmesan.
- Place them on a greased roasting rack in a rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet. Spray them with oil.
- Bake the tenders for 15 minutes at 450°F, then briefly place them under the broiler to get them browned.
Expert tip
It's best to use coarse almond meal in this recipe (available on Amazon), and not blanched, finely ground almond flour. Although if all you have is almond flour, it will be okay, just less crispy.
Frequently asked questions
There's no need for using breadcrumbs. Instead, I use a mixture of almond meal and grated Parmesan cheese, which is just as good, although it doesn't adhere to the chicken pieces as well as bread does.
Yes. You can fry them in avocado oil in a nonstick skillet for about 3 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium after flipping them if the pan is getting too hot and the oil starts to smoke.
I don't recommend that. Almond flour and coconut flour are very different and are not interchangeable. This recipe was tested with almond flour only.
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a couple of ideas for you:
- Make the dipping sauce spicy by replacing the ketchup with hot sauce.
- Add more spices to the tenders. Try onion powder and a pinch of cumin.
Serving suggestions
Since I bake them in a 450°F oven, I like to serve these chicken tenders with a side dish that I can cook in the same oven. So I often serve them with roasted green beans or with roasted bell peppers.
They're also good with salads such as this Israeli salad or this cucumber salad.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The almond flour coating will lose its crispness. But you can get some of it back by reheating them in a 300F oven for about 15 minutes.
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Recipe card
Almond Flour Chicken Tenders
INGREDIENTS
- Avocado oil spray
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened ketchup
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Chicken tenders:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 lb. raw chicken tenders 8 tenders
- ½ cup almond meal
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- Optional: sprinkle of paprika for color
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet with foil and fit it with a roasting rack. Spray the roasting rack with oil.
- If using, mix the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a spatula to mix the mayonnaise, mustard, kosher salt, garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne. Add the chicken tenders and toss to coat.
- In a 9 X 13 baking dish, whisk together the almond meal and Parmesan. Place the chicken pieces in the mixture, one by one, and press on both sides until well-coated.
- Place the coated chicken tenders on the prepared roasting rack. Lightly spray them with avocado oil spray and sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake the tenders for 15 minutes in the middle of the oven, then switch the oven to broil, keeping the baking sheet on the middle rack, and broil them until golden brown and cooked through (their internal temperature should reach 165ºF), about 2 minutes per side.
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NOTES
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NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 