Keto Chicken Tenders

These keto chicken tenders are super easy to make and they are so flavorful, especially with the tasty dipping sauce.

These keto chicken tenders are healthy and tasty. They are also very easy to make. My entire family loves them, so I make them quite often, and they are always a success.

Baking is easier than frying!

This is an easy recipe – for sure easier than deep-frying (though perhaps not as easy as these grilled chicken tenders). Coat the chicken pieces, bake for 15 minutes in a 450F oven, then briefly broil to brown them.

The tasty coating: almond flour and parmesan

There’s no need for using breadcrumbs when coating keto chicken tenders. Instead, I use a mixture of almond flour and grated Parmesan cheese, which is just as good.

It’s best to use coarse almond meal in this recipe, and not blanched, finely ground almond flour. Although if all you have is almond flour, it will be okay, just less crispy.

Avocado oil mayonnaise

I use avocado oil mayonnaise in both the chicken and the dipping sauce. Avocado oil is thought by some experts to be healthier than refined, bleached, and deodorized oils (RBD oils).

But if your main concern is keeping these keto chicken tenders low in carbs, any mayonnaise will do as long as it’s not low fat.

As for the ketchup, I use unsweetened ketchup in the dipping sauce. But since I use just one tablespoon, it won’t make much of a difference in terms of carbs if you use regular ketchup.

The dipping sauce is great, by the way. It’s purely optional, but it does greatly enhance the flavor of these chicken tenders.

What side dishes go with this recipe?

Anything goes! It’s such a versatile main dish. But since I bake them in a 450°F oven, I often serve them with a side that I can cook in the same oven. So I often serve them with roasted green beans or with roasted bell peppers.

What about leftovers?

You can keep leftovers of these keto chicken tenders for up to 3 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 250F oven for about 15 minutes.

More tasty chicken recipes

If you don’t object to frying, another keto and gluten-free chicken tenders recipe that I really like is this recipe for Parmesan crusted chicken tenders.

They are coated with Parmesan only – no breading, then fried in olive oil. They are wonderfully flavorful.

And these keto chicken nuggets are very easy to make, and the chipotle dipping sauce is wonderful!

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4.95 from 35 votes

Baked Chicken Tenders

Low carb and gluten free baked chicken tenders are easy to make and are so flavorful, especially with the tasty dipping sauce.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• Avocado oil spray

Dipping Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Chicken tenders:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. raw chicken tenders 8 tenders
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Optional: sprinkle of paprika for color

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a 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, 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 15 minutes in the middle of the oven, then switch the oven to broil, keeping the baking sheet on the middle rack, and broil until golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

NOTES

*Nutrition for 2 tenders plus 1/4 of the dipping sauce: Calories 320; fat 19g; saturated fat 3g; carbs 4g; sugars 2g; sodium 628mg; fiber 2g; protein 31g.

Video music by Bensound.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Chicken Tenders

Amount Per Serving (2 g)

Calories 269 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 416mg18%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 31g62%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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