Baked Chicken Tenders -- The First Thing You Cook in a New Kitchen

Drove to Huntsville to help CJ set up his kitchen. I had been planning this trip since August first and I arrived Saturday morning with Calvin beside me and the back of the car full of the things a kitchen needs that a twenty-five-year-old man doesn't know he needs: a proper cast iron skillet (not Bernice's, which is mine, but a new one seasoned to a reasonable start), a wooden spoon, a good knife sharpener, glass storage containers instead of plastic, a two-gallon sweet tea pitcher because sweet tea is non-negotiable in a Simms household, and a box of staples to get his pantry started. Also a pound cake, because you don't arrive at your child's new home empty-handed.

CJ's kitchen is small and adequate, the kitchen of a man who currently eats out more than he eats in, with counters that need a cutting board and cabinets that need organization and a refrigerator that had, when I opened it, a six-pack of beer, a container of old takeout, and a single lime. I organized it. I will not say what I did with the old takeout. I put everything in its right place, which means the cutting board near the sink and the salt next to the stove and the wooden spoon in a jar on the counter because wooden spoons belong in a jar on the counter, not in a drawer where you can't see them. CJ watched me do this with the expression of a man who knows better than to object.

I cooked a proper Sunday dinner in his new kitchen. Fried chicken—the first thing cooked in the new skillet, which is how it should be—collard greens, mac and cheese, cornbread in the skillet after the chicken. Calvin said grace in CJ's empty dining area and CJ ate with his elbows on the counter because he didn't have a table yet and I said nothing about the elbows because some battles you choose. The kitchen smelled like a Simms house for the first time. That is the housewarming. That is the whole gift.

Now, in CJ’s kitchen I made fried chicken the old way—in the cast iron, with the oil—because that was the right thing for a first meal in a new house. But I know that not every night is a Sunday dinner, and a twenty-five-year-old man eating in on a Tuesday needs something he can actually pull off himself. So before I left, I wrote this recipe on the back of an envelope and set it on his counter next to the wooden spoon. Baked chicken tenders: same satisfying result, a little less drama, and no excuse not to cook at home. That new skillet will keep for the weekends.

Baked Chicken Tenders

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 22 min | Total Time: 37 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins (or boneless chicken breasts cut into strips)
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and lightly coat it with cooking spray, or line with foil and drizzle with olive oil. A rack keeps the bottom crispy so you don’t get a soggy underside.
2. Mix the coating. In a shallow bowl or rimmed plate, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir until evenly mixed.
3. Set up your dredging station. Beat the eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels—this matters, it helps the coating stick.
4. Coat the tenders. Dip each chicken tender into the beaten egg, letting any excess drip off, then press it firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat all sides. Set on the prepared baking rack in a single layer without overlapping.
5. Add oil and bake. Lightly spray the tops of the coated tenders with cooking spray or drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 20–22 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F at the thickest part.
6. Rest and serve. Let the tenders rest on the pan for 2–3 minutes before serving. They’ll stay crispier if you don’t pile them on top of each other right away. Serve with honey mustard, hot sauce, or whatever’s in the refrigerator—even a single lime if that’s what you’ve got.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg