Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders

Jasmine turned thirteen. The party was small (pandemic-small, which is: the seven of us plus Vanessa and Brian, in the house, with cake). I made Mama's yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Fifth year. The anchor. She blew out the candles and when she opened her eyes she didn't look at anyone — she looked at the kitchen. At the stove. At the Folgers can. She looked at the kitchen the way I look at the kitchen: like it's the center of everything. Like it's where she belongs. My daughter is thirteen and she belongs in the kitchen not because someone told her she should be there but because she chose it. The choosing is the power. The choosing is what Mama gave me and what I gave Jasmine and what Jasmine will give whoever comes next.

Derek gave her a ukulele. A UKULELE. Because Derek pays attention and Jasmine has been humming ukulele songs for months and writing chords in her journal. She held it like it was a small animal — carefully, with wonder. She played a chord. It was terrible. It was the most beautiful sound in the house. Marcus said, "This is going to be a long year." It will be. The ukulele will be loud and persistent and badly played for months before it becomes good. That's how all the best things start: badly, loudly, with persistence.

Made birthday dinner: Jasmine's choice. She chose — and I am not making this up — the full Sunday spread. Fried chicken. Collard greens. Cornbread. Mac and cheese. Cobbler. She chose the family dinner. The whole thing. For her thirteenth birthday. She looked at me and said, "I want the table, Mama. The whole table." The whole table. The girl wants the whole table. She is thirteen and she wants what Mama wanted: the family, fed, together, at the table. The line. Always the line.

When Jasmine said she wanted the whole table — the full Sunday spread, everything — I knew the chicken had to anchor it. It always does. Over the years I’ve leaned into this baked version when I need that same golden crunch without standing over a cast iron full of hot oil, because the table still needs setting and the greens still need watching and the cobbler won’t make itself. These crunchy baked chicken tenders hold their own at a birthday spread, at a Sunday dinner, at any table where someone is choosing the meal because they love what food does to a room full of people they love.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken tenders (or boneless chicken breasts cut into strips)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking spray

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl or zip-top bag. Add chicken tenders, coat well, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight for deeper flavor).
Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with a wire rack and lightly spray with cooking spray. This allows heat to circulate under the tenders for all-around crunch.
Mix the coating. In a shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir together until evenly blended.
Dredge the tenders. Remove chicken from the buttermilk one piece at a time, letting excess drip off. Press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, coating all sides. Place on the prepared rack.
Add oil and bake. Drizzle or lightly spray the coated tenders with olive oil to help them brown. Bake for 22–25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the coating is deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest and serve. Let rest 3–5 minutes before serving. Bring to the table alongside collard greens, cornbread, and mac and cheese — the whole spread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders — The Sunday Table Jasmine Chose