Chicken Tenders for Kids

Let’s face it, as much as we try to get our kids to eat healthy, there are a few unhealthy treats that they simply cannot resist. I mean really, who wants to eat a whole plate of steamed Broccoli when there’s Fried Chicken or Chips to be eaten! When you’re looking to spoil your little loved once there’s no better treat to make at home than these amazing Chicken Tenders for Kids. The Chicken is beautifully tender and juicy, and super-crunchy with a beautiful Panko Breadcrumb coating. They’re so good we dare you not to grab a few for yourself too!

Frying around Kids you always need to be careful

Cooking with kids is so much fun, but you always need to be on your toes. That is especially the case when it comes to any kind of frying using hot oil, which our Chicken Tenders for Kids recipe requires. Always ensure you’re wary of where your child is at all times, and keep them well away from the stovetop where the hot oil is

I recommend always using the back hob of your stovetop to heat the Oil, as any potential Oil that will splash up will be far enough away to not splash onto the floor. If possible, keep those kiddies away with some gates, and use this recipe as a great learning experience for them to always respect the kitchen!

Now, with that disclaimer out of the way let’s dive into sharing how to make these amazing Chicken Tenders

How to make our Crispy Panko Crusted Chicken Tenders for Kids

You don’t need a lot of ingredients for this recipe, which makes it a great addition to your weekly shop up. You’ll need a big batch of Chicken Tenders, some Panko Breadcrumbs, some frying Oil (any Neutral Frying Oil such as Canola or Vegetable Oil will work great), Flour and Eggs for the breading, and finally some seasoning

Seasoning is a fun one, because you can add as much or as little as you like depending on what your kids prefer. At the bear minimum we recommend always seasoning food you’re cooking for your kids with Salt. Not too much, but a little Salt to ensure they experience the full flavor of the ingredients using

For more adventurous eaters, you can try adding some Garlic and Onion Powder to the Flour to get even more flavor into those Chicken Tenders. Or for those cheese lovers, try grating some Parmesan Cheese straight into the Panko Breadcrumbs for a flavorful, cheesy crust!

Once your ingredients are sourced it’s time to coat those Chicken Tenders

For this recipe we use a classic breading station or Flour and Egg Wash before the Tenders are coated with Panko. So, you’ll need three separate, large bowls. Fill the first with Flour and give it some seasoning

Fill the second with a few Eggs and give them a thorough whisk to create an Egg Wash. The Egg Wash is used to allow the Breadcrumbs to stick to the Chicken. The last bowl is filled with those wonderful Panko Breadcrumbs

I prefer Panko for most fried foods because they produce the crispiest coating. Panko is light and flavorful, and are larger than regular breadcrumbs, which is what produces that amazing crunch. The only thing you need to be wary of is ensuring a thorough coating. Make sure there are no gaps in the coating before you fry the Chicken Tenders, so coat them very generously with Panko

To coat your Chicken, dip them first in Flour and then pat off any excess before dropping them into the Egg Wash. Finally, coat them well with Breadcrumbs then set them aside on a plate. I recommend coating the Tenders one at a time. It’s easier and creates a lot less mess!

Coat all your Chicken before heating up the Oil

Try to avoid cutting corners to save time and take your time when preparing the Chicken. Have all of the Chicken Tenders coated and ready to go before you begin heating up the Oil. This will make things a lot less chaotic in the kitchen, especially with some little Kids running around!

Remember, we’re cooking for Kids, so this step is the most fun to get them involved. They can have fun dipping the Chicken into the Flour, Egg, and Breadcrumbs! Be wary though, it’ll likely get very messy!

When frying Chicken Tenders for Kids we always recommend shallow frying, not deep frying. It uses far less Oil, so not as unhealthy as deep frying. It’s a lot easier to manage in the kitchen, and you don’t have to worry about hot oil sitting on your stovetop once you’ve finished cooking

Use a large, heavy bottomed frying pan for shallow frying. If you have cast iron that’s a great choice, as it conducts heat exceptionally well, and will produce the best result. Add enough Oil to create a thin layer that coats the entire bottom of the pan. Not too much that the Tenders will be submerged, but enough so that all parts of the Chicken exposed to the pan will be cooked directly in the Oil. Set your pan to a medium high heat and begin heating the Oil

Batch fry the Chicken to avoid the pan cooling down too much

Once your Oil is hot (you can check by using a kitchen thermometer, we’re aiming for around 300 – 350F), carefully place a few of your coated Chicken Tenders into the pan. Always place the Chicken away from you, so any Oil that splashes up will splash away from you

You’ll hear a nice sizzle as the Hot Oil begins to do it’s work on the Chicken. The good news is the Chicken won’t take too long to cook, about 3 minutes on each side. Cook until golden brown then flip and do the same. You may want to drop the heat a little bit, as the Oil will continue to heat up as you’re cooking

Once the internal temperature of the Chicken reaches 160F they’re cooked! Remove them carefully from the Oil and set aside on an elevated wire rack. Season immediately with Salt and repeat to continue batch cooking

Serve with some tasty dipping sauces

Of course, no Chicken Tenders for Kids are complete without some sauce for dipping! We all know the favorite sauce for Kids is Ketchup, so have a big bowl of that served alongside the Chicken. Personally, our favorite is Sweet Chili Sauce, it’s more ‘Sweet’ than ‘Chili’, making it great for Kids

Ensure the Chicken Tenders have cooled enough before serving so the kids can begin shoveling them straight into their mouths. The Tenders will also keep for 24 hours, and can simply be re-heated in the oven or air fryer to maintain their crispiness when served later

Chicken Tenders for Kids Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Chicken Tenders
• 1 cup of All Purpose Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 1 ½ cups Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup of frying Oil (eg: Vegetable / Canola Oil)
  
  

Instructions

1. Allow the Chicken to come to room temperature before breading
2. To create a breading station, fill three separate bowls, the first with Flour, the second with Eggs (which are then whisked), the third with Panko Breadcrumbs. Season the flour with Salt and mix through
3. Dip the Chicken Tenders one at a time first in the Flour, tapping away any excess Flour before submerging it in Egg Wash. Allow excess Egg to drip off and then place it into the Breadcrumbs. Ensure a thorough coating of Breadcrumbs then set aside on a plate. Repeat for remaining Chicken
4. Once the Chicken is coated, place a large heavy bottomed frying pan over medium high heat on the stovetop and add Oil. Heat until hot (temperature of between 300 – 350F)
5. Carefully place a few pieces of Chicken into the Oil, placing them away from you to avoid any Oil splashing on you. Avoid overcrowding the pan with too much Chicken, instead cook them in batches
6. Fry for 3 – 4 minutes until crispy and golden-brown on one side. Turn, and repeat until golden-brown with an internal temperature of 160F. Set Chicken on an elevated wire rack and season with a touch more Salt
7. Repeat cooking remaining Chicken, adding more Oil if required. Allow Chicken to cool enough for Kids to handle and eat them and serve with their favorite dipping sauces
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Always be cautious when cooking with Hot Oil with kids nearby. Use the back burner on your stove and aim to keep your kids out of the kitchen during the frying stage
• Make sure your kids thoroughly wash their hands immediately after they handle any raw Chicken
• Try adding some Garlic and Onion Powder to the Flour for more seasoning, as well as adding some grated Parmesan Cheese to the Panko Breadcrumbs
  
  

Our recipe for Crispy Chicken Tenders for Kids is sure to keep those little tummies full and happy! They’re not an every-day meal, but a lovely treat to offer your Kids occasionally. You can make the cooking experience nice and interactive too, having them help you coat the Chicken before frying

For more fun, simple recipes that are great for Kids, check out these tasty recipes of ours:

• Cheesy Air Fryer Mac and Cheese
• Homemade Fries
• The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Easy Gingerbread Cookies
  
  

Happy Cooking!