{"id":8085,"date":"2026-02-01T07:35:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T20:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/?p=8085"},"modified":"2026-02-01T08:12:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T21:12:37","slug":"chicken-tenders-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/index.php\/appetizers-and-snacks-recipes\/poultry-appetizers\/chicken-tenders-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicken Tenders for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let\u2019s 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\u2019s Fried Chicken or Chips to be eaten! When you\u2019re looking to spoil your little loved once there\u2019s 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\u2019re so good we dare you not to grab a few for yourself too!

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Jump to Recipe<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Frying around Kids you always need to be careful<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019re wary of where your child is at all times, and keep them well away from the stovetop where the hot oil is

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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!

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Now, with that disclaimer out of the way let\u2019s dive into sharing how to make these amazing Chicken Tenders

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\"Chicken
The first step when making Chicken Tenders is to coat those pieces of Chicken with Breadcrumbs ready for frying<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

How to make our Crispy Panko Crusted Chicken Tenders for Kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need a lot of ingredients for this recipe, which makes it a great addition to your weekly shop up. You\u2019ll 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

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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\u2019re cooking for your kids with Salt. Not too much, but a little Salt to ensure they experience the full flavor of the ingredients using

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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!

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Once your ingredients are sourced it\u2019s time to coat those Chicken Tenders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For this recipe we use a classic breading station or Flour and Egg Wash before the Tenders are coated with Panko. So, you\u2019ll need three separate, large bowls. Fill the first with Flour and give it some seasoning

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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

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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

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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\u2019s easier and creates a lot less mess!

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When frying Chicken Tenders for Kids be very careful to ensure your Kids are far away from the stovetop throughout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Coat all your Chicken before heating up the Oil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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!

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Remember, we\u2019re 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\u2019ll likely get very messy!

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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\u2019s a lot easier to manage in the kitchen, and you don\u2019t have to worry about hot oil sitting on your stovetop once you\u2019ve finished cooking

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Use a large, heavy bottomed frying pan for shallow frying. If you have cast iron that\u2019s 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

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Batch fry the Chicken to avoid the pan cooling down too much<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once your Oil is hot (you can check by using a kitchen thermometer, we\u2019re aiming for around 300 \u2013 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

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You\u2019ll hear a nice sizzle as the Hot Oil begins to do it\u2019s work on the Chicken. The good news is the Chicken won\u2019t 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\u2019re cooking

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Once the internal temperature of the Chicken reaches 160F they\u2019re 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

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Serve your Chicken Tenders with their favorite dipping sauces like Ketchup or Sweet Chili Sauce!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Serve with some tasty dipping sauces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s more \u2018Sweet\u2019 than \u2018Chili\u2019, making it great for Kids

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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

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