Cheddar Bacon Chicken Tenders are perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Baked chicken tenders coasted in a cheddar and bacon breadcrumb mixture. Sure to please the entire family!
Does your family ever complain when you tell them chicken is for dinner? You can make chicken in so many different ways, but it is so easy to get in a rut. Southwest Baked Chicken is a good way to give your family flavors they love in a super easy chicken dinner.
Which is also why I love this baked chicken tenders recipe. I mean, who doesn’t love bacon and cheese? Super easy to mix together and bake on a busy night. Baked chicken tenders of pretty much any kind are always a hit at my house. Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders are another version my family loves.
Cheddar and Bacon is a pretty classic combination. Cheddar Bacon Ale Dip is definitely a favorite snack to serve around here. Cheddar Bacon Avocado Quesadillas are a common last minute dinner idea. And these Cheddar Bacon Corn Muffins are a popular side dish. So why not cheddar bacon chicken tenders.
My son loves when we make baked chicken tenders. He likes to help, and dip the chicken in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs. It is one of the few times I can willingly get him to help in the kitchen. And if bacon is involved I can always count on him. So I knew he would be excited about these cheddar bacon chicken tenders, and be ready to help. And if you don’t have bacon and cheese on hand, you can try these Oven Fried Chicken for a delicious idea as well.
How to Make Chicken Tenders
- Set up a breading station. 1 bowl with eggs, 1 bowl with flour, and 1 bowl with your coating. This process makes sure your baked chicken tenders gets extra crispy!
- Place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This make sure the air circulates around the entire piece of chicken and everything gets crispy. Not just the top.
- Bake at a high temperature. The chicken doesn’t take long to cook, so you want to make sure the temperature is hot enough to get the coating crispy.
- Do not over bake. Chicken dries out quickly, so keep an eye on the chicken tenders so they don’t get over done.
How long to Bake Chicken Tenders
This really depends on the size of your chicken pieces. I like to buy the chicken tenderloin pieces at the store to make sure all of my pieces are the same size. If you cut your own, just make sure they are the same thickness. Bake for 15 minutes and then check your chicken. There is a good chance it will be done, but if it needs more time check every 2 minutes to make sure your chicken stays nice and juicy.
Baked chicken tenders are so easy to make, and so much better than the frozen version you can buy. Plus you get to mix in whatever seasoning you want. I used crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese in with my bread crumbs, to give it tons of flavor.
I served it with ranch for dipping, but you can use your favorite barbecue sauce or whatever dipping sauce you like. The crispy bacon helps keep the chicken juicy, and makes for a super tender piece of chicken. Definitely worthy of a weeknight meal!
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Cheddar Bacon Chicken Tenders

Cheddar Bacon Chicken Tenders are perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Homemade chicken tenders coasted in a cheddar and bacon breadcrumb mixture. Sure to please the entire family!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders, (or breasts cut into strips)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, , shredded
- 1/2 cup bacon, , cooked and crumbled (cooled)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack on the baking sheet. Set aside
- Set up 3 bowls. In on bowl beat the egg. In the 2nd bowl season the flour with salt and pepper. In the 3rd bowl combine both bread crumbs, bacon and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the flour. Dip into the egg mixture, gently shaking off any excess. Dredge into the cheese mixture, pressing to firmly coat.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. If chicken needs more time, check every 2 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 586Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 194mgSodium 1031mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 53g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
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Karly says
I’m not sure which I’m more jealous of…that you get to spend time with Katrina this week or that you got to eat these chicken tenders!!
Carole from Carole's Chatter says
Hi there, great dish! How about adding it to the Food on Friday: Cheese collection over at Carole’s Chatter? Cheers
Liz says
Thank you for the nice recipe.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
This has all my favorite flavors in one dish! Well done!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
Cheddar bacon just means, where the heck can i get these right now!
Kate @ Diethood says
I’m excited for you! GO GIRL!!! The chicken tenders sound amazing! I mean, there’s bacon in there!!
Caroline says
What a fun trip! Enjoy! I love this combination of cheddar and bacon! Such a great spin on chicken tenders!
Christiane says
So here’s another dish I need to make. I did the enchilada pasta yesterday and it was awesome, so fast and delicious.
Cookin Canuck says
That sounds like a fun trip! Please give Katrina a big hug for me.
These chicken tenders would be so popular in my house!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Erin,
Bread crumbs, bacon and cheese on these?!!! oh my gawd, LOVE this!!! Pinned and can’t wait to try and will follow along on the Certified Angus Beef trip. . sounds fun!
fabiola@notjustbaked says
Cheddar Bacon YUM!
Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says
These look like the most flavorful chicken tenders ever! They’re going on my menu for dinner next week!
Lynn Lovejoy @ Order in the Kitchen says
wow those look SO crispy!! bet my fiancé would devour these!!
Christine @ A Sprinkle of This and That says
Putting those babies on my weekly rotation!
Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled says
My husband would love these, I can’t wait to make them for him this weekend! 🙂
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
These tenders…are ah-mazing!!! Bacon and cheddar and chicken all in one bite? Yes please!