Description
Mozzarella lava chicken tenders deliver crispy, cheesy magic straight to your dinner plate. Melted cheese oozes from tender, golden-brown chicken strips that bring serious flavor to your kitchen table.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb chicken tenders
Cheese:
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Breading and Seasoning:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce and Garnish:
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to a precise 400°F, ensuring the rack sits in the center position for even cooking.
- Carefully slice a pocket horizontally into each chicken tender, keeping the blade parallel to the cutting board and stopping just short of completely cutting through.
- Generously stuff 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese inside each tender’s pocket, pressing gently to seal.
- Create three separate shallow dishes: fill the first with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, the second with 2 beaten eggs, and the third with 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs mixed with 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and paprika.
- Roll each stuffed tender first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip completely into beaten eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Arrange the breaded tenders on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between each piece to ensure crispy edges.
- Bake at 400°F for exactly 20-25 minutes, checking that the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the exterior turns golden brown and crispy.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately alongside ½ cup of warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Slice the pocket carefully to keep the chicken tender intact and prevent cheese from leaking during cooking.
- Use cold mozzarella cheese and pack it tightly inside the pocket to help the cheese melt slowly and prevent rapid oozing.
- Make sure to shake off excess flour and egg before coating with breadcrumbs to achieve a crispy, even exterior.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour and breadcrumbs with almond flour and gluten-free panko crumbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes (oven) or 15 minutes (air fryer)
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg