Description
Loaded Cheddar Bacon Chicken Fingers deliver crispy comfort with a cheesy upgrade. Bacon bits and melted cheddar make every bite extra satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 slices bacon
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
Seasoning Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray or oil
Instructions
- Crank your oven to 400°F and position a rack in the center. Spritz a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Crumble 6 slices of bacon until finely chopped. Mix these bacon bits with 1 cup shredded cheddar, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, and all your dry spices in a shallow bowl.
- Crack 2 large eggs into a separate bowl and whisk until completely blended.
- Take each chicken tender and dunk it into the beaten eggs, letting excess liquid drip away.
- Roll the egg-coated chicken directly into the cheese-bacon mixture, pressing firmly so the coating adheres completely.
- Transfer each breaded chicken tender onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they do not touch each other.
- Lightly mist the chicken tenders with cooking spray to help them turn golden and crisp.
- Slide the baking sheet into the 400°F oven and bake for 18 minutes, checking that internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the tenders from the oven and let them rest for 3 minutes to retain their juiciness.
- Plate your crispy chicken fingers and serve immediately with your preferred dipping sauce.
Notes
- Check the chicken’s internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure it’s fully cooked without drying out.
- Use thick-cut bacon for maximum flavor and crisp texture when crumbling into the coating mixture.
- For gluten-free options, swap panko breadcrumbs with almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs to maintain the crispy exterior.
- Prep the bacon and cheese coating ahead of time to make the final assembly quick and easy during busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg