Celebrate your inner child with these Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders. Made with almond meal, an egg, and hot sauce, this simple recipe gives you crunchy, flavorful chicken fingers perfect for weeknight dinners or a kid-friendly meal.
Perfect Baked Chicken Tenders
These baked chicken tenders stand out because they are packed with flavor and develop a satisfyingly crunchy coating without frying. The trick is adding flavor at each step: whisk hot sauce into the egg for the dredge, and mix spices into the almond meal so every bite is seasoned. After baking, the tenders are tossed in a buttery hot sauce for an extra layer of buffalo heat.
Ingredients In Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Chicken breasts – boneless, skinless, cut into tenders or strips
- 1 egg – helps bind the coating
- Hot sauce – use your favorite hot sauce or a prepared buffalo sauce
- Almond meal – not almond flour. This creates the gluten-free coating; you can substitute all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend if desired
- Spices – garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, and black pepper
- Butter or ghee – for the buffalo sauce
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders
STEP 1: WHISK EGG + MIX SPICES
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg in a large bowl and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of hot sauce. In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
STEP 2: DREDGE + BAKE
Working with one strip at a time, dip a chicken strip into the egg–hot sauce mixture, then press it into the almond-spice mixture to coat completely. Place coated strips on a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all strips are coated. Bake for about 20 minutes until cooked through and golden. Let the tenders rest on the tray for 10–20 minutes so the coating firms up.
STEP 3: DIP IN SAUCE
In a shallow pan, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (or ghee) and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons hot sauce until combined. Using tongs or a fork, dip each baked chicken finger into the sauce and flip to coat both sides. Return the sauced tenders to the tray and let them sit for about 10 minutes so the sauce soaks in.
Easy Swaps + Substitutions
Air fryer: Air fry in batches for 7–8 minutes, flipping halfway, then coat in sauce.
Flour alternative: If you don’t have almond meal or prefer no nuts, substitute regular all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
Dipping sauce: Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for a classic buffalo pairing.
Extra crisp: For extra-crispy tenders, bake them on a wire rack set directly on a sheet pan to allow airflow under each piece.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven for best texture or use the microwave for a quick warm-up.
To freeze, lay cooked tenders flat on a baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator a few hours before serving or reheat from frozen in the oven until fully heated.
What to Serve With Chicken Fingers
Classic sides pair well with these tenders. A few suggestions:
- Fries or baked French fries
- Sweet potato fries
- Curly fries or yucca fries
- Roasted or air-fried vegetables for a lighter option
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
Baked Buffalo Chicken Fingers
Celebrate your inner child with these Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders. Made with almond meal, egg, and hot sauce, this is a straightforward recipe for weeknight dinners or a healthy kids’ meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Diet: Gluten Free (when using almond meal)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 1 large egg
- 4 1/2 tbsp hot sauce (reserve 3 tbsp for the sauce)
- 2/3 cup almond meal (NOT almond flour)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter or ghee
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Beat the egg in a large bowl and mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce.
- In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal and spices.
- Dip each chicken strip in the egg mixture, then press into the almond-spice mixture to coat.
- Place coated strips on a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining strips and bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.
- Let the tenders rest on the tray for 10–20 minutes.
- In a shallow pan, melt butter and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons hot sauce.
- Dip each baked tender in the sauce to coat both sides, then return to the tray and let sit for about 10 minutes to absorb the sauce.