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+ servings

Baked Orange Chicken Tenders

This 30-minute recipe yields moist chicken tenders baked until crispy perfection and coated in the best DIY orange chicken sauce.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients  

For the chicken tenders:

  • Olive oil
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup Florida’s Natural® No-Pulp Orange Juice
  • 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/4 lbs uncooked chicken tenders
  • Cooking spray (optional)

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup Florida’s Natural No-Pulp Orange Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste (optional)

Instructions 

Make the chicken tenders:

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush it liberally with olive oil.
  • Add the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a large, shallow bowl, whisking to combine. Add the eggs and orange juice to a second large, shallow bowl, whisking to combine. Add the Panko breadcrumbs to a third large, shallow bowl.
  • Rinse and pat the chicken tenders dry. Dip each tender in the flour, shaking off any excess, then into the egg mixture, shaking off any excess, and finally into the breadcrumbs, pressing them to adhere to the chicken. Place the coated chicken tender on the prepared baking sheet and repeat the breading process with the remaining chicken tenders. Spray the top of the chicken tenders lightly with cooking spray. (This is optional, but it leads to a more golden brown color and crunch.)
  • Bake the chicken tenders for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating them once halfway through, until they are fully cooked. While the tenders bake, prepare the sauce.

Make the sauce:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and cornstarch. Set the mixture aside.
  • Add the sesame oil and olive oil to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until golden brown.
  • Add the orange marmalade, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and crushed red pepper flakes (optional) and increase the heat to medium. Whisk in the orange juice mixture then bring the mixture to a boil and continue cooking the sauce, whisking occasionally, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Remove the chicken tenders from the oven, allow them to cool for 10 minutes then then dip them, one by one, into the sauce. Transfer the coated chicken tenders to a plate and serve immediately.

Kelly's Notes:

  • Don’t want to heat up the oven? Grab your air fryer and pop the tenders in at 360°F for about 12 minutes or until they are cooked through.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat chicken tenders so they’re crispy and don’t dry out is either in a hot oven (or in an air fryer!). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the tenders for about 15 minutes or until warmed through. To reheat using an air fryer, preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for about 4 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
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