Bread Your Chicken Tenders In Cheez-Its For A Tasty, Crunchy Outside

Crunchy and golden on the outside and juicy and tender within, chicken tenders always make a simple yet satisfying meal or snack. But if you want to really take them to the next level, try switching the usual breadcrumbs for something a little more fun and nostalgic: Cheez-Its. They give the coating a vibrant orange color and an unbeatable crunch, making every bite taste extra-savory and delicious.

Which flavor of Cheez-It to use for the breadcrumb coating depends very much on personal preference. You may prefer the classic original, or you could try Extra Toasty, which brings a rich nuttiness to the finished dish. Choose Hot & Spicy for an extra kick, or Buffalo Wing for a tangy and intensely savory taste. Or, if you prefer to cook entirely from scratch, you can even make your own Cheez-It dupe with just four ingredients: cheese, butter, flour, and salt.

The key to a successful crumb is an evenly crispy texture, and the right technique really helps to achieve this. You need to crush the Cheez-Its finely, which helps the breading stick better to the chicken. You can do this by putting the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin, or blitz them in a food processor until they reach a sand-like consistency.

When substituting Cheez-Its for breadcrumbs, you'll need around two cups of crackers for each pound of chicken. You can add extra seasoning when blitzing the Cheez-Its if you want to pack in more flavor — garlic powder and black pepper will create a more robust taste, for example. Just hold back on the salt, since the crackers are plenty salty already. For a further boost to both flavor and overall crunchiness, incorporate some add-ins such as crushed crispy French fried onions, aromatic Italian breadcrumbs, or toasted sesame seeds into the blitzed crackers.

If you want to add even more flavor while achieving a tender texture, marinate the chicken strips before applying the breading. A classic buttermilk marinade works well — add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and perhaps a dash of hot sauce if you like things spicy. If you don't have any of the tangy dairy ingredient in the fridge, you can transform regular milk into buttermilk in a pinch by adding lemon juice or vinegar.

If you're using a marinade, let the excess drip off before rolling the poultry pieces in the crushed crumbs. Otherwise, dip each chicken strip into flour, then into beaten egg (mixed with a touch of mustard if you want a bit more of a punchy taste), and then into the cracker mix before cooking.

Once your chicken is breaded, there are several ways to cook the tenders depending on your preferred method. To fry them, use vegetable oil (or a substitute suitable for deep-frying) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for two to three minutes per side until crispy and cooked through; work in batches if you're cooking a larger amount.

It's also very easy to bake Cheez-It-crumbed chicken tenders in the oven. Spread them onto a parchment-lined baking tray sprayed with a little oil to prevent sticking, and cook them at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on size. Alternatively, you could use an air fryer for an incredibly crispy result with only a small amount of oil. The strips will take around 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit — just make sure they're in a single layer in the basket for even cooking.

If you want to switch things up, experiment with different crackers for a variety of textures and flavors. Ritz crackers or Saltines work well — whichever kind you choose, just make sure they're blitzed finely for a well-covered coating. Or, try using cereal for a crunchy chicken coating. Crushed corn flakes add a satisfyingly shattering crispiness, or go for something sweeter, such as Honey Nut Cheerios, for a more complex flavor profile.