The 4-Ingredient Chicken Dinner My Family Can't Get Enough Of

They're baked in the oven to crispy perfection.

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Published December 15, 2025
Nick Evans
Plate of crispy chicken tenders with a small bowl of dipping sauce

Simply Recipes / Photo by Alex Huang / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
  • Baked Goldfish chicken tenders deliver a super crispy, cheesy crust without frying.
  • You only need basic pantry staples and chicken tenders to put this together fast.
  • Cleanup is easy since the tenders are baked, making this weeknight-friendly.

We seem to have a never-ending supply of Goldfish crackers at our house. I find them everywhere. In the car. In the couch. On the floor. One time I time found a Goldfish cracker in my shower. So finding a few cups of the super crispy, cheesy crackers to use on some chicken tenders was not hard. (I did not, however, repurpose the ones I found throughout the house.)

All the other things you need for this recipe are basic pantry staples—flour, eggs, and of course, chicken tenders. While you could fry these, I prefer to bake them. The crackers get really crispy and form a satisfying crust, and cleanup is much easier if you bake them.

My kids thought these were an absolute hoot and scarfed them down! Possibly the most interesting report came from my wife, who was very skeptical that these would be good. She tried one, squinted directly at me, pondered various other chicken tenders I’ve made over the years, tried another bite... tried another bite... tried another bite. AND SO ON.

My Favorite Way To Eat Goldfish Chicken Tenders

These Goldfish chicken tenders make a surprisingly delicious sandwich. As in, I only eat them in sandwich form when I make them for my family. I load them up on a soft sub roll with a smear of mayonnaise, some shredded iceberg lettuce, and banana peppers. The lettuce and peppers give a nice crunch and some acidity to the sandwich. So delicious!

A closeup of breaded chicken tenders on a plate with some BBQ sauce

Simply Recipes / Photo by Alex Huang / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

Tips for 4-Ingredient Chicken Tenders

There are a few tips I can give you to cooking great chicken tenders.

  • If you don't have an endless supply of Goldfish crackers in your house, like I do, you can also substitute crushed Cheez-Its, Ritz crackers, or any crispy cracker you have in your pantry.
  • Try to cut the chicken into even strips. They don’t have to be identical, but if you can try to get them the same thickness at least, they will cook evenly and not dry out.
  • Take the time to bread the chicken tenders well. A dip in seasoned flour will help the egg and crust adhere to the chicken. And then really press on the crackers (or whatever your crust of choice is). Some crust will probably fall off while it bakes, so go heavy with it!

Goldfish Chicken Tenders

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups Goldfish crackers

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

  • 3 large eggs

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray (or brush with oil).

  2. Crush the Goldfish crackers:

    Place the crackers in a zip-top plastic bag and seal it. Using your hands, a rolling pin, or a mallet, crush the Goldfish as much as you can, but don't turn them into flour. You want some inconsistencies in shape; it'll make for better texture.

  3. Prepare the breading:

    Find three medium bowls. Stir together the flour, salt, and pepper in one. Whisk the eggs together in the second bowl. Add the crushed Goldfish crackers to the last one.

  4. Coat the chicken:

    Working with a few pieces of chicken at a time, add to seasoned flour and coat well. Then shake off any extra flour, move to the eggs and coat well, and finally add to crushed Goldfish. Press the Goldfish on so they really stick and form a good crust.

    Transfer the coated chicken to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken tenders are coated.

  5. Bake and serve:

    Bake for about 20 minutes until they're cooked through, or reach an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the tenders. You can also test one of the thicker ones by cutting it in half and making sure it’s cooked through.

    There’s no need to flip these, but you can flip them halfway through if they are browning too much on one side.

    Serve tenders while warm with a veggie and/or side salad and any dips you want, such as ketchup or BBQ sauce. My kids loved honey!

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
443 Calories
11g Fat
28g Carbs
54g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 443
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 222mg 74%
Sodium 512mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 54g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 484mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.