Captain Crunch Chicken Tenders are delicious bites of chicken with a slightly sweet coating of crushed cereal. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for dinner or game-day snacking.
My top tip: The two-step cooking process yields perfectly crisp chicken that remains tender and juicy on the inside.
This post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated with tips, FAQs, and new photos.
The recipe was easy. It was savory with just a hint of sweetness. And the chicken was really moist!
- Mary
These Captain Crunch chicken tenders are inspired by a dish my daughter and I discovered at a restaurant several years ago. Strips of chicken are coated with slightly sweet cereal for a delicious sweet and savory combination.
The cereal creates a wonderfully crispy coating. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup for a chicken and waffle vibe. Or go savory with your favorite dipping sauce such as Ranch, blue cheese, honey mustard, or this homemade hoisin barbecue sauce.
This chicken is approved by both kids and parents alike, making it a surefire family favorite!
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Ingredient Notes
- Cap'n Crunch cereal is the key to the sweet, crunchy coating. The cereal has just the right amount of sweetness and provides excellent texture and crunch.
- Chicken: Use chicken tenderloins or cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into strips.
- Seasonings, including onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, provide savory flavor and balance the sweetness of the cereal.
Refer to the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
How to Make Cap'n Crunch Chicken Tenders
Step 1: Crush the cereal into small crumbs. Transfer to a shallow dish and set aside. Mix the flour and seasonings in a second shallow dish and set aside. Whisk together an egg and water in a third shallow dish and set aside.
Step 2: Roll the pieces of chicken in the flour, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the cereal mixture, turning the chicken to coat it thoroughly.
Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and butter and heat until the butter is melted. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp.
Step 4: Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan lined with a baking rack. Bake at 400℉ until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165℉. This will take 10-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken strips.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these as a game-day snack with your favorite dipping sauce. Honey mustard, hoisin barbecue sauce, blue cheese dressing, ketchup, and ranch are all delicious options.
- Serve these tenders with garlic aioli fries and Miracle Whip coleslaw or a house-side salad. They're an excellent option for weeknight meals.
- Did someone say "chicken and waffles"? Top fluffy waffles with this chicken and a healthy drizzle of maple syrup. YUM!
- Build a crispy chicken salad with your favorite salad fixings.
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Expert Tips
- Use pieces of chicken that are similar in size and thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Using a two-step cooking process ensures the chicken cooks evenly while staying tender and juicy. The half-sheet pan baking rack allows heat to circulate around the chicken, helping to develop a crunchy coating.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
Recipe FAQs
Browning the chicken in a skillet gives the chicken a beautifully brown (and crispy) exterior. To skip this step, place the breaded chicken directly on the rack placed over a sheet pan. Spritz the chicken with olive oil spray and bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
Cap'n Crunch cereal has a brown sugar and butter flavor similar to that of caramel.
The tender, also known as the tenderloin, is a thin strip of chicken meat located on the underside of the chicken breast. These tenders are packaged and sold as chicken tenderloins. Chicken breasts can also be cut into thin strips to form tenders, also known as chicken fingers.
More Chicken Recipes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe Card
Captain Crunch Chicken Tenders
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Ingredients
- 3 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pound chicken breast tenderoins (or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Kosher salt (to season cooked chicken)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Add the cereal to a large zipper-top bag. Using a rolling pin or heavy-bottomed pan, crush the cereal until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour into a shallow dish and set aside.3 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal
- To a second shallow dish, add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- In a third shallow dish, whisk together the egg and water. Set aside.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Dip each piece of chicken in the flour, turning to coat. Then dip in the egg mixture, turning to coat. Then roll the chicken in the crushed cereal until well coated.1 pound chicken breast tenderoins
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and butter. Add the pieces of chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan fitted with a baking rack. Bake the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165℉, approximately 10-20 minutes.1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Season with salt and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Colleen P says
Abbey,
Can these be made the day ahead, and then reheated in the oven!
Abbey McDermott says
Colleen,
Yes, you can reheat these the next day. For the best results, cool completely before storing in the fridge. Use a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack and heat them at 400F until warmed through, approx. 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Mary C says
Recipe was easy. It was savory with just a hint of sweetness. And the chicken was really moist!
Abbey McDermott says
Thank you, Mary. I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Sonya says
Instructions for this recipe in the air fryer please? Has anyone tried it?
Abbey says
I don't use an air fryer so unfortunately I haven't tested this recipe in an air fryer. However, many recipes for breaded chicken tenders in the air fryer call for cooking the chicken 5-6 minutes per side at 400 degrees until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees (and spraying the chicken with oil spray before placing in the air fryer). I HAVE NOT tested this myself, but if you decide to try it I'd love to hear how it turns out. Hope this is helpful.