Perfect for kids and adults alike, these Crispy Ranch Chicken Strips are full of ranch flavor. Plus, they are baked, not fried! Serve them up with a delicious Ranch BBQ Dipping Sauce for the perfect family-friendly dinner.
If you want more family friendly recipes, try these Fish Sticks or this Pizza Pasta.
Even though I’m a food blogger, that doesn’t mean that my kids love everything that I make. In fact, I think I have some of the most picky kids out there. (But they are slowly starting to branch out!)
But there are a few things that I don’t usually get any grumbles about when it’s time for dinner – pizza, my One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff that they love, and my Crock Pot Chili.
And chicken strips.
Chicken strips are always a hit.
I love this version because they have a ranch seasoning mix that is added to the not only the breading, but also to the delicious Ranch BBQ dipping sauce for the chicken strips. They are nice and crispy, even though they are baked instead of fried.
And guess what – the kids aren’t the only ones who love these. The adults do, too!
How to Make Crispy Ranch Chicken Strips
These Crispy Ranch Chicken Strips use a 3 step breading process that is pretty basic, but with the addition of some ranch spices to give them even more flavor.
The three steps in the breading are:
1 – flour. This helps the other ingredients stick to the tenders.
2 – egg. This will act as the glue to keep the breadcrumbs on.
3 – breading. I use panko breadcrumbs for maximum crispiness. Plus, you have those ranch flavors from the easy homemade spice mixture.
You dip the tender into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Then the tender goes onto a cooling rack that is on a baking sheet. This helps the air to circulate all around the chicken, which makes it nice and crispy.
Can I use Chicken Breast instead of Chicken tenders?
This recipe calls for chicken tenders. But for years, I used to take chicken breasts and cut them into strips to make the chicken strips. Does this work? Yes. Is it the best? Probably not.
There is definitely a difference in texture when you use the chicken tenders over boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The tender is a strip of meat that is connected under the chicken breast. In fact, you may occasionally get a chicken breast at the grocery store that still has the tender attached. Most butchers will separate the tender from the breast and sell them separately.
So if they are part of the breast, what makes them different? Well, the tenderloin is more – tender. Yep, pretty easy there. There is definitely a difference in texture between those tenders and the breast.
If the tenderness matters to you, make sure to buy the tenderloins. But if breasts are what you have, then they will work.
What to serve with chicken strips
You don’t need anything complicated to serve with these chicken strips. Here are a few of my favorite things to serve with them:
- These Glazed Carrots are always a hit!
- Mashed potatoes are always a good side option, and I especially love this Mashed Potato Skin Recipe.
- My kids go crazy over this Crown Ruby Fruit Salad.
- A big salad is always good, too – and this Caesar Salad with Pasta is so good. And the kids love it because it has pasta in it!
Not really a side, but kids always love this Chick Fil A Sauce! A great dipper to serve with that Ranch BBQ Dipping Sauce.
More Chicken Recipes the whole family will love
Garlic Paprika Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Chicken Cobb Salad Wraps
Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Easy Chicken Divan Recipe
Chicken Pot Pie Ragu
Tools Used to Make these Crispy Ranch Chicken Strips with Ranch BBQ Dipping Sauce
- To keep the chicken strips crispy, you have to bake them on a cooling rack. I just use ones that are super basic.
- I like to use a pie plate for the different bowls to bread the chicken. They are big enough, shallow enough, and flat on the bottom!
- You will want to spray the strips with cooking spray to keep them crispy. If you want, you can use an olive oil mister as well.
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Crispy Ranch Chicken Strips with Ranch BBQ Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1-1/2 lbs chicken tenders
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion flake, basil, salt and pepper.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish (I like to use a pie plate). In a second dish, lightly whisk the egg with a splash of water. In a third shallow dish, combine the Panko breadcrumbs with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix.
- Dip each chicken tender into the flour to coat, then tap off any extra flour. Dip the tender into the egg to coat completely, then into the Panko mixture. Use your hands to press the breadcrumbs into the chicken, if needed. Place the chicken on the prepared cooling rack. Continue until all of the chicken it coated.
- Spray the top of the chicken tenders with nonstick baking spray.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is crispy, about 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, add the mayonnaise and the bbq sauce to the remaining spice mixture. Stir to combine and refrigerate until the chicken is done.
- Serve the dipping sauce alongside the chicken for dipping.
Joanne says
This is a welcome new recipe from the traditional way of cooking up chicken. It really looks delicious Deb.
Heather of Kitchen Concoctions says
Great recipe Deborah! And good luck with everything the next month (and months)! Glad to hear you have some help from your own Momma!
baker street says
Oh wow! That is so close, Deborah! Hope you’re feeling okay and everything goes off smoothly. This looks just wonderful.
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
I can’t believe you’re so close to your due date! And these chicken fingers – YUM! Quick recipes are always needed!