Parmesan Chicken Fingers
Baked not fried, these cheesy chicken fingers are laced with garlic butter and coated with parmesan cheese. Tender on the inside and delightfully crisp on the outside, it’s impossible to stop eating them.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
These are chicken fingers elevated! The chicken delivers all the things we love – it’s moist, cheesy, buttery, garlicky, and crisp. And these chicken fingers are baked not fried, so they’re healthier too!
About the marinara sauce: In this recipe, I provided a list of ingredients and instructions for homemade marinara sauce. My sauce is quick and easy, but if you want to save time, feel free to use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce, instead of making the sauce from scratch.
This is an excellent, gluten-free way to make chicken fingers for a crowd. There’s absolutely NO NEED for breadcrumbs! Parmesan cheese and garlic butter is all you need for the best chicken fingers ever.
Parmesan Chicken Fingers
Ingredients
For the Chicken Fingers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 pounds chicken tenders, patted dry (don’t skip this step, it helps the butter and coating stick)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Marinara Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- To prepare the chicken, combine the butter and garlic in a medium saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and bubbly. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the chicken tenders to the butter and turn to coat.
- In a shallow dish, combine the parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken tenders to the cheese and turn to coat, pressing the cheese into the meat. Transfer the tenders to the prepared pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through (a meat thermometer should register 165 degrees).
- Meanwhile, to make the marinara sauce, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve the chicken with the marinara sauce on the side for dunking.