Doritos crusted chicken tenders are a fun, snackable appetizer or dinner main that the whole family will love. This finger food kisses traditional breadcrumbs goodbye in favor of nacho cheese Dorito crumbs for crunch and flavor.

When I bought a few Costco sized bags of Doritos, I knew I had to do more with those cheesy chips than serve them to my kids and turn them into orange dusted warriors.

And these Doritos crusted chicken tenders will have everyone licking their plates instead of their fingers.

Turning the best chip into a coating for buttermilk marinaded chicken makes for some seriously yummy chicken tenders.

I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

They became an instant family favorite with baked in nacho cheese flavor and crisp crunch (without the cheese dust fingers!).

Make them once for dinner, a snack, or lunch and you just know everyone will be begging for them time and time again!

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

Chicken breasts– Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Trim the excess fat off and cut them into thin tenders. You could also save yourself this step and use chicken breast tenderloin instead.
Doritos– A large bag of the Nacho Cheese Doritos.
Buttermilk– To marinate the chicken.
Flour– For dredging the chicken in. Use all purpose.
Cayenne pepper– Optional for a hint of a kick.
Eggs– Beaten.

How to Make

Doritos crusted chicken tenders are pretty easy to make.

Start by cutting each breast into 1/2″ thick strips.

Put the chicken strips into a medium-large tupperware container.

Pour the buttermilk evenly out over top and put the lid on the container.

Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, flipping the chicken once or twice to make sure the chicken is evenly coated.

After 2 hours, open the Doritos bag and let the air out.

Hold the open end closed and roll a rolling pin lightly over the chips to coarsley break them.

Then put them into the bowl of a food processor and pulse them until they resemble panko style breadcrumbs.

Turn the chips out onto a large, flat plate.

Then combine the flour and cayenne pepper on a separate plate.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.

Set up your dredging station in order of use: chicken, flour, eggs, chips.

Use a fork to spear a chicken strip, letting the buttermilk drip off for a couple seconds to remove the excess.

Dredge the strip in the flour to coat it completely.

Shake off any excess flour before dipping the strip in the egg wash, letting any excess egg drip off.

Transfer the strip to the Dorito crumbs and press the crumbs in until the strip is completely coated.

Put the Doritos crusted chicken strip onto a baking sheet that’s been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Repeat this until all the strips are done.

Bake the tenders at 400° for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, flip the tenders with tongs.

Put them back in the oven and bake them for 5-10 more minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Serve and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

Let any leftovers cool to room temperature.

Transfer them into an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.

Reheat them in a hot oven until they are warm.

You could reheat them in the microwave but the oven gives you crispier results.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t skip marinating the chicken tenders in the buttermilk. Buttermilk is acidic and will tenderize the chicken.
Make sure you aren’t crushing the Doritos into powder. You want crumbs for the best texture.
You could use your clean hands to dredge the chicken, but I don’t recommend this. Doing so tends to lead to the ingredients clumping on your fingers.
Chicken tenders are safe to eat when the thickest part reaches 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overcooking them.
You can switch up the flavors by changing Doritos. Try Cool Ranch, Thai Chili, or even Spicy Nacho for some variety.
Serve them with your favorite dipping sauces. Ranch dressing, salsa, blue cheese dressing, barbecue, and honey mustard all work well.

Other Chicken Tender Recipes

Doritos crusted chicken tenders are a fun twist on classic chicken fingers that the whole family will love.

Make them and enjoy!

Looking for other chicken tender recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried these DORITOS CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!