Shop
My
Custom
My Keto Chicken Tenders Taste Like Childhood…Minus The Carbs
This keto chicken tenders recipe is one of my personal favorites from my Easy Keto Cookbook. I used to grab organic breaded tenders from the store for quick kid dinners, but I wanted something low carb that my husband and I could enjoy, too. So I created these, and turns out, the whole family likes them even more than the store-bought kind. They bring back all the crispy, comforting vibes from childhood… just without the carbs. Simple, satisfying, and totally hit the spot. Here’s what makes them one of my favorite keto chicken recipes:
- Crispy outside, juicy inside – I tested all kinds of keto breading, but pork rinds and protein powder came out on top. It sticks well, gets super crispy, and brings back that classic chicken tender crunch I missed. Not a fan of pork rinds? Try my keto chicken nuggets, instead.
- Only 6 ingredients – These are simple, straightforward, and quick to make. Just coat, bake, and enjoy—no flour, no frying mess, no fuss.
- Kid-approved & Low Carb – I originally made them for the grown-ups, but now my kids ask for them, too. And the best part? They have 0g net carbs. Total win.
- One of 100 Easy Recipes in My Cookbook – It’s one I make on repeat! If you want more comfort food vibes, make sure to grab my first cookbook for others like chicken quesadillas, coffee cake zucchini bread, and fathead gnocchi.
Not keto? You can still make these baked chicken tenders for a healthy, gluten-free dinner. Make them with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto baked chicken tenders recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – I usually use boneless skinless chicken breast and slice it into strips, but chicken tenderloins work great, too. If you’ve got those on hand, check out my air fryer chicken tenders recipe for a perfect fit.
- Mayonnaise – This might sound odd for breading, but trust me, it works like magic. Mayo helps the coating stick and keeps the chicken super juicy. I use avocado oil mayo for a cleaner option, but any kind will work here.
- Pork Rinds – I used these for that ultra-crispy finish, plus they’re nut-free, which many of you have asked for. If that’s not a concern, almond flour works too, but it makes a softer, more delicate coating. I don’t recommend coconut flour here; it’s too absorbent and throws off the texture. If you really want to use it, try my coconut chicken tenders recipe instead.
- Protein Powder – I used unflavored whey protein powder (this one’s zero carb), but any kind will work as long as it’s plain and has no sugar. It helps the breading stick better and adds a nice protein boost. collagen with MCTs is another great option if you’re keto. Coconut flour works too because it’s super fine, but I didn’t have great results with almond flour for this step.
- Spices – I kept it simple with garlic powder and paprika, but you can totally add your favorites. A little salt, onion powder or cayenne would be great if you want to spice things up.
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowHow To Make Keto Chicken Tenders
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Set up your bowls. Add the mayo to one bowl and mix the crushed pork rinds, protein powder, and spices in another.
- Coat the chicken. I toss the chicken in mayo first, then use one hand for wet and the other for dry to press each piece into the breading until it’s fully coated.
- Bake. Arrange the chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake until it’s just cooked through.
- Broil. Pop the chicken under the broiler for a minute or two to make the outside extra crispy. Enjoy your crispy, juicy keto chicken tenders fresh out of the oven!
My Recipe Tips
- If your mayo is really cold, it won’t coat the chicken as easily. I like to let it sit out for a bit before starting.
- Use both hands. I keep one hand for the mayo and the other for the dry breading. This keeps things neat and prevents the coating from getting clumpy.
- A light press is enough to get a good coating. Too much breading can fall off during baking or get soggy.
- Want them extra crispy? I bake my chicken tenders on this wire rack set so the hot air can circulate all around—no soggy bottoms here.
- Should you bake or fry breaded chicken tenders? You can do either! I baked them (this version is from before I had an air fryer), but they turn out even crispier in the air fryer. Just use the same timing as my air fryer chicken tenders. Frying in avocado oil also works, especially if you use almond flour instead of pork rinds and want that extra crunch.
This reader favorite recipe is included in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook! Order your copy to get 100 easy keto recipes in a beautiful print hardcover book, including 80 exclusive recipes not found anywhere else (not even this blog!), my complete fathead dough guide, the primer for starting keto, and much more.
ORDER THE EASY KETO COOKBOOK HERE
Keto Chicken Tenders (Easy, Crispy, Fast)
By
These baked keto chicken tenders are juicy, crispy, and so easy! Made with pork rinds and protein powder — no breadcrumbs or frying needed.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with any fat of your choice.
-
Set up two shallow medium bowls: place the mayonnaise in one and in the other stir together the pork rinds, whey protein powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
-
Toss the chicken strips in the bowl with the mayonnaise. Take a chicken strip from the bowl and remove any excess mayonnaise. Use the other hand to press the chicken into the breading mixture and scoop more breading over the top, submerging the chicken strip to coat on all sides. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.
-
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until just barely cooked through.
-
Turn on the broiler. Place the chicken strips under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to crisp up more.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 6 ounces of chicken (about 3 chicken strips)
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to make sure your coating sticks, your tenders crisp up, and dinner turns out just how you want it.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
- Meal Prep: You can crush the pork rinds, mix the breading, and make avocado mayo ahead. Store in separate containers until ready to use.
- Reheat: Warm in a 375 degree F oven until hot and crispy. If frozen and unbaked, bake at 400 degrees F and allow a little extra time.
- Freeze: Bread the tenders, freeze on a lined tray, then transfer to a bag. They’ll keep for 4 to 6 months and bake great from frozen.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Cookbook here!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Keto Chicken Tenders
Don’t Forget the Dippers & Sides
These keto chicken tenders definitely need something on the side, so here are a few of my favorite dips and low carb sides to serve with them:
- Dipping Sauce – I love them with my keto honey mustard sauce (that’s what you see in the photos). Ketchup is the go-to classic for my kids, but they’re also great with BBQ sauce or ranch dressing. Pretty much anything creamy or tangy works!
- Fries & Sides – I usually serve these with crispy avocado fries from my cookbook or some zucchini fries, but when I’m craving that classic potato vibe, my keto french fries come super close to the real thing. Cauliflower mac and cheese is another go-to, and definitely a kid favorite
- Salads – I like serving these with something cool and crisp to balance the richness. Keto coleslaw is always a hit, but creamy cucumber salad or a wedge salad work great, too.
74 Comments
Alex Harper
0Could you put these in the air fryer? If so, for how long and what temp?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Alex, Yes, you can. The timing would be similar to my air fryer chicken tenders.
Susan
0Can I use gluten free Panko flakes instead of pork rinds?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Susan, Yes, absolutely, they just would not be keto anymore.
LUZ
0It looks so delicious. I will make it! thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0You’re welcome, Luz! I’m excited for you to try it.
Barbara
0This doesn’t have anything to do with this recipe, I wish it did. I love love love your recipes, however, I just found out I have diverticulitis. Is it possible you can make recipes for people who suffer from with diverticulitis? It would be so helpful and greatly appreciated.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so sorry to hear that, Barbara! I don’t specialize in this unfortunately, but you can check the ingredients in my recipes against what foods your doctor recommends to see if they fit what you need. I’m happy to suggest substitutions for a particular recipe if you need them and want to ask about something specific.
Amie
0These were awesome!! My family loved them!!
Sean Covert
0Hi! If I want to skip the protein powder so I still use pork or almond flour? I have both but no protein powder. Is there another way to get the “breading” to stick without protein powder? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sean, You can skip the whey protein powder if you prefer to not use it. The chicken can be coated in crushed pork rinds, just keep in mind that they may not stick quite as well without the protein powder coating.
Nini
0We don’t eat pork- I read somewhere that you can use crisped chicken skin instead?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Nini, You can use almond flour in place of the pork rinds.
Cam
0I was unable to make the pork panko crumb correctly, it caramelized and was not even close to a crumb consistency, it was basically just the pork fat juices over the chicken. Its my first time trying to crumb using pork panko so any advice on how to avoid this would be great. I felt like i followed the recipe correctly too so unsure where i went wrong. I used collagen protein instead of whey and cooked in the oven as to the recipe. Please help as I’d like to try again.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cam, I’m confused when you say the panko crumb caramelized. Did you cook the pork rinds before coating the chicken?
Ester Irene Arrascaeta
0Can the pork rinds be replaced with almond flour?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ester, Yes, that would work.
Stacey Finch
0Absolutely love this recipe. Thank u so much for sharing it!
Kelly
0These were delicious!!! I didn’t have pork rinds so I substituted quest chips. Do you think these could be made in the air fryer?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kelly, I have never tried it, but I’m sure it would work.
Sandra
0Maya: Have you actually looked at the ingredient listing on the whey isolate protein powder?
I did, and there are some things in there that I don’t like to see. In no particular order: sulfate, soy lecithin (soy anything isn’t good for people with thyroid issues),
artificial flavors, D Biotin, and sucralose. Anything with ose at the end usually means some form of sugar.
Bob’s Red Mill has a whey protein concentrate product in their line. The ingredient list on the package is short: whey protein concentrate (Milk) and sunflower lecithin. Notice: the package doesn’t say Isolate, and that’s the difference. There are many whey protein products that are the Isolate type.
As for ordering this (I looked in Amazon.com), but there are other sellers that handle Bob’s Red Mill products. Amazon has a few different sizes and amounts for this product. You can get it unflavored as well.
Not criticizing your choice of product here, just trying to inform you about the differences. I know that you are quite busy with all that you do and on top of all this, you’re also a Mom. That can be hectic as well.
Thank You for all of your recipes & hard work. It’s greatly appreciated.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sandra, Sorry about that and thanks for flagging this! Amazon changed the product link on me (to a vanilla one with weird ingredients)! It’s supposed to be this one (I updated the post as well), which is unflavored and contains only whey protein isolate and soy lecithin. While I’m not a fan of soy either an try to avoid it when I can, this is the only brand of whey protein isolate I’ve found that doesn’t have even more unnecessary things added to it. I’m not a fan of Bob’s whey because it’s whey protein concentrate, not whey protein isolate. Whey protein concentrate is labeled as one ingredient but is actually less pure than isolate, and has more carbs.
Molly
0Love this, can I use egg instead of mayonnaise to coat before dipping in the pork rinds?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Molly, I have never tried that with this recipe, but I think it should work for you.
Staci
0I’m still trying to figure out time and temperature in the air fryer. If anyone has those, let me know!
Patricia
0Wow – I have been trying to find something keto friendly my picky teen will also eat – and tonight we have a winner!!! I’m so tired of her wanting to eat boxed frozen nuggets – and this recipe is the one that converted her! Thank you!
Marcy
0I have no protien powder, can I use almond flour?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Marcy, Yes, you can do that.
Emily Mongiardo
0This is seriously delicious! You have to try it! Just be sure to season your seasoning mixture and chicken since no salt is in the recipe.
Denise Wilson
0Can you fry them in the skillet instead of bake? No worries if not. Thanks and yum.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Denise, I think the breading would be more likely to fall off if you pan-fried these. For the best results, I recommend baking as directed. Enjoy!
Irene
0This recipe was delicious! Very easy to prepare. The chicken was so tender & juicy, the rinds made them very crunchy & flavorful too!
Kathy Wyant
0Typical Chicken Tenders are blah at times. This is a game changer Mayonnaise WOW mind blown, juicy and flavorful.
We use our Air Fryer and they turn out perfectly, too perfect I think, we never have leftovers .. LOL
Can’t wait to see what Maya creates for us next..
Truly appreciate the recipes and techniques, makes Keto Fun.
Staci
0I don’t know if you’ll see this comment, but you could also use sriracha/pesto/wasabi mayo to add flavor. 🙂
I wish i had times and temps for air fryer, I JUST started using mine and i have no idea. :/
Kat
0How long do you cook them in the air fryer?
Sharon Kimmel
0Made these last night and used spicy pork rinds (left out other seasonings) and they were wonderful!! Did not have the protein powder but the coating stayed on for the most part. I also used a cookie rack on the tray while cooking so the strips would cook on bottom also. It’s gonna be a staple from now on! Thank you