Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips

Crispy, golden Southern-style chicken – baked, not fried – for a guilt-free indulgence!

Give me a plate of fried chicken and I’m instantly a happier person. Fried chicken is hands-down one of my all-time favourites, especially with coleslaw, fries, a good dipping sauce and a nice cold drink. But let’s be honest – it’s not exactly a quick, low-mess dinner, and the idea of stove splatter on a busy weeknight? Hard pass.

That’s where these Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips come in. They give you all the crispy, golden “KFC vibes” without the oil or the mess. Baking the chicken means zero stove splatter, and the coating still comes out perfectly crispy and delicious. Pair these strips with sweet potato fries (which bake at the same time) and a batch of homemade ranch dressing (RIP store-bought ranch – you’ve been replaced).

This is one of those recipes that makes you feel like you’re treating yourself without blowing your whole evening or budget. It is proof that you can recreate classic comfort food at home in a way that’s healthier, tastes so much better, and is incredibly satisfying to eat. I love making these when I have a little extra time, especially on the weekend. It’s a fun activity to do with the kids – they love helping coat the chicken! But with so many make-ahead options, they work just as well on busy weeknights. Whether you’re serving them as a fun family dinner or a comfort food treat after a long day, this recipe is guaranteed to hit the spot and become a regular on your rotation.

Can I air fry the chicken strips?

Yes, however you will need to melt the butter and add the olive oil to the butter prior to cooking (use a shallow dish). Once you have coated the chicken in the egg and flour mix, dip each side of the chicken into the butter and oil mixture. This will ensure the chicken becomes crispy and golden. Cook the chicken in a preheated air fryer at 200°C (400°F) for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Make sure there is enough air circulating around each piece of chicken and ensure the chicken pieces are not touching.

Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of chicken tenderloins?

Yes. Thinly slice the chicken breast to a similar size and thickness as tenderloins for even cooking.

What other dips go well with this?

Honey mustard, barbecue sauce or a spicy sriracha mayo are fantastic alternatives to the ranch dressing.

What’s the best way to get crispy sweet potato fries?

Don’t overcrowd the pan (overcrowding traps moisture and makes the fries soggy!), don’t skip the cornflour (cornstarch) – it absorbs moisture and creates a crust – and make sure you let the chicken strips rest for a few minutes once they are out of the oven (this allows the crust to firm up, making them extra crispy).

What else can I serve with these Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips?

Try my classic coleslaw, homemade potato wedges, Freezer-Friendly Mashed Potatoes, mac and cheese, Potato Gratin, Cheat’s Caesar Salad or green leafy salad.

Watch how to make Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips

What are some other fried chicken recipes?

If you enjoyed these Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips, I think you’ll love:

Southern Fried Chicken
Southern Fried Chicken Burger

Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips

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4.5 from 6 reviews

These Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips deliver all the crispy, golden goodness of fried chicken without the oil or mess. Served with sweet potato fries, creamy homemade ranch, and a fresh cabbage salad, it’s a healthier, guilt-free indulgence that’s perfect for family dinners or weekend treats!

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

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BAKED CHICKEN STRIPS

• 2 eggs, whisked
• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken tenderloins (see note 1)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 60 g (2 oz) unsalted butter
• Olive oil spray

FLOUR MIX

• 1 cup (150 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1½ cups (90 g) panko breadcrumbs
• 1½ tsp sea salt flakes
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

SWEET POTATO FRIES

• 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick fries
• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

RANCH DRESSING

• ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
• ¼ cup (60 g) whole-egg mayonnaise
• ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream (can be substituted with Greek yoghurt)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives, plus extra to garnish (optional)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

CABBAGE SALAD

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 4 cups (300 g) finely shredded green cabbage

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Instructions

BAKED CHICKEN STRIPS 

1. Preheat a large deep baking tray in a 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) oven.
2. Flour mix – Add the flour mix ingredients to a large, shallow bowl. Stir to combine.
3. Coat the chicken – Add the eggs to another large bowl along with ¼ cup (35 g) of the flour mix. Whisk to combine (this helps the egg mixture adhere to the chicken). Add the chicken and stir to combine so that each chicken piece is coated in the egg mixture.
4. One by one, remove each chicken tenderloin from the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat it in the remaining flour mixture, using the palm of your hand to push the chicken into the coating and to flatten the chicken to an even thickness.
5. Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, add the olive oil and butter and stir to melt.
6. Place the chicken onto the baking tray and spray it generously with olive oil spray so that the tops of the tenderloins are evenly coated. Make sure the chicken pieces are not touching.
7. Cook the chicken – Bake for 10 minutes until the bottom of the chicken is golden brown and crisp. Carefully flip the chicken over and continue to bake for another 6–8 minutes until golden brown and crisp. The length of time you bake will depend on the size of the chicken. I used standard-sized tenderloins, which took 18 minutes. Do not bake for any longer than 22 minutes – the longer the chicken cooks, the more chance for it to dry out.
8. Rest – Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes on a wire rack (or on a paper towel). As it cools, its crust will firm up.

SWEET POTATO FRIES

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). (Note: the sweet potato fries can be cooked simultaneously with the chicken – place the chicken at the top of the oven and the sweet potato fries in the base of the oven.) I like to add the potatoes 5 minutes before the chicken.
2. Place the sweet potato onto a large baking tray with the cornflour, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Add the olive oil and toss again until coated.
4. Spread the fries out across the tray so they are not touching. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes to allow them to firm up a little.

RANCH DRESSING

1. To make the ranch dressing, combine all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl.

CABBAGE SALAD

1. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine using tongs.

TO SERVE

1. Divide the sweet potato fries across four plates, top with the chicken and a side of the cabbage salad. Serve the ranch dressing on the side for dipping. Sprinkle over the extra chives to garnish, if using. Alternatively, serve family-style in the centre of the table for everyone to help themselves!

Equipment

Chef Knife

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Tongs

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Notes

Note 1 – You can use up to 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) of chicken in this recipe (there is a generous amount of the flour mix to allow for easy coating). You can also use thinly sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breast as an alternative to tenderloins.

 

Make ahead

• Ranch – The ranch dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
• Chicken – Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before baking. Reserve the leftover flour mixture to dredge the chicken again before baking (as the batter will absorb the mixture as it sits).
• Sweet potato fries – The sweet potatoes can be pre-sliced and tossed with the cornflour and seasonings a day in advance.

Leftovers

Store leftover chicken, sweet potato fries and salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salad will soften but will be equally delicious. Reheat the chicken and fries in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 5–8 minutes to maintain crispiness. Leftover ranch dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Not suitable to freeze.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Chicken
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Southern-inspired