These oven-baked Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Chicken Tenders are spicy and crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and so easy to make. Serve as a simple appetizer, on a bun or even sliced into a salad for something a little different.
Our recipe for Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Chicken Tenders will knock your socks off. They are smothered with a buttermilk ranch batter, dipped into crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and oven-baked to perfection. It’s a match made in heaven!
If you're looking for some regular homemade crispy chicken tenders we've got you covered and we also have an Air Fryer Chicken Tender recipe and be sure to try our Oven Baked Chicken Wings too.
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Flamin' Hot Cheetos Chicken Tenders Video Tutorial
The amazing thing about this recipe is that it is oven-baked, not fried. This means you’ll cut down on the calories a bit but you will still get that crispy crunch on the outside of the tender chicken.
We like to serve these as a fun appetizer on game day, or any time we’re hankering for a spicy chicken tender. They also work great served on a sandwich, made into chicken nuggets or however else you like to eat chicken tenders.
Ingredients
- Flamin’ Hot Cheetos - if you aren’t big on spicy foods, you can also use plain Cheetos.
- Chicken Tenders - these are a great size. However, you can also use chicken breasts cut into 1 ½” strips.
- Ranch Dressing - store-bought or homemade.
- Buttermilk - any type will work.
- Eggs - use any type of large egg.
- Flour - all-purpose flour works great.
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder - these add great flavor without the large pieces of garlic and onion or the hassle of chopping!
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Chicken Tenders
- Prep the chicken. Remove the chicken tenders from their packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place them into a gallon Ziplock bag, or between two sheets of plastic wrap, and whack the thickest parts using a rolling pin, mason jar or the flat side of a meat tenderizer. You want them all to be about ½" thick (this should only take a couple of good whacks!).
- Pulse the Cheetos. In a food processor, pulse the Flamin' Hot Cheetos until they are the size of grains of rice, then pour into a pie plate or shallow plate with edges.
- Make the batter. In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, ranch dressing, egg, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and mix until combined.
- Dredge the chicken tenders. Using tongs, add the tenderized chicken tenders to the batter and toss until completely covered on all sides. Remove one chicken tender at a time and press into the ground Cheetos, making sure to press the Cheetos onto all sides, then place the chicken on the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the chicken is covered.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve. Once fully cooked, remove from the oven and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!
How to make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Prep the chicken. Remove the chicken tenders from their packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place them into a gallon Ziplock bag, or between two sheets of plastic wrap, and whack the thickest parts using a rolling pin, mason jar or the flat side of a meat tenderizer. You want them all to be about ½" thick (this should only take a couple of good whacks!).
- Pulse the Cheetos. In a food processor, pulse the Flamin' Hot Cheetos until they are the size of grains of rice, then pour into a pie plate or shallow plate with edges.
- Make the batter. In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, ranch dressing, egg, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and mix until combined.
- Dredge the chicken tenders. Using tongs, add the tenderized chicken tenders to the batter and toss until completely covered on all sides. Remove one chicken tender at a time and press into the ground Cheetos, making sure to press the Cheetos onto all sides, then place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer.
- Air Fry the chicken tenders at 400 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, and flip the chicken tenders half way through. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Use a food processor and pulse the cheetoes until crushed or Place the Flamin' Hot Cheetos in a resealable plastic bag and crush them using a rolling pin or mallet until they are finely ground.
Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs as a substitute, but adjust the cooking time as they may take longer to cook through.
Ranch dressing, honey mustard, or a creamy sriracha sauce are popular choices to complement the spicy kick of the chicken tenders.
It's not necessary to marinate the chicken, but you can if you prefer. A simple buttermilk or seasoned yogurt marinade works well with this recipe.
Tips and Tricks
- It works great to use your food processor to crush the Hot Cheetos. As a result, you will have a fine crumb of Cheetos to dip your chicken tenders in.
- If you aren't up for spice, you can use regular Cheetos too.
- Baking the chicken tenders on a baking sheet with a cookie cooling rack helps to keep the chicken tenders crispy on all sides.
- Try dipping the baked chicken in ranch or blue cheese dressing. Both are delicious!
Variations
- Air Fryer Hot Cheeto Fried Chicken--Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F, then prep as directed in the recipe. When you go to cook them, arrange a single layer of chicken tenders in the basket and spray lightly with cooking spray. Air fry for about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Repeat as needed.
- Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Chicken Tenders Sandwich--If you've ever had the KFC Chicken Cheeto Sandwich, you know what I'm talking about. It's amazing and now you can make it at home. Just toast 2 buns, add a little mayo or ranch dressing, some lettuce, and your Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Chicken Tenders, and you've got yourself a KFC Cheetos Chicken Sandwich.
- Flamin’ Hot Nuggets-- Cut chicken breasts, tenders or even thighs into nugget-sized pieces and prep as directed in the recipe. Remember that the baking time will be less; otherwise, you’ll make them just the same. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
Flamin' Hot Cheetos Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 med Chicken Tenders or chicken breasts cut into 1 ½" strips
- 1 8 ½-oz bag Flamin' Hot Cheetos ground or crushed fine
- ⅓ cup Buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing
- 1 large Egg
- 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a baking sheet by placing a cooling rack over it, then set aside.
- Remove the chicken tenders from their packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place them into a gallon Ziplock bag, or between two sheets of plastic wrap, and whack the thickest parts using a rolling pin, mason jar or the flat side of a meat tenderizer. You want them all to be about ½" thick (this should only take a couple of good whacks!).
- In a food processor, pulse the Flamin' Hot Cheetos until they are the size of grains of rice, then pour into a pie plate or shallow plate with edges.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, ranch dressing, egg, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Using tongs, add the chicken tenders to the batter and toss until completely covered on all sides.
- Remove one chicken tender at a time and press into the ground Cheetos, making sure to press the Cheetos onto all sides, then place the chicken on the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the chicken is covered.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once fully cooked, remove from the oven and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Here are some more easy chicken appetizers that we love!
- Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
- Green Chili Chicken Taquitos
- Oven-Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Drumsticks
- Chicken Leg Recipes
- Chipotle Copycat Chicken
More recipes you'll love
- Best Appetizer Recipes
- Cheesy Appetizers
- Dip Recipes
- Chicken Recipes
- Pepper Jack Cheese Sauce
- Stuffed Crust Pizza
- Ham and Cheese Ball Recipe
- Spicy Italian Meatball Recipe
- Garlic Spread
These Flamin' Hot Cheeto Chicken Tenders are oven-baked and so easy to make. They are spicy, crunchy, flavorful on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
Jennifer
Hi could these tenders be panned fried?
Thank you
wilhelmina
My husband gave these two thumbs up! They were excellent dipped in ranch.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
So delicious! Thank you for this amazing recipe!