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flamin hot cheeto chicken tenders
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3.92 from 69 votes

Flamin' Hot Cheetos Chicken Tenders Recipe

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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 45kcal
Author: The Carefree Kitchen

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!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg