Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. This high temperature is crucial for achieving the desired crispiness. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, and place a wire rack on top. Spraying the rack with nonstick spray will prevent the chicken from sticking.
Season the chicken tenders generously with kosher salt and pepper on both sides. This step elevates the flavor of the chicken significantly.
In a mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, crushed Cheez-Its, garlic powder, chives, and dill weed. This mixture creates the crispy coating that makes these chicken fingers so special.
In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. This will be used as the adhesive that helps the breadcrumb mixture stick to the chicken.
Take each chicken tender and coat it in the beaten eggs. Make sure each piece is well-covered.
Next, dredge the egg-coated chicken through the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so that the crumbs adhere well. This is where the magic happens, so take your time to coat each piece thoroughly.
Place the coated chicken fingers on the prepared wire rack. Once you’ve coated all the chicken, lightly spray them with avocado or olive oil spray. This will help achieve that golden-brown color while baking.
Bake the chicken fingers in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. After this time, gently flip each piece over and spray the other side with a bit of oil spray.
Bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is golden and crispy. Look for a nice golden color and crispy texture.
Once they’re done, let the chicken cool slightly before serving with ranch dressing. This cooling period helps the coating to set a bit more.
