Crack Chicken Tenders
Ultra-crispy crack chicken tenders stuffed with creamy ranch bacon filling and coated in buttery Ritz crumbs. The most addictive homemade chicken tenders perfect for parties, dinners, and game day.
Pin Share Print Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 455kcal
Cost: $14–$16
Equipment
- Meat mallet (For pounding tenders evenly)
- Sharp knife (For butterflying chicken)
- Baking Sheet (Lined with parchment)
- Wire rack (Helps crisp coating)
- Mixing bowls (For filling and breading)
- Food processor (Optional, for crumbs)
- Instant-read thermometer (Ensures doneness)
- Toothpicks (To secure filling)
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken tenders - Or breasts cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon salt - —
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - —
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - —
Crack Chicken Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese - Softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese - Shredded
- 6 slices bacon - Cooked & crumbled
- 3 tablespoon ranch seasoning - Dry packet
- 2 tablespoon green onions - Chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - Optional heat
Crispy Coating
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers - Crushed finely
- 4 tablespoon butter - Melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - —
- ½ teaspoon paprika - —
- 2 large eggs - Beaten
- ½ cup all-purpose flour - —
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, ranch, green onions, and cayenne. Chill 30 minutes.
- Slice tenders to create pocket; pound lightly to even thickness. Season well.
- Fill each tender with 2 tablespoon of mixture. Secure with toothpicks.
- Combine crushed Ritz, butter, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Dredge in flour → egg → Ritz crumbs, pressing to adhere.
- Bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes until golden and internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Remove toothpicks. Serve hot with ranch or honey mustard.
Notes
Nutrition facts are estimated and may vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes used
Nutrition
Serving: 1tender | Calories: 455kcal (23%) | Carbohydrates: 15g (5%) | Protein: 36g (72%) | Fat: 28g (43%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 135mg (45%) | Sodium: 950mg (41%) | Potassium: 480mg (14%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 620IU (12%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 180mg (18%) | Iron: 1.4mg (8%)