Sheet pan lemon basil chicken tenders are the perfect dinner when you really want something easy to make that will please the whole family. These chicken tenders are similar to my classic paleo chicken tenders, but feature a delicious lemon basil ghee sauce which gets brushed on the chicken after baking for a perfect bite. Pair these with some roasted veggies or a side of pasta and you’re all set for a satisfying dinner!

Sheet Pan Lemon Basil Chicken Tenders Ingredients

Chicken: I suggest using boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe, or boneless chicken tenderloins. If you’d like to use boneless chicken thighs, that will definitely work too for a dark meat option; just be mindful that cooking time will likely be longer for thighs to reach 165 degrees.

Almond Flour: Almond flour is the main component of the dry mix that becomes the coating on the chicken tenders. Almond flour is extremely versatile and won’t dry out like a coconut flour would. If you’d like to substitute, try subbing all-purpose flour for both the almond and tapioca flour.

Tapioca Flour: Tapioca flour compliments the almond flour and gives it a texture more similar to an all-purpose flour. I don’t recommend skipping it but if you do, the chicken tenders will still come out. For a substitute, you can use arrowroot starch 1:1.

Nutritional Yeast: If you haven’t used nutritional yeast before, you are missing out! It’s one of my all-time favorite ingredients because it packs so much flavor. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor but is completely vegan.

Spices: The spices you’ll need for this recipe include Italian seasoning, smoked paprika and salt. These are very simple seasonings you likely have on hand. Feel free to add any additional seasonings that you like such as black pepper or chili powder for a smokier taste.

Ghee: Ghee is another dairy-free ingredient I probably couldn’t live without.. it tastes just like butter without the lactose. You can of course substitute the ghee for regular butter if you don’t have any preference or allergy against it.

Garlic: You’ll want to use fresh, minced garlic for the lemon garlic sauce for best results. I love to use my garlic press to get it really fine and incorporated into the ghee mixture. If you can’t get your hands on fresh garlic, you can substitute for two teaspoons of garlic powder.

Basil: I also recommend looking for fresh basil specifically for the lemon garlic sauce, I promise it’s worth buying. Be sure to chop up your basil extra fine before adding it to the sauce. It also provides a pretty coating to the chicken tenders when you brush it on.

Lemon: A big squeeze of lemon juice provides the acidity you’ll want to finish off the lemon garlic sauce. You can use bottled lemon juice of course, which equates to about 1-2 tablespoons. I also like adding some extra squeezes of lemon juice right on top of the chicken tenders when they’re done!

How To Make Sheet Pan Lemon Basil Chicken Tenders

Step One: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step Two: Cut the chicken breast with a knife or pair of kitchen scissors into ~1.5 inch pieces and set aside in a bowl.

Step Three: Whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, paprika and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water.

Step Four: Carefully dip each piece of raw chicken into the egg wash, then the almond flour mixture to coat completely. Place each coated piece on the baking sheet without space between.

Step Five: Bake the chicken for 16-22 minutes, until browning with an internal temperature of 165 degrees, then remove from the oven.

Step Six: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted ghee, garlic, chopped basil and lemon juice. Coat the chicken tenders with the sauce with either a kitchen brush or by spooning it onto each piece.

Step Seven: Serve immediately while hot for best results or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

If you try out this recipe, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below if you love it. You can also snap a photo & tag @jenneatsgoood on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support this blog and make it possible for me to continue to create healthier recipes!

SHEET PAN LEMON BASIL CHICKEN TENDERS

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Diet

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breast
1 + 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 tbsp ghee, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the chicken breast with a knife or pair of kitchen scissors into ~1.5 inch pieces and set aside in a bowl.
Whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, paprika and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water.
Carefully dip each piece of raw chicken into the egg wash, then the almond flour mixture to coat completely. Place each coated piece on the baking sheet without space between.
Bake the chicken for 16-22 minutes, until browning with an internal temperature of 165 degrees, then remove from the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together the melted ghee, garlic, chopped basil and lemon juice. Coat the chicken tenders with the sauce with either a kitchen brush or by spooning it onto each piece.
Serve immediately while hot for best results or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

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