If you need a simple, tasty dinner idea, try this spicy gluten free breaded chicken. These chicken tenders have a crunchy, flavourful coating but are baked in the oven rather than fried, so you get a golden, crispy finish without the extra oil or mess.
This gluten free breaded chicken is great with a green salad and air fryer sweet potato wedges, or served alongside air fryer chips and a dipping sauce. For added kick, drizzle with hot honey or pair with sriracha mayo.
Ingredients
Below is an explanation of the main ingredients used in this gluten free breaded chicken recipe. Exact quantities are included in the recipe card further down.
- Chicken breast strips: You can buy pre-cut mini fillets or slice a chicken breast into strips yourself. Larger pieces will need longer to cook.
- Gluten free white bread: Any gluten free white bread works well. Slightly stale slices or leftover crusts are perfect for blitzing into breadcrumbs.
- Herbs and spices: I use a mix of oregano, chilli powder, paprika, onion salt and garlic granules. Increase chilli or add cayenne if you want more heat; omit chilli for a milder coating.
- Gluten free plain flour: Any gluten free plain flour or all-purpose mix is fine. If you don’t have a mix, cornflour (cornstarch) can be used as an alternative.
You’ll also need an egg to bind the breadcrumbs and a light spray oil to help the coating crisp up in the oven. The spray is optional but gives a nicer golden finish without deep frying.
How to make gluten free breaded chicken
Making these breaded chicken tenders is straightforward and fun to make with kids — they can help dip each piece into the coatings. Here’s the process in brief:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C / Gas Mark 6).
- Blitz the gluten free bread with the dried oregano, paprika, chilli powder, onion salt and garlic granules in a food processor until you have fine breadcrumbs.
- Set up three plates: breadcrumbs, gluten free flour, and a beaten egg. Coat each chicken strip first in flour, then in egg, and finally press into the seasoned breadcrumbs until fully covered.
- Place the coated pieces on a baking tray, lightly spray with oil if using, and bake for 15–20 minutes until cooked through and golden.
This method gives you crisp, golden chicken without deep frying, and the tenders freeze well once cooked — ideal for batch cooking and quick meals later.
What to serve it with
These crispy chicken tenders are versatile. I like them with sweet potato fries and a green salad, but they also work well stuffed into a gluten free brioche bun or served cold in sandwiches. Other tasty sides include chilli and garlic wedges or maple za’atar sweet potatoes.
For a simple dip, mix mayonnaise with sriracha for a creamy, spicy sauce. Leftovers keep in the fridge for a couple of days and reheat well.
My gluten free breaded chicken recipe
Below is the full, easy oven-baked recipe with a spicy breadcrumb coating. It serves 4 as part of a meal (roughly two pieces per person) and scales up or down easily.
Spicy Gluten Free Breaded Chicken
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Ingredients
- 400 g chicken breast strips
- 3 slices gluten free white bread
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp onion salt
- 1/2 garlic granules
- 2 tbsp plain gluten free flour
- 1 large egg
- Light spray oil (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°C / Fan 180°C / Gas Mark 6.
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Add the bread and dried herbs and spices to a food processor and blitz until you have a fine breadcrumb.
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Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate. Place the gluten free flour on a second plate and beat the egg on a third plate.
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Coat each chicken piece in flour, dip into the beaten egg, then press into the breadcrumbs until fully covered. Shake off excess and place on a baking tray.
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Lightly spray with oil if using and bake for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store cooked chicken in the fridge for 1–2 days and enjoy cold or reheat thoroughly. You can also freeze cooked tenders—defrost and reheat until piping hot.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more chilli powder or dried chilli flakes for heat, or omit chilli for a milder coating.
Nutrition
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Need some more gluten free meal inspiration?
If you want to try more gluten free dinner ideas, here are a few suggestions to inspire comforting, flavourful meals.
- Fried popcorn chicken
- Gluten free stuffed crust pizza
- Breaded fried chicken
Trying this recipe? I’d love to see your photos—share them with #theglutenfreeblogger or tag the recipe author on social media. If you have recipe suggestions, leave a comment with what you’d like to see next.
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