Were this dish deep fried, or had I added butter or oil to the panko crust, it would have been beautifully golden brown. Because I baked it sans fat, it was less aesthetically pleasing (who are we kidding, ugly as sin) but certainly lower in calories and definitely stlll the kind of crispy for which I was looking.
The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken, the panko adds crunch, the thyme and Old Bay add flavor and all this needs is a pop of lemon juice to brighten things up at the end.
I serve this in sandwiches, wraps or just as a snack if needed. Room temperature is when these taste best so these are excellent for picnics.
12 chicken tenders
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp Old Bay
1 Tbsp dried thyme leaves
2 cups panko
A couple of hours before you are ready to eat (but no more or the chicken stops being tenderized by the buttermilk, changes textur and gets mushy), mix the buttermilk, Old Bay and thyme in a bowl. Add the chicken tenders, mix well and refrigerate until needed.
When ready to cook, remove chicken from the fridge and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the panko in a shallow dish. A couple at a time, remove the tenders from the buttermilk and dredge in the panko. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet and repeat until all of the tenders are coated in panko.
Bake for 30 minutes, turning half way through.
Remove from oven, allow to come to room temperature and add a squeeze of lemon. because of the Old Bay I don't think salt is needed but you may.