Some Halloween snacks are all looks and no flavor. These are not those. Underneath the silly candy eyes and the golden crescent wrapping is a genuinely crispy, juicy chicken tender that kids will demolish and adults will sneak off the platter when nobody is looking.
They take about 30 minutes start to finish, and the wrapping part is so easy that kids can help. My honest advice: make a double batch. Every single time I make these, they disappear in minutes and someone asks why I did not make more.
Why Kids (and Adults) Love These
- Adorable and delicious: the mummy look gets the laughs, the crispy chicken gets the compliments
- Only 5 ingredients: chicken, crescent dough, egg, breadcrumbs, candy eyes
- Kid friendly project: little hands are great at wrapping the dough strips
- Baked not fried: all crunch, no greasy mess
- Perfect party finger food: no plates or forks needed
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders (about 12 tenders)
- 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 24 candy eyeballs
- Ketchup and mustard, for serving (plus a dab of each to glue the eyes)
How to Make Mummy Chicken Tenders
- Heat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Set up a breading station. In one shallow bowl, whisk the egg with the water. In a second bowl, mix the panko, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Bread the tenders. Pat the chicken dry, dip each tender in the egg wash, then press into the seasoned panko until fully coated. Lay them on the baking sheet.
- Cut the dough into strips. Unroll the crescent dough and pinch the seams together, then cut into thin strips about 1/2 inch wide with a pizza cutter. Do not stress about perfect strips: raggedy wrapping looks more mummy like.
- Wrap the mummies. Wind a dough strip around each breaded tender in a crisscross pattern, leaving a small gap near the top for the face. Tuck the ends underneath. Brush the dough lightly with a little more egg wash for a golden finish.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the dough is deep golden brown and the chicken is cooked through (165F inside).
- Add the eyes. While the tenders are still warm, dab a tiny dot of ketchup or mustard on the back of two candy eyes and press them into the gap you left. They stick best while the dough is warm.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Candy eyes go on AFTER baking. They melt into sad puddles in the oven. I learned this the hard way so you do not have to.
- Do not wrap the dough too thick. One thin layer crisps up beautifully; a thick blanket stays doughy underneath.
- The gap for the face matters. If you wrap the whole tender with no gap, there is nowhere for the eyes to sit. Leave a little window near the top.
- Panko beats regular breadcrumbs here. The bigger flakes stay crunchier and look more like mummy texture.
- Let kids do the wrapping, you do the oven. Wrapping is the fun part and there is no wrong way to do it.
Make Ahead and Storage
Assemble the wrapped tenders up to 8 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate; bake straight from the fridge, adding 2 to 3 minutes. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in a 375F oven for 8 minutes to re-crisp. The candy eyes are best added fresh each time.
What to Serve With Mummy Tenders
Ketchup, mustard, ranch, and honey mustard for dipping. They are perfect next to our Halloween party chicken wings for a full spooky spread, and finish with our edible cookie dough for dessert.
FAQs
Where do I find candy eyeballs?
In the cake decorating aisle of any big grocery store, or online. Around Halloween they are everywhere.
Can I use puff pastry instead of crescent dough?
Yes. Thaw it, cut into strips, and bake a couple of minutes longer. It puffs up even more dramatically.
Can I make these gluten free?
Use gluten free panko and a gluten free crescent style dough. The method stays exactly the same.
My dough is tearing when I wrap. What am I doing wrong?
Nothing. Cold dough tears more easily, so let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes first, and do not pull the strips tight: gentle wrapping is all you need.
