Since I didn't fry the tenders before baking, they weren't very crispy at all. However, if I put them in the air fryer next time, like I did the slices, they should be crispy. I like the crispy, as does my husband.
I'm also not a big fan of cheese (I know, someone from Wisconsin not a big fan of cheese, who would have thought), so I don't need to melt it on top (you wouldn't believe the looks I get when I'm at an Italian restaurant and I order chicken parmesan with no cheese on top). My husband would rather have parmesan cheese on top, too, so putting the sauce on when it's plated makes for a crispier crust. Plus I can have as little or as much sauce as I want (and since I LOVE tomato...).