When I make a simple baked chicken covered with breadcrumbs and
spices, the top of the chicken always comes out perfectly crispy,
while the bottom tends to be a little mushy. I bake it in a basic 6x9
pan with a rack.

Does it have something to do with the fact that it's "submerged" in
the pan? Do I need to give it a more wide-open cooking environment?

I'd like to try making some chicken fingers, but baked rather than
deep fried, to be eaten as finger food. But if I do it my usual way,
they're not going to be pleasant to pick up with the fingers.