Description
Crispy Chicken Tenders are a classic comfort food favorite, featuring juicy chicken pieces coated in a flavorful seasoned flour and buttermilk batter, then fried to golden-brown perfection. These tenders are perfect for dipping and make a delicious appetizer or main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Dredging Mixture
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Wet Mixture
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Cholula or Tobasco hot sauce
Main Ingredient
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders (about 10 tenders)
For Frying
- Vegetable oil or shortening, at least 4 cups
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Ensure the chicken tenders are completely thawed, drained, and then pat dry using paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
- Heat the oil: Fill a dutch oven or heavy stockpot with at least 4 to 6 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350°F, which should take about 15 minutes. Begin heating while preparing the chicken for frying.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce thoroughly to create the wet batter for dipping.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate shallow bowl or on parchment paper, whisk together the flour, garlic salt, coarse sea salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder to create the seasoned flour mixture.
- Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken tender first into the flour mixture on both sides, then dip into the buttermilk mixture, and back into the flour mixture again. For extra crispy breading, repeat the dipping process one more time for each tender.
- Fry the chicken: Carefully lower one chicken tender at a time into the hot oil. Fry each piece for about 5 minutes, maintaining the oil temperature at 350°F, until the tenders are cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the breading is a deep golden brown and crispy.
- Drain excess oil: Remove the cooked chicken tenders from the oil and place them on paper towels or brown paper bags to absorb any excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the crispy chicken tenders immediately while hot and crunchy for the best taste and texture.
Notes
- Maintaining the oil temperature at 350°F is crucial to ensure the tenders cook evenly and the breading crisps without burning.
- Using a thermometer to check internal temperature can help guarantee the chicken is safely cooked.
- The double-dip breading method results in an extra crispy crust, but you can skip the second dip for a lighter coating.
- Use fresh oil for best flavor and avoid overcrowding the pot to maintain oil temperature.
- Allow cooked tenders to rest briefly on a wire rack lined with paper towels to keep them crispy.
