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    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

    Published: Aug 12, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    162 shares
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    5 from 41 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    What’s not to love about Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders? Marinated in buttermilk and fried until golden brown, crunchy, crispy, and oh so delicious.

    buttermilk fried chicken tenders on a white plate

    If you’re not familiar with using buttermilk to marinate chicken tenderloins, let me tell you why you should do this. Soaking chicken (tenderloins or whole pieces) in buttermilk helps keep the chicken juicy while tenderizing the meat, resulting in tender moist, flavorful fried chicken.

    If you like fried chicken tenders, check out my Chicken and Waffles recipe.

    buttermilk fried chicken tenders on a white plate

    Frying perfect golden brown chicken tenders isn’t difficult and you don’t need a cast iron pan to do it. I use a deep skillet or a dutch oven to fry chicken. And if I’m cooking up a large batch of chicken or seafood I get out my deep fryer, which makes the process so much easier

    I use the T-Fal Deep Fryer and always keep a Kitchen fire extinguisher nearby.

    Table of Contents:

    • What ingredients do I need to make fried chicken tenders?
    • How do I make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders?
      • Make up the flour and eggwash
      • Cooking tip:
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    What ingredients do I need to make fried chicken tenders?

    • buttermilk
    • chicken tenderloins
    • eggs
    • milk or water
    • all-purpose
    • sea salt
    • black pepper 
    • paprika (optional)
    • vegetable oil for frying chicken (or your choice of canola oil or peanut oil)

    *If you like a more seasoned chicken, you can add garlic powder, onion powder, or chili powder to the flour.

    How do I make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders?

    chicken tenders soaking in buttermilk in a stainless steel bowl

    Place the chicken tenderloins in a bowl and cover them with buttermilk. Turn to coat each piece and let them sit in the buttermilk (refrigerated and covered) for at least 8 hours up to 24 hours.

    Make up the flour and eggwash

    breading station set up for fried chicken tenders
    • Put the flour in a medium bowl. Add the sea salt, black pepper and paprika. Mix well.
    • In another bowl add the eggs, milk (or water), and whisk until blended. This is the egg wash (egg mixture).
    chicken tenders in seasoned flour

    Lift the chicken tenders out of the bowl and allow the excess buttermilk to drain off. Pat them dry with paper towels and then place them into the seasoned flour. Make sure to coat the chicken with flour completely.

    floured chicken tenders in a white bowl with egg wash

    Put the floured tenders into the egg wash and coat completely with egg wash.

    egg dipt chicken back into the white bowl with seasoned flour

    Add the chicken tenders back into the seasoned flour for another coat of flour. Make sure to coat all of the chicken tenderloins in the seasoned flour. This is what gives the chicken that extra crispy, crunchy coating.

    floured chicken on a white plate

    Place the floured chicken on a dish until ready to fry.

    fried chicken tenders draining on a wire rack
    • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and place half the breaded chicken tenders into the hot oil (or as many that will fit, but don’t overcrowd the pan). Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the oil, It should be 350 degrees F. before adding the chicken to the hot oil.
    • Fry the tenderloins on each side for 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown. Check them with an instant-read thermometer to make sure they are fully cooked (internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F)
    • Allow the chicken to drain on a baking sheet with a wire rack or on paper towels.

    Cooking tip:

    Turn the chicken over after about 1 minute, to begin frying the other side. If you leave it in one spot initially it could burn. Then continue to cook both sides until fully cooked.

    buttermilk fried chicken tenders on a white plate

    Serve the fried chicken tenderloins with your favorite dipping sauce. My favorites are barbecue sauce and honey mustard sauce. You can also serve them with your favorite hot sauce.

    I love this easy recipe, it makes delicious fried chicken tenders. You can also use the same recipe to make chicken nuggets or boneless chicken breasts.

    Does buttermilk make a difference in fried chicken?

    Yes, it does. Because buttermilk is only slightly acidic, it tenderizes the chicken without making it tough, like stronger marinating acids (such as lemon and vinegar) would. The enzymes present in buttermilk help break down protein in the chicken, resulting in tender, moist, flavorful fried chicken.

    How long can chicken soak in buttermilk?

    Chicken should soak in buttermilk for a minimum of 8 hours, and for as long as 24 hours. As with most after 24 hours the acidity starts to break down the protein, so longer than 24 hours is not a good idea. Keep the chicken refrigerated while marinating.

    Do I have to soak the chicken tenders in buttermilk?

    The short is, no, you don’t. While buttermilk soaks will make fried chicken moist and juicy, leaving out that step is not a deal breaker. The fried chicken tenders will still be delicious!

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      Chai Marinated Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

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    buttermilk fried chicken tenders on a white plate
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 41 votes

    Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

    What's not to love about Fried Chicken Tenders? Marinated in buttermilk and fried until golden brown, crunchy, crispy, and oh so delicious.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time8 minutes mins
    Total Time23 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 683kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz buttermilk
    • 1 pound chicken tenders
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup milk or water
    • 3 cups all purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper more if you like peppery tenders
    • 1 teaspoon paprika optional
    • 2 cups vegetable oil for frying chicken
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place chicken tenders in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Turn to coat each piece and let them sit in the buttermilk (refrigerated and covered) for at least 8 hours up to 24 hours.
    • Put the flour in a bowl or baking pan adding in the sea salt, black pepper and paprika. Mix well.
    • In another bowl add the eggs, milk (or water) and whisk until blended. This is the eggwash.
    • Lift out the chicken tenders out of the bowl and allow the excess buttermilk to drain off. Pat them dry with paper towels and then place them into the seasoned flour. Make sure to completely coat the chicken with flour.
    • Put the floured tenders into the eggwash and coat completely
    • Add the chicken tenders back into the seasoned flour for another coat of flour.
    • Completely coat the tenders and place on a dish until ready to fry.
    • Heat oil in a large skillet and place half the tenders at a time into the pan (or as many that will fit. Do not overcrowd the pan)
    • Fry on each side for 3-4 minutes until they are completely cooked and have good color and have reached and internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F

    Nutrition

    Calories: 683kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 1403mg | Potassium: 695mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 561IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 5mg
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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Denise

      August 14, 2022 at 11:45 am

      Do you remove the tendons from the tenderloins? My DIL acted like it was a requirement, and it was a PITA.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        August 14, 2022 at 11:51 am

        not really, they are completely edible and most times aren’t noticeable. The ones I bought already had them removed, but I don’t think I’ve ever removed them in all my years in the kitchen

        Reply
        • Debbi

          August 14, 2022 at 1:18 pm

          5 stars
          Wonderful recipe. My kids loved it!

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