If you’re looking for comfort food with a kick, my spicy fried chicken tenders are just what you’re looking for. Marinated in a spicy buttermilk marinade and deep-fried till golden brown for crispy, crunchy chicken tenders on the outside and moist tender chicken on the inside.
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Southern cooks have known for a very long time that buttermilk marinade makes the best fried chicken. It keeps the chicken tender and juicy during the frying process while adding a little tang to the overall flavor of the fried chicken tenders.
These spicy fried chicken tenders are perfect for game day, a family get-together, or just to treat yourself to delicious spicy fried chicken.
If you love spicy fried chicken, make sure to check out our Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich recipe and our KFC Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders copycat recipe.
Ingredients to make Spicy Chicken Tenders
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my spicy fried chicken tenders. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How to make Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders
- Add 1 cup of buttermilk, sea salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning to a medium bowl.
- Whisk to combine the marinade.
- Place the chicken tenders in a baking dish or bowl and cover them with the buttermilk mixture, making sure to cover all parts of the tenders.
- Cover the container with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours (if you have more time, let the tenders marinate for up to 12 hours).
You can substitute hot sauce for the cayenne pepper. This recipe can also be made using boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs.
Remove the chicken tenders from the refrigerator and set aside to allow them to come to room temperature.
Add all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to a shallow bowl to make the dredge. Set the flour mixture aside until needed.
Prepare a large plate or cookie layered with paper towels to absorb any excess grease after frying the chicken. You can also use a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Add 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to a deep frying pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, letting the oil temperature reach 350 – 365 degrees F.
*Frying at the correct temperature will keep the chicken from getting greasy. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, which will drop the temperature of the oil, causing the tenders to absorb the oil, making them greasy. - Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, allowing the excess buttermilk mixture to drip off, then place them in the flour mixture.
- Turn the tenders to coat them completely.
*Place the floured chicken pieces on a plate and continue until all the tenders have been breaded. - Carefully place the breaded tenders into the hot oil (in a single layer) and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and they have reached an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
*Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the tenders. - Carefully remove the cooked, spicy chicken tenders from the oil using tongs or a slotted spoon, placing them on the prepared dish or wire rack to drain.
*If you’re cooking a large batch, loosely tent the cooked chicken with aluminum foil or place them in a 200-degree oven to keep them warm while you finish cooking the remainder.
*Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check the oil temperature and internal temperature of the hot chicken tenders.
*If you love fried foods and have a deep fryer, that will shorten the cooking time and make the whole process easier.
Serve the spicy fried chicken tenders with barbecue sauce, hot sauce, honey mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce. If you’re a fan of extra spicy tenders, coat them in my Buffalo sauce recipe and serve them with ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing.
Store any leftover crispy chicken tenders in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They can also be kept frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.
Recipe FAQ’s
To increase the spiciness of the fried chicken tenders, add additional cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes to the buttermilk marinade. You can also add sriracha, chipotle, or hot chili powder to the marinade or dip the tenders in buffalo sauce.
Oils with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil are typically preferred for frying chicken to ensure a crispy exterior without burning.
Make sure that the oil is between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the breaded meat to the oil. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the chicken will absorb more of the oil and become soggy and greasy. Also, overcrowding the pan will lower the oil temperature, causing the same problems.
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Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of buttermilk, sea salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place the chicken tenders in a baking dish or bowl and cover them with the buttermilk mixture making sure to cover all parts of the tenders.
- Cover the container with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours (if you have more time you can do this up to 12 hours).
- Remove the chicken tenders from the refrigerator and set aside to allow them to come to room temperature.
- Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl to make the. dredge.
- Prepare a large plate or cookie layered with paper towels to absorb any excess grease after frying the chicken.You can also use a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, allowing the excess buttermilk mixture to drip off.
- Place the chicken in the flour mixture, turning to coat the tenders completely.
- Place the floured chicken on a plate and continue until all the tenders have been breaded.
- Add 2-3 inches of oil in a deep frying pan or Dutch oven over high heat, letting the oil reach 350 – 365 degrees F.*Frying at the correct temperature will keep the chicken from getting greasy. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, which will drop the temperature of the oil, causing the tenders to absorb the oil making them greasy.
- Carefully place the breaded tenders into the hot oil, and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and they have reached and internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the tenders.
- Carefully remove the cooked, spicy fried chicken tenders from the oil using tongs or a slotted spoon, placing them on the prepared dish or wire rack to drain.If you're cooking a large batch, loosely tent the cooked chicken with aluminum foil or place them in a 200-degree oven to keep them warm while you finish cooking the remainder.
- Serve the spicy fried chicken tenders with barbecue sauce, hot sauce, honey mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce. If you’re a fan of extra spicy tenders, coat them in buffalo sauce and serve them with ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing.
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