Description
This recipe delivers restaurant-quality, shatteringly crisp buttermilk fried chicken tenders in just 30 minutes. Using a double-dip breading technique and the right oil temperature, you get juicy meat with a golden crust that stays crunchy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot or Texas Pete)
- 1 large egg
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4–6 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Pat chicken tenders dry and slice thick breasts into 1-inch uniform strips.
- Whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, and egg in a large bowl. Submerge chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
- In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, and salt.
- Dredge chicken in flour, dip back into buttermilk, then dredge in flour again (double-dip). Place breaded tenders on a wire rack to set for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry 3-4 tenders at a time for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Transfer cooked tenders to a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating oil between batches.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauces.
Notes
For extra crispiness, let breaded chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before frying. Use a wire rack instead of paper towels to drain, preventing sogginess. If oil drops below 325°F, chicken will be greasy; if above 375°F, breading may burn. For a baked version, spray with cooking spray and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 tenders per servin
- Calories: 450
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Protein: 35
Keywords: fried chicken, chicken tenders, buttermilk chicken, crispy chicken, weeknight dinner, easy recipe, southern comfort food