🍗 Crispy Golden-Brown Chicken Tenders
These homemade chicken tenders come out crispy and golden on the outside, juicy and tender inside, with a flavorful seasoned coating.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the crispy coating:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, optional
For cooking:
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Preparation
1. Prepare the chicken
Cut the chicken breast into strips of roughly equal size. This helps everything cook evenly.
Place the strips in a bowl and add the buttermilk, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well so every piece is coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For more flavor and tenderness, you can marinate it for several hours.
2. Make the crispy coating
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, oregano, and chili powder.
The cornstarch is important because it helps create a lighter, crunchier crust.
3. Coat the chicken
Remove one chicken strip from the buttermilk mixture and let the excess drip off.
Place it into the seasoned flour and press the flour firmly onto the chicken.
For an extra-crispy coating, dip the floured chicken briefly back into the buttermilk and then into the flour mixture a second time, pressing the coating firmly onto the surface.
Repeat with the remaining chicken.
4. Heat the oil
Pour enough oil into a heavy-bottomed pan to generously cover the chicken pieces.
Heat it to approximately 175°C (350°F).
Don’t overcrowd the pan because adding too many pieces at once can lower the oil temperature and make the tenders greasy instead of crispy.
5. Fry until golden brown
Carefully place the chicken into the hot oil.
Fry for approximately 4–6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness, until the coating is deeply golden and the chicken is cooked through.
The safest way to check is with a food thermometer: the thickest part of the chicken should reach 74°C (165°F).
6. Drain properly
Transfer the cooked tenders to a wire rack rather than placing them directly on paper towels. A rack allows excess oil to drip away while keeping the bottom crispy.
Let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
🥣 Quick dipping sauce
Mix together:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- A pinch of paprika or chili powder
Stir until smooth.
🔥 Extra-crispy tips
- Use cornstarch in the flour mixture.
- Don’t skip the buttermilk marinade.
- Press the coating firmly onto the chicken.
- Double-coat for a thicker crust.
- Keep the oil around 175°C/350°F while frying.
- Fry in batches instead of overcrowding the pan.
- Drain on a wire rack to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
Serve the tenders immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, fries, coleslaw, or a fresh salad.
