Crispy Chicken Tenders (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For Marinating
01 -
1 mix of spices: 1½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon each of cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika
02 -
1 cup buttermilk
03 -
2 pounds chicken fillets or tenders
→ For the Coating
04 -
1½ cups plain flour
05 -
1 large spoonful baking powder (1½ teaspoons)
06 -
A pinch of salt (1 heaping teaspoon)
07 -
¾ teaspoon each of black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika
08 -
3 tablespoons of buttermilk
→ For Frying
09 -
About 3 to 4 cups of cooking oil (vegetable recommended)
# Instructions:
01 -
In a resealable bag, toss in chicken, buttermilk, salt, cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika. Close the bag tightly and mash it around to coat the chicken well. Pop the bag into a bowl to catch any drips and place it in the fridge. Leave it there for at least 4 hours or overnight to let the flavors settle in.
02 -
Use a large bowl to stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir it up until well blended. Drizzle buttermilk on top and mix with a fork to create messy clumps, which help give the chicken extra crispiness.
03 -
Put foil on a baking sheet to make cleanup simple. Pull chicken pieces out of the marinade and drop them into the prepared flour mix a handful at a time. Firmly press the chicken into the mixture so the clumpy bits latch on. Keep one hand for wet chicken and the other hand for dry coating—it'll keep your fingers from turning into a sticky mess. Place the coated chicken on your lined baking sheet.
04 -
Cover another baking sheet with a bunch of paper towels. Get a deep pot and pour in oil until about ¾-inch. Heat it up over medium-high flame until it shines and reaches a sizzle-ready temperature (around 350°F). Test by dropping a tiny bread piece in—if it fizzles, it's ready. Carefully place some chicken into the oil with tongs, making sure not to crowd the pot. Cook one side till it's golden, then flip to cook the other. Keep in mind, chicken might lighten once out of the oil. Move crispy chicken to the paper towel-lined tray to soak up extra oil. Repeat with the rest, adjusting heat when needed.
05 -
These tenders are best warm! Pair them with your go-to dips for extra fun.
# Notes:
01 -
These crowd-favorite chicken strips are soaked in a spice-packed buttermilk marinade and fried till they're crispy and juicy.
02 -
The color of the chicken in hot oil might be tricky to gauge. Pull one piece out and pat it dry to see if it’s the golden shade you want.
03 -
Freeze them for future meals—they’ll last 3 months in the freezer! Heat frozen tenders on a wire rack over a baking sheet at 350°F for 25 minutes, flipping halfway.