Chicken Tenders Recipe

Slice and season

Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and slice each breast into 5 evenly sized tender strips (about 3-4 ounces each). Pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a bowl and sprinkle kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika over the pieces. Toss gently to coat.

Marinate

Pour the buttermilk over the seasoned chicken, stirring to coat all pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours — this tenderizes and helps the breading adhere.

Prepare dry mix

In a shallow wide bowl or rimmed baking sheet, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using). Ensure the mixture is evenly combined.

Set up dredging stations

In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Remove marinated chicken from the refrigerator. Have the dry breading mixture and egg wash side by side for an assembly-line breading process.

Dredge chicken

One piece at a time: shake off excess buttermilk, dredge the chicken strip in the dry flour/breadcrumb mixture pressing gently so the breading adheres, then dip into the egg wash, and finally press back into the dry mixture for a double-coated crust. Place coated tenders on a wire rack or plate. Repeat until all tenders are breaded.

Heat oil

Pour about 1 cup of vegetable oil into a heavy skillet (cast-iron is ideal) — oil should be about 1/2-inch deep. Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small breadcrumb sizzles and browns within 15 seconds.

Fry

Fry the tenders in batches (do not overcrowd) for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat as needed to maintain 325–350°F and avoid burning the crust.

Drain

Use tongs to transfer cooked tenders to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain. Lightly salt immediately if desired. Keep finished tenders warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining batches.

Allow tenders to rest 2 minutes, then plate five breaded chicken tenders per serving with lemon wedges and ranch or honey mustard on the side. Serve hot.