Tenders Recipe

1. Brine / Marinate

Place chicken tenders in a bowl or zip-top bag. Pour buttermilk and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce (if using) over the chicken, turning to coat. Refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours (30 minutes if short on time; overnight for maximum tenderness).

2. Prep Breading

In a shallow bowl or rimmed baking sheet, whisk together flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using). In a separate bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons water to make an egg wash.

3. Dredge Chicken

Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Dip into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally back into the flour mixture for a double-coated, crispy crust. Place dredged tenders on a wire rack while you heat the oil. Repeat for all tenders.

4. Heat Oil

Pour neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches (about 3–4 cups depending on pot size). Attach a thermometer and heat oil over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of bread or a pinch of flour — it should sizzle steadily.

5. Fry

Working in batches—do not overcrowd—carefully lower 3–5 tenders into the oil. Fry, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness (internal temperature should read 165°F / 74°C). Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain and remain crisp. Keep finished tenders warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you fry remaining batches.

6. Finish

Let tenders rest on the rack for 2 minutes to allow residual heat to finish cooking and moisture to settle before saucing or serving.

Buffalo Sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup hot sauce with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or more to taste). Warm and whisk until fully combined and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Honey BBQ

If using prepared honey BBQ, warm gently in a small pan or microwave-safe bowl until pourable (about 30–45 seconds). For a quick homemade mix, combine 1/3 cup BBQ sauce with 2 tablespoons honey and warm briefly.

Garlic Parmesan

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add 1 clove minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

Saucing the Tenders

Place warm tenders into a large bowl, pour desired sauce over them (about 2–3 tablespoons sauce per 6–8 tenders), and toss gently to coat. For extra crispy tenders, serve sauce on the side for dipping instead of tossing.

Arrange sauced or plain tenders on a platter. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the tenders and serve with lemon wedges and blue cheese and/or ranch dressing on the side.