Spicy Chicken Tender Recipe
Chicken tender marinated in Korean style spicy sauce
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Ingredients
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Marinade & Chicken
Coating (optional for crispier tenders)
Finish & Garnish
Method
Marinade & Chicken
- 1
Prepare chicken
Pat chicken tenderloins dry with paper towels. Trim any excess fat or connective tissue so tenders are roughly uniform thickness (about 3/4–1 inch).
- 2
Make marinade
In a medium bowl combine minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, gochujang, gochugaru, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk until sugar and gochujang are fully incorporated and mixture is smooth.
- 3
Marinate
Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken, massaging to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. If short on time, 15–20 minutes will still add flavor.
- 4
Bring to room temp
About 15 minutes before cooking, remove chicken from fridge to take the chill off so it cooks evenly.
Coating (optional for crisp exterior)
- 5
Prepare coating
If you want a crispy crust, set up a dredging station: in a shallow bowl whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In another bowl beat the egg with milk (or water). Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into the bowl (reserve leftover marinade for later sauce or discard if it contacted raw chicken for >2 hours).
- 6
Coat chicken
Working one at a time, dip each tender into the egg wash, then press into the flour mixture to coat completely. Shake off excess and set on a wire rack for 5 minutes to help the coating adhere.
Cook & Finish
- 7
Pan-fry or shallow-fry
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. When oil shimmers, add coated tenders in a single layer without crowding (cook in batches if needed). Cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Reduce heat slightly if coating browns too quickly. For uncoated (no flour) tenders, cook 3–5 minutes per side depending on thickness.
- 8
Finish with reserved marinade (optional)
If you reserved marinade and it did not sit with raw chicken for more than 2 hours, you can simmer it in a small saucepan for 2–3 minutes to kill bacteria and thicken slightly; then brush or toss cooked tenders in the warmed sauce for extra glaze. Alternatively, spoon a bit of gochujang mixed with 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon honey over the hot tenders as a quick glaze.
- 9
Rest and garnish
Transfer cooked tenders to a plate and let rest 2 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve immediately with lemon/lime wedges if desired.