Chicken Tenders With French Fries Recipe

Prep the chicken

Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and slice each breast into 3–4 strips about 1-inch wide to make tenders. Pat dry with paper towels.

Marinate

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg until smooth. Add the chicken strips, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). This tenderizes and helps the coating stick.

Make dry dredge

In a wide shallow bowl or plate combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne (if using). In a second shallow bowl combine the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan.

Coat the tenders

Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk, let excess drip off, dredge in the flour mixture pressing firmly so a good coating sticks, then dip back briefly in the buttermilk/egg if needed and press into the breadcrumb mixture to fully coat. Place on a wire rack; repeat with remaining pieces. Let coated tenders rest for 10 minutes to set the crust.

Heat oil

Pour 2 cups of vegetable oil into a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1-inch. Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 45–60 seconds.

Fry the tenders

Working in batches (do not overcrowd), carefully lower the coated tenders into the hot oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat to maintain oil temperature around 325–350°F. Transfer cooked tenders to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain; keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if making multiple batches.

Prepare potatoes

Peel (optional) and cut the russet potatoes into 1/4–1/2-inch wide sticks. Place cut fries in a bowl of cold water and rinse until water is clearer to remove excess starch.

Soak

Cover the potatoes with cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) in the refrigerator. This step removes surface starch so fries get crispier.

Dry and toss with cornstarch

Drain the potatoes and pat completely dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Toss the dry potato sticks with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper to coat evenly.

Heat oil for frying

In a heavy pot or deep fryer, heat 3 cups of vegetable oil to about 325°F (160°C) for the first fry.

First fry (blanch)

Fry the potatoes in batches for 3–4 minutes until paler and slightly softened but not browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Let rest for 5–10 minutes.

Second fry (crisp)

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack and immediately season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt while hot.

Arrange the hot chicken tenders and fries on a platter. Serve with ketchup or your preferred dipping sauce and lemon wedges if using. Enjoy immediately while crispy.