Deep Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe
This deep fried chicken tenders recipe is what you need to make crispy buttermilk fried chicken tenders that are moist and tender inside with crispy, crunchy golden outer. It is simple and quick to make with only a few basic ingredients and less than 30 minutes of cooking time. Let me show you how to fry chicken tenders.
Equipment
- Frying pan or deep fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500g) Chicken tenders
- 1.5 cup Plain Flour or self raising flour
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 medium Egg
- 1 teaspoon Paprika Smoked or regular
- 1 teaspoon Onion granules
- 1 teaspoon Garlic granules
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or to taste
- Salt to taste
- Oil For frying
Instructions
- Make the seasoning mix- Add paprika, cayenne pepper, onion granules, garlic granules, thyme, and salt in a bowl. Mix together till incorporated.
- Add buttermilk to a bowl then add half of the seasoning mix to it. Mix till well combined.
- Add the chicken tenders to the buttermilk marinade. Ensuring the chicken tenders are covered in the marinade. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes up until 12 hours. You can also marinate the chicken in a Ziploc.
- Bring the chicken out and let it come to room temperatureIn another bowl, combine the flour, and the remaining seasoning mix.
- Break the egg into another bowl and whisk.
- Take a chicken tender from the marinade, and coat it in the flour mixture.
- Then coat in the mixture egg.
- Then coat it again in the flour mix.
- Transfer the breaded chicken tenders to a plate.
- Repeat the process till all the chicken tenders are breaded.
- Line a plate with paper towels and set it next to the stove.
- In a deep pot, add vegetable oil that is at least 2-3 inches deep in the pot. You can use a chip pan.
- Heat the oil on medium heat and when it is about 365F, add some of the chicken tenderloins in the hot oil.
- Fry till they are golden brown outside and the inside tender and cooked.Cook all sides till golden brown. Adjust the temperature if browning too fast.
- Transfer cooked tenders to the paper towel lined plate.Then fry the remaining chicken tenders.
- Serve and enjoy
Notes
- You can buy chicken breasts and slice them into strips.
- The pepper and salt quantity can be adjusted to your taste.
- You can add more herbs like parsley, and rosemary to the seasoning.
- Use a pot or skillet that is dee for frying.
- The best oil to use is sunflower oil, vegetable oil or any other odorless oil will work fine.
- Test if the oil is ready by dropping a piece of clumped flour in it. If it sizzles and lifts then it is ready.
- It's important to cook at the right temperature. Cooking at a low temperature will make the breading drop off the chicken. If the temperature is too high then the outer can brown too quickly without the inside cooked.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. As that can drop the temperature of the oil and cause the chicken to soak in excess oil.
- Don't cover the fried tenders when hot as trapped steam will make the outer soggy.
- Cook chicken till the internal temperature is at least 165F. You can check this with an instant meat thermometer. Or check by using a visual cue. When you cut into the chicken it will be white and there should be no blood or pink juice.
Nutrition
Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 35gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 226mgPotassium: 631mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 343IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!