Crispy Chicken Tenders

Crispy Chicken Tenders with juicy chicken coated in the most amazing crispy, flavourful coating. I could seriously eat the coating by itself – it’s that tasty!

A tray of crispy chicken tenders with chicken tender dipping sauce on red checkered paper, on a tray, served with golden crinkle-cut chips.

Nicky’s Notes

A woman with long brown hair and a black top smiles at the camera, sitting indoors with a brick wall and some greenery in the background.

I worked in a fried chicken shop for 5 years when I was at high school and college, so I know my crispy chicken tenders!

We’ve got chicken breast marinated in a seasoned buttermilk – for perfect tender chicken. The coating is the ultimate blend of spices, herbs and seasonings that makes for a fantastic, flavourful, crispness.

I use it for my crispy fried chicken (bone-in version) and my crispy chicken burger too.

Place a tray of these on the table and I guarantee they’ll be polished off in no time. Especially if you serve them with my copycat Raising Cane’s sauce

Ingredients for Crispy Chicken Tenders

***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***

The coating

Yes, I use quite a lot of spices and seasonings in the coating, but it makes the crispy coating super-flavourful. You can leave out the chilli flakes if you can’t stand any heat (the small amount doesn’t make it hot, but does add a tiny bit of warmth).

Abbreviated Recipe

***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below***

Marinade the chicken in the seasoned buttermilk. Mix the coating, then dredge the drip-dried marinated chicken through the coating. Fry in batches (placing cooked batches in a warm oven) until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe Tips

Slice the chicken evenly – Try to cut the chicken into similar-sized strips so they cook at the same rate. If some pieces are much thicker than others, the smaller ones can overcook before the larger ones are done.
Use a thermometer for confidence – Chicken should be cooked through and piping hot in the centre. A food thermometer should read 75°C in the UK, or 165°F for US readers.

Perfect with my copycat Raising Cane’s sauce.

A hand dips a Crispy Chicken Tender into chicken-tender-dipping sauce, with golden crinkle-cut chips in the background.

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Leftovers Guide

These crispy chicken tenders are best eaten fresh, when the coating is at its crunchiest.
However, leftovers can be cooled, covered and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until piping hot throughout. The air fryer is especially good for bringing back some of that crunch.

Watch how to make it

Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix together, cover, and place in the fridge to marinade for at least 1 hour (up to over night)

4 chicken breasts, 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Preheat the oven to a low heat (to keep the cooked chicken warm). Heat a large pan of oil (or preheat your deep fat fryer) until hot (you can test by dropping a small cube of bread in there, if it rises immediately to the top and starts to bubble rapidly, it’s hot enough). You’ll need at least 1 litre (4 cups) of oil.

oil for frying
Mix together the crispy coating ingredients in a bowl.

180 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp celery salt, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp chilli flakes
Take the chicken out of the fridge. Lift a piece from the buttermilk and allow the excess to drip off. Dredge the chicken in the crispy coating mixture – ensuring it’s fully covered. Place on a tray and repeat until all of the chicken is coated.
Once the oil is hot enough, add in 5 or 6 of the chicken tenders. You can add more or less depending on the size of your pan, just be sure not to overcrowd the chicken. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked in the middle. You can check this by cutting open a piece of chicken, if it’s no longer pink in the middle, it’s cooked.
Place on a tray in the oven to keep warm whilst you cook the rest of the chicken.
Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Nutritional Information is per serving.
This info is approximate, as all of the flour may not be used up in coating the chicken (I’ve counted all of the flour as part of the nutritional info though). Also, I’ve included 1.5 tbsp of oil per serving to account for the oil that is absorbed during deep drying (this is an *approximate* amount, the chicken may absorb more or less).

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

This recipe was first posted in July 2017. Updated since with recipe improvements and for housekeeping reasons.

What to serve with Chicken Tenders

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