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    🏠Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Extra Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

    Feb 12, 2020 · Modified: Jan 27, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 7 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.47 from 13 votes

    Golden brown extra crispy fried chicken tender the whole family will love. Start with a buttermilk marinade, covere with a chunky coating, and then fried to perfection on your stove top. Learn the secrets to extra crispy tenders today.

    close up of cripsy fried chicken tender
    Jump To:
    • 😊Why you will love this recipe
    • 👨‍🍳How to fry chicken tenders
    • 🐓Ingredients
    • ♨️Frying Tips
    • 🥣Extra crispy and the secret of the shaggy coat
    • ✔️FAQs
    • Serving and storage of leftovers
    • 📖Kid-friendly chicken recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    😊Why you will love this recipe

    • A traditional "kid food" the whole family, even the pickiest kids, love.
    • It is quick and easy once you learn to control the oil temperature.
    • You control the ingredients—no hidden preservatives or chemicals.
    • The shaggy coating gives a wonderful extra crispy coating.
    • Use dipping sauces if you want.
    • Easy to follow step-by-step photo instructions.

    This is an adaptation of a Pioneer Woman recipe. Most other recipes made a simple thing hard, and it really is not that hard.

    👨‍🍳How to fry chicken tenders

    • Trim and pat dry chicken tenders or strips of skinless boneless chicken breasts.
    • Marinade chicken in buttermilk for 15- 20 minutes while you work on the coating and oil.
    • Heat ¼ to ½ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Get to a steady temperature of about 365°. Don't be under 325° or above 375°.
    • Mix the coating of flour with seasoning salt and black or white pepper in a shallow bowl.the c
    • Drizzle some buttermilk into the flour mixture while continuously mixing. It will make a "shaggy" coating.
    • Remove the chicken from the buttermilk tand shake off the excess—do not dry. Coat in the flour mixture.
    • Let sit for 5 minutes before cooking.
    • When you place the chicken in the oil, the temp will drop. Increase the burner setting some at this point to maintain the temp in the 325°-375° range.
    • Cook in batches about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temp of 165°.
    • Drain the cooked chicken tenders on a paper towel or a wire rack. Tent the plate with foil or place in a 200° oven to keep warm.

    🐓Ingredients

    • Chicken tenders—AKA chicken fingers or chicken breast tenderloins. A pound of chicken tenders will have 7-8 tenders. Trim the tendon and flattened some to even out the thickness. You can "fake" chicken tenders by cutting skinless boneless chicken breasts into strips across the grain.
    • Buttermilk—or substitute
    • Flour—All-purpose
    • Seasoning salt—excellent spicing in one bottle. It has garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and other things.
    • Pepper—black pepper is fine but white pepper will give some KFC taste.
    • Vegetable Oil—corn, canola, or peanut oil

    ♨️Frying Tips

    • A heavy pan like a Dutch oven or cast iron will hold the temperature better.
    • The oil should be a neutral oil, like corn, peanut, or canola oil.
    • If you have some way to continuously monitor the oil temp, use it.
    • Kept the between 325° and 375°. Start at the high end of the range since the temperature will drop when the tenders are added. Once you add the tenders, you will need to turn up the burner to keep the temperature in range.
    • Do nor fry under 325°, the breading will absorb more oil.
    • You can use a countertop deep fryers if you have one.

    🥣Extra crispy and the secret of the shaggy coat

    By adding some liquid to the flour coating, it will clump a little. When cooked, those clumps will make a much crisper coating. The key to the extra crispy coating is to get chunks of the breading to stick.

    I first saw this coating technique in Cooks Country. But the same technique was also in the model Pioneer Woman recipe. Cooks Country discovered this by noticing that when a flour-based coating was used, the chicken later in the cooking had a crunchier coating that was due to some clumping in the flour.

    ✔️FAQs

    What can be used instead of buttermilk?

    Buttermilk has a low pH and will tenderize the chicken by breaking down proteins. So it does contribute to the final results.

    You can make a substitute for buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar per cup of regular milk and letting it rest for about 5 minutes before using it.

    If you want nothing to do with the milk, trim and pat dry the tenders, pat dry, then use a whipped egg to coat first instead of milk. You can also skip the buttermilk in the coating or just use water to make it clumpy.

    Should I use panko bread crumbs?

    No, bread crumbs work great when "frying" in the oven but with deep frying, they are not needed.

    If you want a chicken tender recipe with panko, see Baked Chicken Tenders.

    How to keep the breading attached to chicken.

    1) Shake off excess buttermilk. Do not pat dry.
    2) Coat with with the flour mixture.
    3) After coating with the flour mixture, set it on a flat surface like a cutting board or plate for about 5 minutes to allow the layers to combine and adhere better.
    4) Fry near the high end of the temperature range.
    5) Flip and move the least possible. Things like tongs will rip the breading. So use a fork and stab the edges.

    Serving and storage of leftovers

    Serving

    Many people, especially kids, love to dip their chicken tenders. Try BBQ sauce, Ranch Dressing, Honey mustard sauce, or anything you like.

    For side dishes, fruit bowls, side salads, potato or sweet potato fries are frequently used.

    Storage of leftovers

    Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They will freeze for 3 months.

    📖Kid-friendly chicken recipes

    Baked Chicken Tenders

    Oven Baked Chicken Legs — Quick and Easy

    Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

    Grilled Chicken Tenders

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Chicken Breast Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    Chicken tenders with buttermilk and seasoning

    One pound of chicken tenders will be 7-8 tenders.

    Trimming the tendon off the tenderloin with a knife

    Pat dry 1 pound of chicken tenders or cut skinless boneless chicken breasts into strips. Trim well.

    covering chicken tenders with buttermilk

    Put strips into a deep bowl and cover with buttermilk. It took only a cup for me. Let soak for 15- 20 minutes while you work on the coating and oil. If you are cooking a large amount, preheat the oven to 200 with a cooking sheet for a place to hold the cooked strips.

    checking oil temperature

    Heat ¼ to ½ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat. I used about 2 cups in a 12-inch fry pan. Get to a steady temperature of about 365°. Don't be under 325° or above  375°.

    pouring seasoning salt into flour

    Mix 1 ½ cups AP flour with 1 tablespoon of Lowey's seasoning salt. Options of adding 1 teaspoon of white or black pepper. Also, an option of ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Other seasoning salts should be fine, or make your own spicing combination. Mix well.

    adding buttermilk to flour mixture

    Now drizzle ¼ cup buttermilk into the flour mixture while continuously mixing.

    mixing buttermilk to the flour mixture

    It will make a "shaggy" coating.

    coating the chicken tenders in the flour mixture

    Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shake off excess buttermilk, and coat it in the flour mixture.

    Chicken tenders with shaggy coating on a white plate

    Place the coated tenders on a plate. Let sit for 5 minutes before cooking.

    placing chicken tender into hot oil with a fork

    When you place the chicken in the oil, the temp will drop. Increase the burner setting some at this point to maintain the temp in the 325°-375° range.

    chicken tenders cooking in hot oil

    Cook in batches for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temp of 165°. These can cook very quickly if your oil temperature is high. If the oil is colder, the time sincreases, and they will absorb more oil.

    fried tenders on white plate

    Drain on a paper towel or rack. Tent with foil or place in a 200° oven to keep warm while you do more batches.

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    📝Recipe

    fried chicken tenders on white plate

    Extra Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Golden brown extra crispy fried chicken tender the whole family will love. Start with a buttermilk marinade, covere with a chunky coating, and then fried to perfection on your stove top. Learn the secrets to extra crispy tenders today.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.47 from 13 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 8 servings

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 pound Chicken tenders - about 8
    • 1 ½ cup AP flour
    • 1 tablespoon seasoning salt - Lowey’s
    • buttermilk
    • oil
    • ½ teaspoon white or black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Pat dry 1 pound of chicken tenders or cut skinless boneless chicken breasts into strips. Trim well.
      Trimming the tendon off the tenderloin with a knife
    • Put strips into a deep bowl and cover with buttermilk. It took only a cup for me. Let soak for 15- 20 minutes while you work on the coating and oil. If you are cooking a large amount, preheat the oven to 200 with a cooking sheet for a place to hold the cooked strips.
      covering chicken tenders with buttermilk
    • Heat ¼ to ½ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat. I used about 2 cups in a 12-inch fry pan. Get to a steady temperature of about 365°. Don't be under 325° or above  375°.
      checking oil temperature
    • Mix 1 ½ cups AP flour with 1 tablespoon of Lowey's seasoning salt. Options of adding 1 teaspoon of white or black pepper. Also, an option of ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Other seasoning salts should be fine or make your own spicing combination. Mix well.
      pouring seasoning salt into flour
    • Drizzle ¼ cup buttermilk into the flour mixture while continuously mixing.
      adding buttermilk to flour mixture
    • It will make a "shaggy" coating.
      mixing buttermilk to the flour mixture
    • Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shake off excess buttermilk, and coat it in the flour mixture.
      coating the chicken tenders in the flour mixture
    • Place the tenders on a plate. Let sit for 5 minutes before cooking.
      Chicken tenders with shaggy coating on a white plate
    • When you place the chicken in the oil, the temp will drop. Increase the burner setting some at this point to maintain the temp in the 325°-375° range.
      placing chicken tender in hot oil to cook
    • Cook in batches for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temp of 165°. These can cook very quickly if your oil temperature is high. If the oil is colder, the time increases, and they will absorb more oil.
      fried tenders on white plate
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. Do not try this recipe without a good instant read thermometer. Try the oven baked recipe if you don't have the correct equipment.
    2. Chicken tenders are preferred, but you can cut strips of chicken breasts. If you do that, cut across the grain.
    3. If one or two tenders are thicker than the others, flatten them to even out the cooking time.
    4. The pepper and cayenne pepper are optional. I highly suggest the white pepper, which adds a wonderful taste and it is the “secret” ingredient of KFC.
    5. Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Corn, peanut, or canola are good choices.
    6. The most common error in stovetop frying is the temperature and keeping it within a range between 325° and 375°. If you cook at a lower temperature, it takes longer, but the bigger issue is the absorption of too much oil. If too high a temperature, the outside cooks rapidly.and maybe burnt before the center is done (165°).
    7. You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and allowing it to sit for 5 minutes before using.
    8. Nutrition is calculated on my estimate of fat absorption during frying.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Extra Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 216 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g5%
    Cholesterol 37mg12%
    Sodium 70mg3%
    Potassium 240mg7%
    Carbohydrates 18g6%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 30IU1%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 11mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Originally Published September 16, 2012. Updated with expanded options and discussions. Refreshed photos, some from other cooking, so they may not match the pan but convey the meaning. And a table of contents was added to help navigation.

    Molly and Lilly with pink puppy

    More Chicken Recipes

    • Grilled Whole Chicken without Spatchcocking
    • Super Moist Grilled Reversed Seared Chicken Breast with Marinade
    • Extra Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
    • Baked Split Chicken Breasts (Bone-in)

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    1. Ruth Gray

      February 05, 2020 at 3:12 pm

      Very good recipe cook my first chicken tenders in buttermilk and flour. Thank you

      Reply
    2. Dinad

      December 11, 2018 at 9:44 am

      This is THE best fried chicken fingers recipe ever. I've always been afraid of frying, but you made it easy. The coating is crunchy and stays on. It's moist and delicious. My 19 year old ate something like 8 chicken fingers because he liked it so much. Just really awesome recipe. Thank you!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        December 11, 2018 at 9:48 pm

        Hi Dinad,

        Welcome to the blog.
        I think the "shaggy" coating makes this recipe. It is just a nice easy trick you wouldn't think of.
        I did this one for the kids but there is a little kid in all of us.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    3. Rita Ocasio

      April 19, 2018 at 2:34 am

      I think you meant Lawry's seasoning but I will use Tony Chachere's seasoning.

      Reply
    4. Chris

      September 23, 2012 at 12:58 pm

      Look at that pretty white Thermapen! Best kitchen tool ever, IMO.

      Reply
    5. Top Cuisine avec Lavi

      September 19, 2012 at 1:18 am

      Delicious!!!!!!!! Great recipe! I will try it!

      Reply
    6. Hillary Miller

      September 16, 2012 at 11:09 pm

      Hi DrDan,
      Your Crispy Chicken Tenders looks tasty
      You can submit your Crispy Chicken Tenders pics on It is a food photography site where members can submit all food pictures that make readers hungry :)
      I am already hungry to see these photos btw, LOL

      Reply

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