The whole family likes a good chicken strip. Here is one of these simple recipes you can do over and over.
Start with chicken tenders or breasts cut into strips. Soak in buttermilk (or a substitute I will cover later) while the oil gets hot. Coat with a flour and seasoning salt and fry a few minutes on each side and you are done. A 4/10 only because it involves frying and you’re afraid of that. Once you try it, it will be 2/10.
I tried several methods, but this is the easiest with the best results. I tried multiple spices, but just some Lowey’s was better. This is a Pioneer Woman recipe. The key to the crispy crust to get chunks of the breading to stick. I first saw this coating technique on Cooks Country. By adding some liquid to the flour coating, it will clump a little and make a much crisper coat.
Rating
< I started to give a four since it is just chicken strips. But it is a great chicken strip: easy, tasty and crunchy. Notes:
Feel free to play with the spicing. Add a little Cayenne heat for that Football weekend party perhaps. As a buttermilk substitute: add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and let set for 5 minutes. Or there is also dried buttermilk available, and I keep some on hand for those small “cooking for two” needs. I was experimenting with recipes, so I bought real buttermilk, but the substitutes should work if needed.
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This is all you need.
Pat dry 1 pound of chicken tenders or cut skinless boneless chicken breasts into strips. Trim well.
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.
Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat. I used about 2 cups in a 12 inch cast iron fry pan. Get to a steady temp of about 365 plus or minus. Don’t be under 350 or above 400.
Mix 1 1/2 cups AP flour with 1 T of Lowey’s seasoning salt. Other seasoning salts should be fine or make your own spicing. Mix well.
Now drizzle 1/4 cup buttermilk into the flour mixture while continuously mixing.
It will make a “shaggy” coating.
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and coat in the flour mixture.
Coat well and place on a plate.
When you place the chicken in the oil, the temp will drop. Increase the heat at this point. I went from 1/2 to 3/4 to maintain the temp in the 350 to 400 range.
Cook in batches about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temp of 165.
Cover with plate or place in oven to keep warm.
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Crispy Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken tenders - about 8
- 1 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt - Lowey’s
- buttermilk
- oil
Instructions
- Pat dry 1 pound of chicken tenders or cut skinless boneless chicken breasts into strips. Trim well.
- 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 as a holding spot for cooked strips.
- Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat. I used about 2 cups in a 12 inch cast iron fry pan. Get to a steady temp of 365 plus or minus. Don’t be under 350 or above 400.
- Mix 1 1/2 cups AP flour with 1 T of Lowey’s seasoning salt. Other seasoning salts should be fine or make your own spicing. Mix well.
- Now drizzle 1/4 cup buttermilk into the flour mixture while continuously mixing. It will make a “shaggy” coating.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and coat in the flour mixture. Coat well and place on a plate.
- When you place the chicken in the oil, the temp will drop. Increase the heat at this point. I went from 1/2 to 3/4 to maintain the temp in the 350 to 400 range.
- Cook in batches about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temp of 165.
- Cover with plate or place in oven to keep warm.
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Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Dinad
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!
DrDan
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
Rita Ocasio
I think you meant Lawry’s seasoning but I will use Tony Chachere’s seasoning.
Chris
Look at that pretty white Thermapen! Best kitchen tool ever, IMO.
Top Cuisine avec Lavi
Delicious!!!!!!!! Great recipe! I will try it!
Hillary Miller
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