Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
Truly crispy fried chicken tenders are a dinnertime staple you’re whole family will love. Get all my tips for making that crispy crust you crave, seasoning like a pro (and shortcuts if you don’t know how), and fry them up like “cast iron skillet” is your middle name.
Key Points for this Recipe
- Learning to fry is tricky at first. If you want to use an electric skillet to keep the heat even, you can do that. Otherwise cast iron will give you the most even heat.
- Expect that you may get the oil too hot and burn your chicken tenders or too cool and cause the breading to fall off. This happens as you’re learning. Adjust your heat up or down as needed.
- Make sure your flour is well seasoned. You can also just season the chicken directly. You’ll need more seasoning than you think you will for the flavor to carry over to the final product.
- Consider adding garlic powder, onion powder, or other seasonings to the flour. 1-2 teaspoons should do it, or to taste.
- Press the breading on your chicken tenders very firmly and let them sit 5 minutes before frying. This helps the breading really bond with the chicken.
- I like to use chicken breasts sliced in to strips as my “tenders” instead of actual tenders because of the tough tendon that runs through them.
- Refined coconut oil is excellent for frying if you don’t want to use vegetable oil.
How to store leftover chicken tenders
Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to three days.
Seasoning options
Try these as cajun chicken or Nashville hot versions.
How to know if chicken tenders are done
Cook your tenders to an internal temperature of 165 f, and there should be no pink inside when you cut them open. You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature if you are unsure.
Watch me make the full recipe on YouTube
Add a skillet of cornbread and you’ll be all set! You can learn how to make cornbread here if you don’t know how or get brave and learn how to fry bone-in buttermilk fried chicken.
Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds chicken tenders or 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into 1-inch thick strips
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Fill a 9-inch cast iron or standard skillet with about 2 inches of oil. Start heating it over medium-high heat while you bread the chicken. (Keep an eye on it!)
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and pepper.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg and water
- Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating well. Shake off excess flour and dip in the egg, the back in the flour.
- Set the chicken to the side to rest for about 5 minutes. (This helps the coating stick better)
- Check your oil temperature with a candy thermometer if necessary (you should be around 365-375 degrees) or drop in a little bit of flour–if it sizzles immediately, you can add one piece of chicken.
- If the chicken sizzles, add about 5 pieces at a time and cook until golden brown on that side–about 8 to 10 minutes or so.
- Turn, and repeat until all brown.
- Cook the rest of the chicken in batches.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a little more salt if needed.
How long would I cook them in a deep fryer?
Hey Lei, You’d cook them about the same amount of time. The only difference between cooking them in a skillet and in a deep fryer is the actual cooking vessel. A fryer will help keep your oil temperature more steady as well (just don’t put too many pieces in at once).
Cast iron makes everything better!
How much water?
One to two tablespoons Janna. Just enough to thin it a bit.
These sound great. I love chicken recipes. Thanks for sharing this. Simon
You’re very welcome Simon! I hope you get a chance to try them soon. Remember: plenty of salt and good hot oil. 🙂
Do you have any recommendations for what kind of dip to serve this with? Or do you recommend nothing at all? I’m trying them tonight and wondering if I should make anything! Thank you (:
Hi Felicia–I’m sorry I wasn’t able to answer this sooner! I usually just go with whatever my family likes most (which is usually honey mustard)but they are certainly great plain too. 🙂 I hope you enjoyed them!
That’s totally alright! I ended up making a recipe I found for something called Comeback sauce – simple but good. And everyone loved them! Thanks for the reply (:
I’m glad they worked for you! And I’ve never had Comeback sauce, but if it makes them “come back” for more then it has to be good!
Can these be fried and then frozen?
Hey Rebekah, I know you may come across fried chicken in a grocery store freezer, but for the home cook anything fried is a NO for freezing. Here’s why: when you freeze that breading, the water molecules do some changing so when you thaw it, you get MUSH. Oily nasty mush. No one would be happy–trust me. Sorry 🙁
this is something my whole family enjoys, We live in the south and when in doubt fry something LOL
Yes girl! FRY. 🙂 Pickles, Twinkies, Donuts, you name it–I’m SO with you on that!
OK I had to say again – I REALLY HAVE TO MAKE THIS!!!
You are so silly Nagi! Let it go. Just let. It. Go.
My failed frying haunts me!
I know Kim! I’ve had some serious fails myself. 😉
That crust looks PERFECT PERFECT!!! And yes, I’m shocked it took you this long to get a fried chicken on here!!! 😉
I know! What in the world is wrong with me?! And thanks–fried chicken is where. It’s. At.