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.
Hiya! What should I out my electric skillet on to cook my tenders? Thanks!
Hi Cassidy, between 365 and 375 for frying.
Hi rachel, I’m super excited to make this recipe I’m going to cook it for dinner tonight. However I only have canola oil I know that oils heat up differently is it okay to use the canola oil?
Hi Mary, you can use canola oil if that’s what you have. It will heat up just fine! I stopped using canola/vegetable oil for health reasons, but it will heat and fry fine. I hope you enjoy the chicken!–Rachel
Can these be cooked in a deep fryer or best to stick with cast iron?
A deep fryer is just fine Karla. –Rachel
Hi Rachel Making this for dinner tonight. What oil do you use for frying? Thanks Mary Ann W
Sorry I’m a little late on this MaryAnn. I currently use refined coconut oil for frying or lard. Those are my two favorites. –Rachel
I’ve made these several times. My chicken tender addicted 21 year old son begs me to make them when he’s home from college! I serve with a “comeback sauce”.
This is an excellent recipe if you follow through exactly as how she have it listed my tenders was better than any restaurant I’ve ever been to they were big they were real juicy very tender on the inside nice & crispy texture on the outside thank you so much for this recipe I will use it all the time
Great job! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
This was perfect, never fried tenders before, not a cook at all, they turned out awesome. Simple is sometimes better. 🙂
It sure is Connie! Great job!
Can you bread the chicken ahead of time, put in the fridge for a few hours, and then later fry them up?
Hey Dana, I’ve never done it a few hours in advance. 30 minutes yes for sure but you’d have to test it. I’d be afraid the breading would stick to the other pieces and get pulled off unless you laid them in a single layer. –Rachel
Oh wow! These were absolutely delicious! I was a bit skeptical that they wouldn’t have much flavor with just the salt & pepper but I was sadly mistaken! I made them for dinner last night & it was my first attempt ever at frying chicken. Even my very picky 7 year old ate them & ate the most out of everyone. She even asked to have them for dinner again tonight and my son said “could we have these every night for dinner?” LOL The whole family raved about them. I will definitely be making these again once the smell of fried chicken dissipates from the house LOL
LOL it does make your house smell Joanne! I hear you on that but wow–what a win from the kids. I’m so glad they enjoyed them. Doesn’t it feel nice to see them sit down and actually eat what you made and like it?! I’m so glad for you. –Rachel
So 8 to 10 minutes on each side?
I know it seems like forever, doesn’t it? I think it depends on how big you cut your breast strips and your oil. It takes me 45 minutes to cook 3 skillets worth of tenders…about 4 breasts cut up. I think 5 to 6 minutes is fine for thinner smaller pieces. –Rachel
Are you able to do this recipe in the air fryer?
Hi Jillian, I have never tested these in an air fryer but if I’m remembering right I think some other readers have and they felt like they came out great. I would always recommend following the recipe as written the first time but you are absolutely welcome to give it a try. –Rachel