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.
Anyone who’s made these, are they kid-friendly?
I guess we’d need to know what you define as kid friendly? Do you mean spicy or not spicy? They aren’t spicy so most kids love them! –Rachel
It worked out perfectly for me!
absolutely love it, thank you.
I made this exactly as instructed and was not happy with the texture . It was not crispy , after 1 one bite the breading came off the chicken. I did add paprika, onion, garlic powder for extra flavour but was very disappointed in the texture . Will not make this again .
Breading will fall off when the breading steams instead of fries. Too many piece in oil that’s too cool causes this. Turn the heat up or use an electric skillet. Your oil was too cold.
05.01.2026
Your recipe taught me how to make fried chicken strips successfully at the age of 70. I read your recipe and watched the video. Had made unsuccessful attempts before with other recipes but yours was the first who stressed to roll the strips in flour first, dip in the egg wash, roll in the flour again pressing down firmly to make as much of the flour stick as possible (I used the back of a large spoon), and then let sit on a platter for about 3 to 5 minutes before putting in the hot grease. Did like you said and tested the heat of the oil by dropping a pinch of flour to see if it would fizz then fried the strips without crowding them too much which would have dropped the temperature of the oil. Appreciated the hint in the video not to put the hot fried strips on paper towels because it would generate moisture but instead put them on a cookie drying rack over a rectangular pan so they could dry evenly without turning mushy. They were great! Made a batch yesterday and another today. Used skinless boneless chicken breasts. These turned out so well that I bought two family size packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts from Publix, rinsed them, sliced them into strips,and froze them in 1.5 lb freezer bags for future use. This will save me so much money that was being spent at the takeout Chicken box Store. Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m eating it right now an let me tell you, 10/10 recepie its so good!
If you like Raising Canes, you’ll love this recipe!
Came out great even though I used organic whole wheat flour, added some butter to oil and threw paprika into the seasoning mix. Served w baked sweet potato and a side of hummus. Yum
can I add some paprika for extra flavor
Sure! You can add any spices you like!
Could using a daddy fryer be an alternative way to cook them?
Sure if that’s what you want to do. You’ll use a ton of oil but it’s fine.
Came out really good. I added extra pepper cause that’s our family easy recipe super quick.
Recipe is great. Crispy and delicious Simple’s to make and easy clean up too. Serving with bush’s vegetarian baked beans.