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.
Best way to heat leftover chicken?
I like to put it in a 300 degree oven for 15 or 20 minutes until warmed through. –Rachel
Better than Chicken fillet, the pessimistic family said, and delicious too! I got a, “you’re becoming quite the chef,” from the ‘ol father in-law… thanks for the recipe! Don’t forget to season, Season it very well!
Better than Chick Fil A? I’d have to agree because I hate CFA…but I’m sure plenty of others wouldn’t! Either way the praise of your family is what matters most David and I’m so glad you have it. –Rachel
Very easy to follow and it tasted wonderful!
Wonderful John! I’m so glad to hear that! –Rachel
Why did you only use salt and pepper? I think adding some onion/garlic powder or even a small amount of Italian seasoning
Hey Tyler,
Well…because traditional fried chicken doesn’t have onion or garlic powder or Italian seasoning in it. I meant this to be a base recipe and it’s easy to modify with whatever you’d like to put in. If you look up any original fried chicken recipe (with the exception of the good old Colonel himself, which was founded where I live), fried chicken is salt, pepper and flour and buttermilk for the most part. Feel free to put in whatever you enjoy. –Rachel
The absolute best recipe! Don’t change a thing! I have used this recipe three times resulting in delicious chicken every time! Thank you for sharing!
You’re so welcome Janet! –Rachel
Rachel, I made this for the Packer/ 49er’s game tonight, wow!!!!! Delicious, thank goodness I have several cast irons pans so had the perfect pan for deep frying, same one I use for fish?. I mixed some Cajun spice in with my flour, perfect. This is a simple recipe that produce great results!
Thanks
So glad you enjoyed them Mike! I watched the game too! –Rachel
This is a great recipe. Hadn’t made fried chicken in years and it was super easy. I upped the amount of seasoning and added some extra flavor, and it ended up perfect.
I actually deep fry on my outdoor grill. I use a stainless steel pan and pretty much follow the recipe above, and get great results. I try to get the grill temp up to around 450°. Once the oil is hot, just gently place the tenders in the pan and I usually cook for about 10-12 minutes total and keep an eye on it to watch the color. Better for the crust to be a little underdone than the chicken overcooked, IMO. I also check with a meat thermometer and the chicken is usually between 180-200° when I first take it off the grill. It comes out delicious! Only thing to be careful of is that if you splash or spill oil into the grill, you’re going to get flare-up, so take extra caution! Close the lid on the grill if it happens. Also, it’s best to put the pan of oil on the grill before you turn the grill on. The only thing I don’t do is the flour before the egg, so i will try that next time! I bet it will help build a more substantial crust.
Thanks for the tip!
I am so grateful for this recipe! <3 I have never "deep-fried" anything before, but I love cooking chicken on my cast iron skillet and I'm here to say I proved you wrong. With the high probability of error on the first attempt, I was ultra diligent, prayed to God, and waalllaaah! I nailed it on my first try! It's only going to get better from here:) thank you! (I will add that my first batch turned out great and I should have reduced the heat a little for the last two tenders… I think my pan was getting too hot)
Way to go Arizona! It will only get better from here–you’re right! I often have to work with the heat toward the end of frying as well. A bit of flour always settles to the bottom of the oil and starts to burn so you have to watch that. Just keep testing and you’ll find the perfect sweet spot on your stove! –Rachel
Excellent Recipe! Wonderful sense of humor to get ya thru it! ❤️?
Thank you for all your tips. Love your sense of humor, you’ll be helping get through all my tough cooking recipes as I see your honest and straight forward not sugar coating it is what I admire. Thanks for your help. Wish I had a larger cast iron. Mine is extra small and have no clue what to use it for as I got in a set of pans and haven’t used it yet. One donut at a time I suppose frying for hours. Lol. Any suggestions please forward it to me. Thank you
Hey Khristy, thank you for your kind words! I try not to be boring. 😉 If I were you I’d hit up an antique store and find myself some cast iron. I have a post on the site about how to care for and refurbish old stuff (you’ll want to sand it down and season it before using a random one) or you can certainly invest in a good 9 or 10 inch one from somewhere like Lodge cast iron. I love their products! It’s just practice and learning to use it but once you do you’ll love it. –Rachel
This recipe is a proven rock star! 62 year old single retiree cooks it just like he likes it. Recipes like this keep me from ever having to eat out. Lucky for me I can get Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour locally for a 1/5th the cost of Amazon. I am enjoying Rachel’s writing and recipes and look forward to expanding my cooking skillz with her help. Color this old man a devoted Feast and Farm fan!
Oh wonderful David! Welcome to the Feast and Farm family! –Rachel