Crispy Golden Chicken Tenders (Printable)

Crispy, golden breaded chicken strips perfect for dipping in your favorite sauces.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb chicken breast fillets, cut into strips

→ Marinade

02 - ½ cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon paprika

→ Breading

07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

→ For Frying

13 - Vegetable oil for deep frying

→ To Serve

14 - Barbecue sauce
15 - Honey-mustard sauce

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl. Add chicken strips and marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours in refrigerator for enhanced tenderness.
02 - Set up three shallow dishes: flour mixed with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika in first bowl; beaten eggs in second bowl; panko breadcrumbs in third bowl.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each strip in flour mixture, dip in beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
04 - Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into deep skillet and heat to 350°F.
05 - Fry chicken tenders in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to wire rack or paper towels to drain.
06 - Arrange hot chicken tenders on serving platter alongside barbecue sauce and honey-mustard sauce for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken impossibly tender, like something you would get at a restaurant but better
  • Panko breadcrumbs create this incredible shatteringly crispy exterior that stays crunchy even after dipping
  • These freeze beautifully and reheat in the oven, so you can meal prep Sunday lunches for weeks
02 -
  • Pat the chicken strips dry before marinating, or the buttermilk will slide right off instead of clinging to the surface
  • Let the coated chicken sit for about 10 minutes before frying, which helps the breading set and prevents it from falling off in the oil
  • Oil temperature is everything, too cool and the breading gets greasy, too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through
03 -
  • Use one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry to keep your fingers from becoming a breading disaster
  • Get everything fully prepped before you start heating oil, because once frying begins you cannot walk away
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