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Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders

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One of my most popular recipes, these chicken tenders are marinated in seasoned buttermilk and pan-fried to crispy, crunchy perfection.

Bowl of buttermilk chicken tenders.

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)

Like most kids, my daughter prefers “kid food” to “grown-up food” any day of the week. Occasionally, it works to my advantage—a trip to McDonald’s makes excellent bribery—but most of the time I’m just dealing with a picky eater. Rather than desperately trying to coax her into eating dinner every night, sometimes I just make her favorites. These chicken tenders, marinated in seasoned buttermilk and pan-fried to crispy, crunchy perfection, are at the top of her list. They’re delicious plain, dipped in honey mustard sauce, or perched on top of a salad. And they’re not just for picky kids—everyone loves them.

What you’ll need To Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tendersingredients to make fried chicken tenders

Step-by-Step Instructions

To marinate the chicken: In a large sealable bag, combine the chicken tenders with the buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Seal the bag tightly and massage the chicken until it is evenly coated with buttermilk and seasoning.

chicken tenders marinating in bag

Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

chicken tenders in a bag in a bowl to prevent leakage

When you’re ready to cook them, make the breading: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

breading ingredients in bowlWhisk until well blended.

whisked dry ingredients for coatingAdd the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly clumpy.

Bowl of clumpy coating.Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and toss into the breading mixture.

breading the tenderloins

Be sure to press the chicken firmly into the breading so clumps adhere to the meat. (It’s a messy job: use one hand to remove the wet tenders from the bag and the other to toss in the breading.)

breading the tenderloinsSet breaded tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet.

breaded tenders on baking sheet

To fry the chicken: Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels and set next to the stove. Add oil to a large, high-sided pot until the level reaches about 3/4-inch. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350°). (If a cube of bread sizzles when you drop it in, it’s ready.) Using tongs, place several chicken tenders in the hot oil without crowding the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom side, a few minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, a few minutes more.

chicken tenders frying in oilSet the cooked tenders on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

fried chicken tenders draining on paper towelsFry remaining tenders in batches adjusting the heat as necessary (if the tenders are browning too fast, lower the heat). Serve hot with honey mustard sauce.

Bowl of buttermilk chicken tenders.

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)

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Video Tutorial

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders

One of my most popular recipes, these chicken tenders are marinated in seasoned buttermilk and pan-fried to crispy, crunchy perfection.

Servings: 4
Total Time: 40 Minutes, plus at least 4 hours marinating time

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika

For the Breading

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk

For Cooking

  • 3-4 cups vegetable oil, for cooking

Instructions

  1. To marinate the chicken: In a large sealable bag, combine the chicken tenders with the remaining marinade ingredients. Seal the bag tightly and massage the chicken until it is evenly coated with buttermilk and seasoning. Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2. To make the breading: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then add the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly clumpy.
  3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and toss into the breading mixture. Be sure to press the chicken firmly into the breading so clumps adhere to the meat. (It's a messy job: use one hand to remove the wet tenders from the bag and the other to toss in the breading.) Set breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
  4. To fry the chicken: Line another baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels and set next to the stove. Add oil to a large, high-sided pot until the level reaches about ¾-inch. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350°). (If a cube of bread sizzles when you drop it in, it's ready.) Using tongs, place several chicken tenders in the hot oil without crowding the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom side, a few minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, a few minutes more. Set the cooked tenders on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Fry remaining tenders in batches adjusting the heat as necessary (if the tenders are browning too fast, lower the heat). Serve hot.
  5. Note: I find that it's hard to tell how golden the chicken is when it's immersed in the oil. It may only look lightly golden, but it's actually a perfect fried chicken golden brown. If you're unsure, simply pull a tender out of the oil and rest it on the paper towels to see the true color.
  6. Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the chicken tenders when frying.
  7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked chicken tenders can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, put the frozen tenders on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven until heated through and crisp, about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (4 servings)
  • Calories: 925
  • Fat: 51
  • Saturated fat: 1
  • Carbohydrates: 75g
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 41g
  • Sodium: 1866mg
  • Cholesterol: 96mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Could I follow the recipe as is using boneless skinless thighs? Thank you!

    • Sure. Not sure if it will impact the cooking time at all though, so make sure you check them for doneness before serving. Please report back and let me know how they turn out with thighs. 🙂

  • These were absolutely out of this world! I loved how simple the breading was with just one mixture instead of a three part situation you typically see. I did find if you keep the oil around 350 they only take about two minutes on each side. But despite the internal temperature of mine reaching above 165 they were still juicy and tender. An absolute 10/10.

  • There have been so many great reviews, but I have to add one more. I cooked these tenders today and they are a hit with both my husband and me. It’s our 39th anniversary and I’ve never made really great chicken tenders until today. lol
    This recipe is a keeper! Thanks!

    I followed the recipe to the letter and prepped everything yesterday. Highly recommend this to anyone. Seasonings are on point!

  • Huge hit with the family!! And so easy.

    • — Jennifer Nesler
    • Reply
  • These were delicious!! My family absolutely loved them. The spices were perfect and added to the overall flavor without being overwhelming. The chicken was light and did not taste oily or greasy. I have always been somewhat afraid to fry chicken because I thought it would taste greasy; also, I like to cook healthy foods. I have tried to find a good oven recipe for chicken tenders, but my family has never been too impressed by my efforts. I decided to give this a try as it was a Friday night, and we try to have something fun on Friday nights if we don’t go out. So glad that I tried this recipe! I have your cookbook and all of the recipes I have tried have been awesome! Thanks for a great recipe!!

    • — Jennifer Hobbs
    • Reply
  • Amazing! I have developed food allergies and haven’t been able to eat fried chicken at a restaurant for years. I promise you that I have searched for the best fried chicken ANYTHING. I am experienced in the kitchen but have been truly disappointed with my results (they never really had that fried chicken taste I was missing – you don’t realize how much you love something until you can’t have it anymore!) This was a winner!! My whole family gobbled it up. I have already ordered more chicken tenderloins for dinner tomorrow! Many thanks for this recipe! I just wish I had found it sooner 🙂

  • Will it taste just as great if I just use the marinade and pan-fry them without the batter and deep-frying? (Or is there anything I should add?)

    • Unfortunately, I don’t think that will work well — sorry!

  • Absolutely outstanding. I’ve made and loved many of Jenn’s recipes–I can’t believe it took me this long to try this one. I followed the recipe exactly other than kept my pieces whole rather than cut into tenders. I’ve never been able to achieve that texture before–the best!!! I thought the tip about testing the temp with a cube of bread was great, too. Once again, THANK YOU, Jenn!!!

  • I made the recipe. It was Amazing! Awesome, Delicious, and easy,
    Thank you 🙂

  • This recipe really does make terrific chicken tenders. I’m not an experienced cook—my specialties are spaghetti with meat sauce and Chunky soup 😀—and this was easy to execute. I just followed the instructions and the tenders turned out great. I’ll bookmark this one and use it again.

  • Since trying this recipe, my family requests it all the time! Super easy, quick and the BEST tasting chicken strip ever! Thank you for this recipe.

  • I made these last night. Delicious!! I followed the recipe to a T. I did have an issue if someone can chime in. When I removed the tenders from the cast iron skillet they were all golden brown and looked awesome but the crust did not stay on the chicken, it did on some but not all. Like I said, we loved the recipe and plan on trying again. Taste was there just not sure what I did wrong.

    • Hi Jackie, Sorry you struggled with these a bit. If the batter came off, the oil may not have been hot enough. A good way to ensure the oil is hot enough before you fry the tenders is to drop a cube of bread into the oil; if sizzles when you drop it in, it’s ready.

  • Just made these last night and this is a really solid recipe! I followed as written and this is the recipe I will go to from now on. Only thing I found is that I went through double the amount of breading. Not sure why but they were crispy and delicious and heated up wonderfully the next day. Good as cold leftovers right out of the fridge too so I can see using them for a salad. (Or just standing at the fridge eating one for a snack) 😊 Many thanks for developing and sharing this recipe.

  • These were a hit in our house. I’ve only fried food a few times so I wasn’t sure how it would go. It wasn’t hard at all. I surprised myself and will definitely be making these again. I made them for a casual kid friendly weekend dinner and served them with a platter of sliced vegetables, fruit and the buttermilk ranch & honey mustard sauce. Delicious!

  • Having extra buttermilk on hand, I decided to try your recipe for Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and my family loved dinner last night! Thank you for sharing your wonderful dishes – I made your chocolate cupcakes last week (I typically make cookies or brownies) and they were amazing. I keep returning to your website because I am confident they are fail proof -many thanks!

  • Great recipe, very easy. I was lazy and threw too many in my flour mix so it basically turned into a swamp that I had to navigate. Lesson learned. I also might add some extra heat in both mixes but not much else.
    Pan fried in Canola with a black iron skillet. Turned out awesome!

  • Could I bake these in an air fryer and what would you suggest the time/temp be?

    • Hi Angela, I don’t have an air fryer and don’t know much about using one so I can’t say for sure – sorry! You may find these tips helpful in converting traditional recipes to air fryer versions. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you make them in an air fryer!

  • Absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for this recipe. Always a winner in my house! Can you tell me if you’ve ever made these into chicken nuggets? If so, how would you go about doing that?

    • So glad you like them! I haven’t made these as nuggets but I think you can. Cook time may be slightly shorter. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them!

  • I did an experiment with this recipe: pan fried vs. air fried. 100% pan fry these!! They are so great. My 2 year old is gobbling them up! Thank you!!

  • It was amazing. Did some in the air fryer at 160 Celsius for 10 mins and the rest in the pan. Both were great. Son went back for seconds. Favourite chicken recipe ever. Will definitely be making it a regular thing.

  • Jenn,

    These are absolutely the best chicken tenders ever! I’ve been making them for over a year and they come out delicious and consistent every time. I‘ve passed this recipe along to family and friends, with similar results and rave reviews. Your pictures make it easy to know that you are following the steps correctly. My only comment would be that I always make a little more dry mixture than the recipe calls for, as I was very close to running out the first time I made them. Thanks, Michael

  • Could you cook these in an air fryer??

    • — Kaine Stoneham
    • Reply
    • Hi Kaine, I don’t have an air fryer and don’t know much about using one so I can’t say for sure – sorry! You may find these tips helpful in converting traditional recipes to air fryer versions. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you make them in an air fryer!

    • OMG sooooo good!! These turned out crispy and tender. Will be making these forever. Thanks

  • Absolutely delicious! This fried chicken tenders recipe was perfect!
    Would this recipe also work for whole piece bone in fried chicken?

    • Glad you enjoyed these! I think these are best with boneless chicken but if you want to use it for bone-in chicken, after frying them until golden, you’ll have to finish cooking the pieces in a 350°F oven, as they won’t cook fully in the pan before getting too dark. I’m guessing they’ll need at least 30-40 minutes in the oven after frying, but not certain how long so keep a close eye on them.

      • Much appreciated! All my family and friends love your recipes 🙂

  • Have you tried baking these? They are delicious fried! But my mom can’t eat fried foods anymore..

    • Hi Brittney, these really are best fried – sorry! If you’d prefer chicken tenders that you can bake, I’d suggest these (the recipe indicates that they should be pan-fried, but you can get away with baking them for a healthier option (at 350°F for 15 – 20 minutes). Hope you enjoy if you make them!

  • Jenn, Yum!!! Thank you!!!
    Fool proof recipe! Absolutely delicious! Freezes really well.
    I substituted paprika for chipotle flakes – it worked great. I have shared this recipe with many friends who all happily report the same wonderful results.
    Sending gratitude and love from London, UK <3 xXx

  • I just want to add my applause for this recipe. These are the best tender chicken fingers that I have ever made. This is a recipe that I make very frequently because it is so good. Thanks.

    • — Henning Mortensen
    • Reply
  • If I am cutting the recipe in half, I’m assuming that I will be cutting the marinade in half as well

  • These were excellent, they were moist and tender. I served them with Caesar Salad (your dressing recipe). We’re having the left overs for Happy Hour with a dipping sauce.

  • I’ve been searching high and low for the best fried chicken recipe and this one hits the mark! Super easy to prepare (follow Jenn’s helpful hints) and so flavorful all the way through to the moist, juicy chicken!

    • — Julie Nakahara
    • Reply
  • Awesome! I loved the tip of pressing the chicken into clumps of the flour mixture. For the 3 tbsp of buttermilk to add to the flour to make the clumps, I just got that out of my original marinade and it worked perfectly. Tasted great.

  • Made these with chicken breast cut into strips. Worked out great and they were awesome. Do you recommend taking the tendon out of the tenderloins?

    • Glad you liked them! I usually don’t bother to cut off the tendon unless it’s large.

      • Really excited to try this recipe but doesn’t say how long to cook.

        • Hi Joanne, Cook them until golden brown on the bottom side, a few minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, a few minutes more. Hope you enjoy!

  • Perfect recipe. My chicken tenders came out juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside with a nicely seasoned breading. Mine were pretty thin, so I only had to cook them for around 4 minutes. I was a little worried that something was going to happen with the breading because I breaded them and had to let them sit for a minute while I did a first fry of a batch of french fries (I do the double fry method, so I fried them again after the chicken was done); it looked like the breading was getting soaked up by the chicken, but it came out perfectly.

  • Hi Jenn! I am not into frying with canola, corn, peanut, or soybean oil due to allergies, but I want to make these for my sons. Would coconut or grapeseed oil work well with this recipe? What other kind of vegetable oil would you recommend?

    • — Nicole Williams
    • Reply
    • Hi Nicole, I’ve never fried these with anything but vegetable oil, but one reader commented that she used grapeseed oil successfully (and I read that it has a high smoke point so I suspect it should work). Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

      • Hi Jenn! I used grapeseed oil, and La Tourangelle is the brand I used. The tenders were so delicious! Kiddos and adults loved them. This recipe will become a staple in our house!

        • — Nicole Williams
        • Reply
        • Thanks for reporting back – so glad they were a hit! 🙂

  • I have sent this recipe to so many of my friends. I substituted flour for gluten free flour. It was amazing!

  • Is the nutritional content per serving or for the full recipe?

    • Hi Amanda, it’s per serving.

  • These are delicious! I add 50% to the spices as my personal preference and it gives them a nice mild spice without being hot. 11/10 Tendies

  • Would these still be yummy at room temperature?

    • — Robin Macgillivray
    • Reply
    • Hi Robin, I prefer them hot because when they’re cold, they’re not crunchy. That said, I do put leftovers in my kids’ lunches and they enjoy them just fine. Hope that helps!

  • This was my first time frying chicken. The tenders were DELICIOUS. However, a lot of the batter fell off during frying. What did I do wrong? Can’t wait to make these again! Hopefully next time it’ll be perfect.

    • Hi Claudia, Glad you liked these! If the batter came off during frying, the oil may not have been hot enough. A good way to ensure the oil is hot enough is to drop a cube of bread into the oil; if sizzles when you drop it in, it’s ready.

      • Woohoo!!! Success!! They came out perfect this time. Thanks!!

    • Can I deep fry this breading? Maybe more butter milk?

      • I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!

        • I was confused to what she was asking. May I deep fry these in a deep fryer (not pan fried)? If yes, do you have a recommended temperature and cook time? Thank you!

          • Hi Annamae, Yes, a deep fryer will work here. The oil temperature should be between 350 and 375 degrees. (You’ll want the oil hot enough that if you were to drop a cube of bread into it, it would sizzle.) I don’t know about timing in a deep fryer as I’ve not used one, but another reader commented that they cooked them for 6 minutes so you could use that as a ballpark number. Hope that helps!

            • — Jenn
  • Made the chicken tenders for dinner and the family loved them. Crisp and juicy on the inside. Did not alter anything in the recipe and it came out perfect. Thank you Jenn!

  • Made this and it was so good! The breading was perfect, thank you for sharing this!

  • Hi Jenn, would this work with chicken drumsticks?

    • Hi Geeta, I do think it’d work, but you might have to finish baking them in the oven if they start to get too brown in the oil.

      • Thank you, I will let you know if I decided to give this a try!

  • Yum! I’m not a fried chicken fan but this chicken was so flavorful it was hard to stop eating. I made it with fresh chicken and the chicken was so tender! I made the buttermilk ranch recipe from this website as well. That paired with a touch of fresh squeezed lemon on these tenders… mmm… perfection! I fried these in my wok and used the leftover marinade with some extra flour to make onion rings. My whole family enjoyed this recipe. Even with the extra helping I felt fantastic afterwards (not heavy or greasy). This will be my new go-to fried chicken recipe. Thanks for sharing. 😁

  • Another fabulous recipe, Jen. So good – very crunchy and tender chicken. The level of spice is just right – not too hot (my husband doesnt like too much heat from spice). Thank you!

  • We made this recipe last night to go with waffles. We made buttermilk waffles, and added crispy chicken tenders for a home run. I did tenderize the chicken prior to marinating it. I smashed it with meat tenderizer oh, it really was heavenly. I liked having the chicken all laid out on the pan prior to frying. Everyone raved. We served it with sage and Serrano chili infused maple syrup.

  • This was a hit! I used this recipe to also bread and fry cauliflower and that was equally delicious. I subbed KA GF 1:1 flour without issue. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

  • Made this for the first time and it was incredible. Instead of tenders, I used strips of chicken breasts as that is all I had on hand and they turned out great. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you for providing an awesome recipe!

  • I’ve made these several times now. They are a firm favourite with the family & so easy to make.

  • Amazing and a winner with x2 very very fussy teenage boys. I got high praise indeed and was told it was better than a kFC boneless banquet 🥳

    • LOL – glad they were well-received! 🙂

      • Would this recipe work in an air fryer?

        • Hi Carol, I don’t have an air fryer & don’t know much about using one so I can’t say for sure – sorry! You may find these tips helpful in converting recipes to air fryer versions. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you make them in an air fryer!

  • I have never fried chicken before, but had two enormous chicken breasts and some leftover buttermilk in my fridge so I thought I’d give something new a try. I cut the breasts into “tenders”.

    This recipe made my husband curse and say, “This is f&ck!ng phenomenal!” That’s how good it is. MY KIDS HAD SECONDS! That’s the true sign of a great recipe. Thank you thank you thank you! I’ve been singing your praises since last night’s dinner!

    • LOL – so glad you enjoyed! 🙂

    • Hahaha Your comment is hilarious. My husband and I agree with your husband!

  • Hi! Do you think this recipe will this work the same if I use homemade buttermilk with just milk and lemon?

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