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.
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 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.
Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
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.
Whisk until well blended.
Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly clumpy.
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 a foil-lined 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.
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 with honey mustard sauce.
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the chicken tenders when frying.
- 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
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- 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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Hi Jenn! I used the rest of the buttermilk in the bottle to make dressing, is it ok to pull from the marinade required for the dredge?
Thanks!!
Yep 👍
Update: Last night I made the buttermilk chicken tenders. Followed the recipe exactly. Worked perfectly! I marinated them for about eight hours. They were super juicy and tasty and even crispy on the outside. Once Upon A Chef has become my favorite food blog because the recipes are consistently delicious and they work. Thanks very much Jen for all you do.
Jen your recipes rock. Your beef stew and lentil stew are two regulars at my house. Delicious!
Question about frying the chicken tenders – what do I do with all the oil when I’m done? Thanks in advance for any guidance.
Hi Greg, So glad you like the recipes!! Here is some guidance on how to deal with the leftover oil.
Never thought I could make Chicken Tenders at home that would compete with my grandkids favorite fast food chicken tenders. But this recipe won them over. And it was so quick & easy to make. They are now Chicken Tender converts. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful & kid pleasing recipe.
Made this tonight to add to bao buns. So delicious. Kids and husband loved the taste and crunchiness. Will definitely be making it again…and again. Thank you for the recipe
What an amazing and easy recipe. We used flattened chicken breasts and turned them into sandwiches on a brioche bun with some shredded lettuce, mayo and pickles. Adding buttermilk to the flour dredge was key in creating all those irregular delicious crispy bits. 11/10. Will be part of the rotation for sure.
These were so goooood! I am a serious home cook..and girl I can make just about anything…except good fried chicken. Moving to the Deep South in 2014, I have been trying to master it. My Husband and I joke as I always say…” I am going to give try #123 “ lol. Well the eyebrows went up when I defrosted 3 lbs. of chicken tenders. I want to freeze them, so when we want a snack, we just pop them in the air fryer. ( keeping him away from processed foods) these were perfect. I also made your honey mustard…yum! Thanks so much love your recipes….keep them coming. I also purchased your cookbook months ago….Love that as well.
This chicken is fabulous you could open a restaurant with this recipe. But I almost didn’t make it because of how many steps and time to marinade. The recipe is overly complicated. I added more spice to the buttermilk and it only sat in marinade for 30 minutes. Buttermilk in flour mix not nessary and batter sticks better. Chicken is already covered in buttermilk. No foil lined trays nessary just added unnecessary steps. Buttermilk to flour to oil then drain on paper towels.
Can you bake these in the oven?
Hi Rachel, I wouldn’t recommend baking them. If you want a chicken tender you can bake, I’d recommend this recipe. These are also best fried, but you can get away with baking them. If you go that route, I’d suggest baking them at 350°F for 15 – 20 minutes. Hope that helps!
Best damn crumbed fried anything I’ve ever cooked in my 63 years. Ran out of chicken but still had crumbly mixture so did onion rings, cauliflower florets, zucchini sticks, mushrooms… Thank you so much for this recipe
Tried this these are awesome and turned out perfect!
Love this recipe!! I made so much of it I had to share with my neighbors:)
I’m definitely not a cook, but every recipe of yours that I’ve tried has been well received. I just want to be certain I have the instructions right because I’m such a novice that I have zero creativity. This recipe calls for a pot and not a skillet, is that right? I feel stupid for asking, but I have zero confidence when cooking.
So glad you’ve had success with the recipes and you’re not asking a silly question. Yes, you should use a pot for this. If you use something too shallow (like a skillet) the oil will make a mess. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Excellent recipe! I used boneless breast of chicken, cut into tenders myself. Due to lack of time marinated in buttermilk mixture for about 5 hrs. I did not add buttermilk to dredge. Chicken fried beautifully. I did use my instant read thermometer to be sure the chicken temp was sufficient. Served with cornmeal waffles & maple syrup truly amazing & will be repeated, so happy!
Hi Jenn,
Will this recipe work for frying a whole chicken in a deep fryer? These are the best chicken tenders ever, by the way. Thank you!
Vicki
So glad you like these but, unfortunately, I don’t think this would work for a whole chicken — sorry!
No apologies necessary, thanks for your reply! 🙂
This has become one of our top favorite dinners! Thank you so much.
These tenders turned out so delicious! I ended up cooking them in the air fryer because my husband cannot do greasy food and they turned out so great! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Any air fryer tips you can provide? I came here looking to see if anyone had luck. Thank you!
These turned out great! Love marinating them makes them taste better as well as makes them easy to prepare since so much of the prep is done. Have a question Jenn, have made them a few times always great, but the last time the breading didn’t stick well once fried. Did I make the breading too moist?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah, Glad you like these! If the breading didn’t stick this time, it’s likely that your oil wasn’t hot enough. A good way to ensure the oil is hot enough is to drop a cube of bread into the oil; if it sizzles when you drop it in, it’s ready. Hope that helps!
I have been brining my chicken in Buttermilk for almost 20 years. I also use Self Rising Flour vs regular Flour so nothing else is needed. I got that tip from my mother that’s a retired cook. She’s now in her 80’s. I have never added buttermilk to the flour before frying. I will try it.
Thanks Jen! You’re the best, and your recipes are top notch.
What a great recipe! I had not seen one that added buttermilk or baking powder to the flour coating and what a difference that makes in the texture! It looks like genuine fried chicken with the craggy crispy batter. I used cake & pastry flour accidentally but it was fine. It’s now my go-to recipe for chicken tenders. Thank you!!!
This recipe made me follow Jenn Segal! There is a place in Cambridge, Massachusetts that is famous for their tenders and these are almost identical to their tenders. Segal’s honey mustard recipe is also a five star recipe. Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is amazing! The chicken tastes so juicy after a buttermilk marinade. I’ve made this “as is”, but I’ve also added pickle juice & hot sauce to the marinade, switched up the spices, made popcorn style chicken instead of tenders, etc. You can’t go wrong and I found the fundamentals of this recipe + pictures really helpful.
These are a family favorite!!!
Best chicken strips I have ever made! So crispy and juicy and flavorful. I did the 24 hour marinade. 5 stars for sure
Excellent recipe. Thank you, Jenn.
Did you use full fat buttermilk? Would low fat buttermilk work?
Hi Diana, Any kind of buttermilk will work. Enjoy!
Amazing recipe! I can see me making these over and over for the grandkids!
Best recipe ever!! Always cook these!
Hi Jen, I love your recipes! I just recently bought an air fryer and was wondering if this recipe for buttermilk tenders would work in it. I would assume so, but wanted to know if you have any suggestions before I try it. Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes! I don’t have an air fryer and don’t know much about using one so it’s hard to say for sure – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful in converting traditional recipes to air fryer versions. Hope that helps at least a bit!
I made them in my air fryer and they came out great! I brushed the bin with olive oil and sprayed each piece of chicken with olive oil and fried them at 380° for 7-12 mins on each side depending on how big your pieces are.
I just got a brand new GE Range that has an air fry setting. 😊 I’m going to try this recipe with the air fry. Thanks for the tip! Thanks for the recipe Jen!
Can I use King Arthur white whole wheat flour for this?
Sure – enjoy!
This was delicious! The batter was tasty, crunchy and stayed adhered to the tenderloins while eating! The only problem I found, and it was easy to correct, was there wasn’t enough flour dredge. I just made a second batch and continued on. The dredge is plenty for one pound but didn’t stretch for two pounds of tenderloins.
Agreed it was not quite enough for under 2 pounds in my case.
I bought a 3 pack of chicken tenderloins from Costco. The first pack I used for Jenn’s chicken marsala recipe. I didn’t want to freeze the other 2 packs so I decided to try out this recipe. The amount of chicken I had called for 1.5x the ingredients. This recipe is so easy to adjust to the amount you want to make. The next time I make these, I’ll probably make a double batch so I can freeze the rest.
As a side, I used avocado oil and set my stovetop on the medium setting. I did about 2.5 min on each side and that fried the chicken perfectly, for me.
This recipe is a winner. I’ve made it a couple times and there aren’t any left over. My whole family loves it. Simple to make and flavorful.
These are ahhhhmazing!! Thanks so much!!
Followed the recipe exactly. Excellent!
Delicious. I doubled the recipe and ponded my chicken breast just to make the thicker sections a little closer in thickness to the thinner sections. Other than that, followed it to the tee. Thx for the fried chicken recipe that needs no skin.
We love this recipe..as we like spicier foods I add Frank’s Hot Sauce to the marinade. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi! Thoughts on adding corn starch to the flour mixture? Would this make the chicken more crispy? Should we then eliminate the baking powder? How much corn starch would be appropriate?
Hi Mike, I think you could do that. I’d replace 3 tablespoons of the flour with cornstarch (and I wouldn’t omit the baking powder). Please LMK how they turn out!
Best fried chicken ever!! I used chicken breasts- marinated them all day… it was tender and crispy!! There were no leftovers!! Another fabulous recipe- this site is the best!
Hello! I would like to make these chicken fingers for a party. Rather than freezing them, can I make a day ahead and refrigerate them and then bake in the oven shortly before the party? If yes, since they would not be frozen would I still heat at 350 degrees but for a shorter time? Also, does the peanut oil make them greasier than vegetable oil (canola oil). Since I want to impress my guests, which will produce the best chicken finger? Thank you so much for your time.
Hi Sharon, I think you could get away with breading them ahead and refrigerating, but I wouldn’t recommend baking them. If you want a chicken tender you can bake, I’d recommend this recipe. These are also best fried, but you can get away with baking them. If you go that route, I’d suggest baking them 350°F for 15 – 20 minutes. Hope that helps!
I’ve got a kid who LOVES chicken tenders but is allergic to milk. Would almond or cashew milk work for the buttermilk if I added vinegar or lemon juice to it?
Hi Terri, I do think it would work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it.
OMG! I finally found an absolute winner for my family! The buttermilk makes the chicken so tender and the spices are just enough. My son hates bread crumbs so this was a winner with using flour. Soooo good. I’ve made it twice in the last week. 😆
I made these with almond milk and vinegar in place of the buttermilk for my daughter who’s allergic to milk. I also made a regular batch with buttermilk for the rest of the family. Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference between the two! She was soooooo happy to have her beloved chicken tenders again! What a great recipe. Thanks for sharing your amazing talents!
My family can’t have milk either. How much vinegar did you use?
I use oat milk and don’t bother with the vinegar 😊
These were absolutely wonderful! So was the honey mustard sauce. My family absolutely loves everything that I make of yours. I’m becoming a superstar in the kitchen thanks to you:) Have one of your cookbooks, going to get another one as well. Thank you so much:)
My pleasure! 🙂
Shockingly good. I have NEVER ‘fried’ anything before so this was something new. They were really delicious and actually quite easy to put together. I made one pound and it was enough for two meals for the two of us. PERFECT. And we enjoyed them cold as well. I might not make these as often as your other meals but it is definitely on my ‘will do again’ list. Thanks, Jenn. I always know that your recipes will not only turn out but will be amazing.
Can I use gluten-free flour?
Sure, Gloria, that should work. Hope you enjoy!
I am not good at frying food but the chicken tenders that came out as they were supposed to were delicious. I will try to make them again!
I like the sound of these but noticed the garlic powder. Any reason I couldn’t switch it out for minced fresh garlic ? I often don’t like the after taste of garlic powder & garlic salt.
Sure, Candy, if you’d prefer that, it should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
I added 1 tsp of poultry seasoning to buttermilk mixture 2nd time I made it and it enhanced the flavor
5 star. Better than restaurant good. I’ve now used this recipe once with peanut oil and a couple of times with vegetable oil. Personally, I like the peanut oil better. Really gets a nice golden brown crunch. Good with buttermilk ranch or BBQ sauce!
Hi was wondering if I can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead? Sorry for the ridiculous question I’m new to cooking and this looks delicious but I have thighs on hand not tenders?
Thanks
Hi Julia, it’s not a ridiculous question! Sure, you can make these with thighs; I’m not sure if it will impact the cooking time at all though, so make sure you check them for doneness before serving. Please LMK how they turn out!
AMAZING💃🏼 This is so cravably delicious. It is the best Southern chicken ever and easy to make. The seasoning is perfect and the crunch is spectacular! Your instructions are always so easy to follow and you cook for the heart as well as the palet! ❤️ I really appreciate your website. It is clean and classy! Also love your cookbook!
❤️
could you bake these instead of frying? also, would it be ok to use smoked paprika instead of paprika. thanks
Hi Janar, I don’t recommend baking these, but yes on the smoked paprika. 🙂
As if this recipe needs another 5 star review….. But, I just had to add my 2 cents! I made this last week for my son who is leaving for the Army. I made all of his favorites before he left. When he eats in a restaurant he almost always orders chicken tenders and fries. I thought I would try a homemade version for him. He said, “You knocked it out of the park with this one, Mom! Can you make it again before I leave?” They were the tenderest chicken tenders I have ever had! Your recipe gave our family a very fond memory in addition to a wonderful meal together! Thanks, Jen.
We are in the middle of moving and are trying to finish what food we have in our refrigerator. I wanted to make chicken tenders only to realize we had no eggs! A Google search for ‘no egg chicken tenders recipe’ led me here. Let me tell you, I hit the jackpot! My two picky-eating daughters crushed this. My husband and I were so happy with how flavorful, perfectly juicy and tender it came out. The only thing I did differently is I didn’t marinate the chicken as the recipe states (4-24 hours). I did 30 mins and shocked at how much flavor it had. The recipe is now a part of our family rotation!