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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Made shrimp po boys with this recipe tonight. I am from New Orleans and these were amazing! Flavor and crunch were perfect.
Hi, can you follow these same steps to do fried shrimp? We’ve done it with chicken before and it was amazing!
Hi Sabrina, Yes, that should work well.
I made these tonight using strips of chicken breast, and it was an absolutely delicious meal.
Doesn’t double dipping the chicken. Buttermilk..flour. Then buttermilk.. Flour, make the chicken crust “doughy” ?
Nope, it makes it adhere and get nice and crunchy 🙂
These were GREAT !!! Didn’t change a thing .. easy..everyone loves them!!!
Our go to recipe for Chicken Fingers!
The kid loves it and that’s all that matters …
Loved this recipe!!
Soaking in buttermilk with whatever herbs I have on hand always turns out great. Tried it with fresh rosemary and it was delish!!
So delicious! Not too heavy, nice and crispy. My family loved them, especially with your homemade honey mustard. So glad I had everything on hand for that dipping sauce. Yummy!
I’ve made this recipe twice and it’s been well received, even by picky eaters. We love this chicken. It’s going to make a regular appearance in our meals. Thank you.
Made these for dinner tonight. My family absolutely LOVED these! I’ll definitely save this recipe and use from now on!
That’s great!
Can the breaded chicken tenders be frozen before cooking?
Hi Izzy, I’m afraid that won’t work with this recipe, but the cooked tenders may be frozen.
Made these tonight for dinner. They were AMAZING. I’ve tried several fried chicken tender recipes before and none of them ever turned out that great. These were delicious! They were a big hit with my wife too.
Followed the recipe to a T! Best chicken tenders I’ve ever made! My husband and I devoured the whole thing. Your recipes are the best, Jenn! Thank you!
Recipe is easy to follow and full of flavor! However, most of my crust came off in the oil–not sure why. Anyway, my family liked it.
Hi Yas, Your oil probably wasn’t hot enough. Try heating it a bit longer next time 🙂
Thanks for the advice. But, what’s the trick to having the oil hot enough without burning the outside of the chicken? My chicken was getting dark real quick, but the inside was still tough and bloody. I was continuously turning the oil up/down, so I think that affected the crust. Maybe my oil was too thick?
Hi Yas, You have to get a feel for it, unless you have a fryer or deep fry thermometer to keep the oil at about 350. In the future, if the outside looks like it’s getting too dark, you can always transfer the chicken to a 350-degree oven to finish cooking.
Can you fry in a fryer?
Sure, that will work even better.
these were Ahhh-mazing! I’m an awful cook and these were so easy. Full of flavor and great crunch! My hubby couldn’t stop eating it. Thanks for a great recipe!
I want to start out by saying that this is first time I’ve ever bothered to leave a comment – on any website … and then I want to say that these are absolutely fantastic! My very, very picky 4 year old daughter who will only eat around five kinds of food (chicken tenders/nuggets being one of them) said this was the best chicken she’s ever had! The fact that she even tried them (based on how delicious they looked) was a small miracle in itself. Her 2 year old brother loved them also – and so did mom & dad. Both kids helped make them too. Thanks! Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Love this recipe. Will give it to my friends and family. Made this for the food pantry where I volunteer.
Absolute best Fried Chicken Tenders to date. Better than any we have even had in a southern restaurant. I wanted something special to make for Mother’s Day that the kids could help with. We knew we wanted to make Chicken & Waffles, but wanted it to be top notch. This more than rose to the occasion and the wife and girls could not stop raving. Thank you!
These chicken tenders were amazing! Better than any restaurant kind I have had! My new go-to recipe:)
Major fail!! breading turned too dark within minutes of frying; most of it fell off…. 🙁
Oh no! Try again. Sometimes it takes a couple of times to perfect a recipe. Once I used nearly a half breast – fail…and, my batter fell off. Tenderloin size or smaller are the best. I’ve messed up royally on using baking soda when not having baking powder, or forgetting to add the buttermilk in the breading. My marinating times have varied from a few hours to 2 days. Surprisingly, it all tasted nearly as delicious….just not the same as Jenn’s recipe. Don’t be discouraged, give it another go. You’ll be appreciative later! It’s honestly, THEE best recipe EVER!
Hi Beth, I agree with Laura. Something must have gone wrong. I tend to be a bit scientific so I like to use a candy thermometer to keep it around 350-360 deg. Your oil might have been too hot if it burned in one-minute.
Can you bake the chicken tenders instead of firing them?
Hi Sharon, Sorry, it won’t work with this recipe but check out my pecan crusted chicken tenders; you can bake those.
This is by far my favorite fried chicken recipe. Super easy to make and a hit with my kids AND hubby. These taste great right out of the oil or cold the next day. The honey mustard recipe is also THE BEST (http://addapinch.com/cooking/honey-mustard-dressing-recipe/).
Gahhh I LOVE this recipe. It was my very first time making fried chicken homemade and it was SO EASY and delicious! I made them for me a my picky husband last week and he wants them again for tonight:) I will definitely be making these on the reg!
can you bread and freeze these to cook later?
Hi there, I’d probably cook them and then freeze, as cooked chicken tenders freeze and reheat well.
I think this is one of the best fried chicken recipes I have tried! After the marinade, just dipping and frying…so easy. My family loved it!
I always love to read the reviews before using a new recipes…… so when I was looking over all of these reviews…..WOW!!!!! everybody had a lot of great things to say! Well, I tried them tonight and my whole family and the extra kids eating with us loved them!!! These are great!!!!!! I will make these again!!
I added a little bit of extra of all of the spices to the flour, then added some onion powder as well. I also added a bit of chili powder to the buttermilk only and marinated for maybe half an hour (it was a last minute meal plan).
My husband said this: “If the Lord Jesus was sitting at our table and wanted fried chicken (and waffles) I would be proud to have you serve this to him.” Keep in mind, he is not even a very religious man.
The compliments are high with this recipe!!
Had these tonight. Marinated them the night prior. Was very good ! It makes me want to try chicken wings in this.
This recipe is amazing, easy and a great way to jazz up my tired dinner rotation! I didn’t change anything, next time I’ll marinate overnight, I could only do 4 hours but it was still amazing. The chicken was juicy and so tasty. My toddler isn’t picky but when he likes something it’s gone almost as soon as it’s placed in front of him. This chicken was gone in a flash! When I do a new recipe I keep the sides simple, mainly because I have 2 little ones under 2.5 so I’m lucky when I can focus on a new recipe! We did this with microwaved mixed veggies! Quick, easy, tasty. This dish could be served with anything though. Enough flavor to go with more robust sides or be the stand-out dish. Well, it’s a stand-out no matter what! My Indian mother-in-law recommended this dish to me, she finds most non-Asian dishes bland. Not this one, and she didn’t adjust the spices bc my nephew, who she made it for, is picky and not into spice (and he’s 100% Indian, go figure!)! And it’s not spicy either. Just robust flavor. I can’t wait to do this again, it’s a welcome new addition to the rotation. Thanks for the great recipe!
This is perfect! I actually cut the chicken into pieces to make it like popcorn chicken! My whole family loves it!!! Its the perfect recipe! and trust me I’ve tried many 🙂
I want to use this with split cornish hens. Do you think this would work out okay?
I inadvertently used baking soda in this beloved recipe of deliciousness. I also let them marinate for two days. I was anxious to see the outcome. They were surprisingly good. Batter was slightly different, but the flavors were still there with the tenderness that seems to melt in your mouth. Now I know I can still have awesome fried chicken even if I didn’t have baking powder. I make this chicken often and I’m known for it…I love to tell people about your website. Thank you!
Finally! A recipe for fried tenders where the crunchy coating doesn’t soften and separate from chicken when cooled off. Love it, love it, and so did my whole family (that’s saying A LOT! ) Thank you for sharing this recipe!
These are the best, easiest tenders you can make. Restaurant quality. Ease back on the garlic powder if it isn’t to your preference; however, Jenn’s recipe is essentially perfect, and ends my quest for a quick and delicious chicken tender recipe. Deep-fried goodness, the Food Police be damned.
Yum!
I’m back with a review. I have never before marinated tenderloins before breading and frying, and it made ALL the difference in the flavor! I didn’t even marinate them for very long, and they were delicious. I give five stars for the taste; however, as with most coatings that don’t include egg, I had a little trouble with the breading sliding off when removing some of the tenders. I might have to experiment with that a little, but I wouldn’t change a thing about the marinade.
Try using a gallon baggie for your flour mixture. Use some kitchen gloves if you have them. I use one hand to transfer from marinated baggie of chicken to the baggie of breading. Using other hand to mix the chicken with the breading. Also makes easy clean up.
Thanks, LauraLu!
These look amazing! Does the cayenne make it spicy or just more flavorful? Because my kiddo doesn’t like pepper heat.
Hi Keisha, They are not spicy 🙂
Thanks! Based on another review, I went ahead and took a chance before I saw your reply. I was not disappointed! 🙂
I made this recipe for my family tonight. My husband said this might be the best meal I’ve ever cooked. He said he might even prefer it to Zaxby’s chicken (if you’re from the south you know how big of a deal that is)! Great recipe. Very tender and juicy. Thanks!
I don’t usually write recipe reviews, but this recipe required it. I made these for supper tonight and it was BY FAR the best chicken I’ve EVER eaten! I only had time to marinate for an hour and used frozen tenders that I thawed. They were still moist and juicy and the coating was crunchy with just the right amount of seasoning. I was concerned that the cayenne would be too much for my 4 and 7 year old but it was just right. Finally, a meal the whole family loved! I usually don’t follow recipes exactly because I’ve been cooking long enough to know “a better way” of doing it lol. Don’t change a thing with this one!
Absolutely fantastic! As the mother of an extremely picky teenage boy, who declared these “better than restaurants”, I thank you!
I have never before felt so inclined to write a review (this is my first time ever), but this is hands down the best chicken finger recipe EVER. WOW!
This was also my first chicken tenders attempt and it came out pretty well. A couple of observations: I would make the tenders smaller, they don’t take long to cook at 350, maybe 4 mins total, flipping them. I would also use more spice – I felt the spice factor was low; not sure what to put in it. I also “double dipped” for a thicker crust: bag->flour->buttermilk->flour, using kitchen gloves. It makes a MESS (haha) but worth it. I also observed how you want to keep the temperature as close to 350 as possible, you can visually notice the difference when the temp lowers.
Any suggestions about other spices I can put in here? I thought: hot sauce, cinnamon, more pepper…… ?
Thanks!
I had 14 hungry teenagers and adults at my house, before I fried these up, I told them that these tenders were supposed to be amazing and that we would post it if they weren’t. I never heard anything other than,”they were right”! And a quiet house while they ate 4 pounds of chicken tenders! This is definitely going in the cookbooks I make for my 3 daughters!
I only found your blog about a week ago and have tried numerous recipes already, all of them amazing. Tonight was buttermilk fried chicken, best fried chicken ever, so crunch and tasty. Thank you for the great recipes!!
Good recipe….. We just ate it up
The Buttermilk Fried Chicken is one of the best homemade recipes I’ve tasted. I make it often. Sometimes, I make them into bite size pieces. And my 17 year old daughter was in Korea studying abroad for a year, she comes home today and requetsed this very recipe! Thank YOU!
OK, so for those of you out there who don’t like to fry and don’t want the smell in the house, these are WORTH IT, so turn on your exhaust fan! The crispy texture is amazing, these are by far the BEST tenders, and don’t bake them, serve with a salad if you’re feeling guilty 🙂
I fried them in a large stock pot which allowed for plenty of space and no splatter at all! I also didn’t measure the oil; I just poured about 2ins and flipped them once, worked perfect!
I didn’t have cayenne pepper, so I just used fresh ground black pepper. Someone posted that they doubled the seasonings because they didn’t have enough flavor…that’s just plain silly! Don’t change anything! Jenn you are a genius, thank you again for another fantastic recipe!
I dont usually cook if it does not involve a grill. I made these for my family and it was a huge hit! Thank you for making it easy, explicit and wonderful!!!
Tried this last week with my 10 and 3 yo’s. Served it with a classic homemade sweet & sour sauce and ranch dressing. My kids are extremely hard to please and they went absolutely nuts over this. Frankly, these might be the best tenders that I have ever had.
This has been the BEST chicken tender recipe I have come across. My tow year old son loves them, too.