Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
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Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and seasoned just right—these homemade chicken tenders are a total crowd-pleaser.
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, BBQ sauce or ranch dressing, or perched on top of a salad.
If you love these, you’ll also enjoy my fried chicken sandwiches—they’re just as crowd-pleasing.
“This is the best chicken tenders recipe I have ever tried…So delicious and crispy and moist and flavorful! Mmm!rn”
What you’ll need To Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
- Chicken tenderloins: Naturally tender and the perfect size for frying (and finger food), they stay juicy inside and crisp outside. If the white tendon peeks out of the end, just snip it off or trim it flush with the meat.
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes the chicken and adds a subtle tang that balances the crispy coating.
- Paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper: Season both the marinade and the coating so the flavor runs all the way through.
- Flour and baking powder: Form a light, crisp crust that fries up golden and crunchy.
- Vegetable oil: For frying.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken tenders to a large zip-top bag with the buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt. Seal it up and give everything a good massage so the chicken is evenly coated. Set the bag in a bowl (just in case it leaks) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to a day if you can plan ahead—the longer it sits, the more flavorful and tender the chicken will be.
Step 2: Prep the seasoned flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until everything’s evenly mixed.
Step 3: Create the craggy coating. Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly clumpy—the little bits of damp flour are what make the coating extra crunchy when fried.
Step 4: Coat the chicken. Working a few pieces at a time, lift the chicken from the marinade and add it to the flour mixture. Toss to coat, pressing the chicken firmly into the breading so those clumps stick—it’s what gives you that great crispy texture. (It’s a messy job, so use one hand for the wet chicken and the other for the dry coating to keep things manageable.)
Step 5: Get ready to fry. Place the breaded tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet. Line another baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels and set it next to the stove for draining. Pour enough oil into a large, high-sided pot to reach about ¾ inch up the sides and heat over medium-high until it shimmers, about 350°F. (You’ll know it’s ready when a cube of bread sizzles right away.)
Step 6: Fry the chicken. Using tongs, carefully place a few chicken tenders in the hot oil, leaving space between them so they crisp instead of steam. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, a few minutes, then flip and fry the other side until it’s golden and cooked through, a few minutes more.
Step 7: Drain and serve. Transfer the cooked tenders to the paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain. Fry the remaining batches, adjusting the heat as needed—if they’re browning too quickly, turn it down a bit. Serve the chicken hot with honey mustard sauce (or your favorite dip) on the side.
Video Tutorial
More Crispy Chicken Recipes You May Like
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
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 freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
For Cooking
- 3 to 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 (2-cm). Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350°/175°C). (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.
Notes
- 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.
- 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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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So I decided to try these in my air fryer. The flavor was great, spot on, and I could tell they’d be fabulous deep fried. Still, the air fryer did a respectable job with them. Here is what I did: I followed the recipe exactly up until cooking. I preheated the air fryer to 400. I sprayed them with canned cooking spray on one side, turned them over and put them in the fry basket (in a single layer), then I sprayed the other side. I cooked them at 400 for about 15 minutes. At that point I tested the temp and they were close to 160 but I wanted the coating to be more brown, so I turned the temp down to 380 and cooked them another 5 minutes. At which point they were at least 165, everywhere I tested. I was afraid they were over cooked but they weren’t. The breading was very tasty and crispy, though it did fall off in spots. And as always in an air fryer, spots I missed with the oil weren’t browned. Served with some honey mustard dipping sauce they were great, tender and moist with a good crisp on them. I will make them again for sure, but starting with a lower temp so they have longer to brown.
These are the absolute best chicken tenders!! They do take a bit more time but were so worth it. My family devoured them leaving no chicken untouched and have asked me to make them again and again. The last and quality of these tenders is far superior to that of most any place you can buy chicken tenders. Absolutely fantastic!
I meant to say the taste and the quality, not the last and quality haha.
Hi Jenn! I have two questions. Can I make buttermilk for this recipe the way one can sometimes do for baking when you combine milk with lemon juice or vinegar or do you have to use the store bought kind? Second, sometimes when I do make the buttermilk out of milk and vinegar (one T vinegar for 1 cup milk), it doesn’t really curdle or thicken (at least not noticeably), even after waiting 15 or more minutes. Is it ok to still use or is there something wrong with the mixture?
Hi Heather, it’s perfectly fine for you to make your own buttermilk for these and it’s okay if the mixture doesn’t visibly thicken — the chemical reaction that’s needed happens regardless. Hope you enjoy!
These tenders were perfection! Best I’ve ever made – kids adored them. I completed the meal with mashed potatoes and used the leftover breading for gravy. Mmmmm!
I made these chicken tenders last night and they were amazing when they were fresh out of the oil. However, as they sat and I placed them on the table to serve, the breading got really soft and sort of started to fall off a bit…what did I do wrong? The flavor was excellent, though. I would still make them again regardless.
Hi Carissa, Based on what you’re describing, I suspect 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 it sizzles when you drop it in, it’s ready. Hope that helps and that you have better luck next time around!
I made this recipe today. From someone who LOVES to eat chicken fingers, and thought I had the best recipe. I was wrong. THIS is the best chicken finger recipe I have ever tried. Simple and delicious. Thank you. *****
Amazingly tender, juicy & flavorful!
This looks delish but over 1800 mg of sodium and then deep fried is not healthy. 1500 mg sodium should be the max/day.
Maybe don’t eat so many!
Could you make these in an air fryer?
Hi Kristen, I don’t have an air fryer I 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 you find them useful.
Can this be baked? Looks delicious!
Hi Tegan, these really are best if fried. 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!