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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How many minutes do you cook it per side? If I were going to use chicken thighs or leg parts (with bone), how long should I cook them for? Thank you and more power to your blog! 🙂
Hi Jan, I’ve never tried this with bone-in chicken. I’d suggest cooking them in the oil just until the coating is golden and then putting them in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR! They are super crunchy but still so tender. My husband could not stop eating them. I have tried panko and other breading to try to make chunky tenders, but this beats all others hands down! I will definitely share this recipe with family and friends. Fantastic recipe Jenn!
What would the measurements be for a larger portion. About 60 plus wings.
Hi John, I wouldn’t recommend this recipe for wings– sorry!
I made this recipe three times last summer. The first time, I thought the breading step needed more buttermilk. Big mistake, the breading would not stick. Follow the recipe exactly and you will be delighted with the result. Tender and delicious! I served this recipe with Jenn’s homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. Not low cal, but a phenomenal treat. Jenn is my go to internet recipe girl. I wouldn’t hesitate to use any of her recipes even first time for company! Thanks Jenn!
Can it be cooked in the oven? thank you
Hi Suzanne, These are best fried, but if you’d like a chicken tender you can bake, try these Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders.
Do they have to cook over night?
Nope!
Jenn, do these have to be deep fried, or do you think a shallow fry will work?
Hi Bernadette, I’ve only deep fried these, but one reader commented that she pan-fried them and was happy with the results. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you go that route!
Can I substitute baking powder with baking soda?
Hi Nicki, I would stick with baking powder here– sorry!
Can you bake this in the oven?
Hi Uzma, These are really best when fried, but if you’d like a chicken tender recipe you can bake, try these Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders.
Can I bake them in the oven instead of frying? Thank you.
Hi Michelle, These are really best when fried, but if you’d like a chicken tender recipe you can bake, try these Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders.
I am having a birthday party for my son and would like to make these in advance and freeze them. To reheat should I thaw in the fridge overnight or would they be best reheated from frozen and how long should I heat them for?
Hi Sue, You can reheat them right out of the freezer. I’d put the chicken tenders on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven until heated through and crisp, about 25 minutes. (Flip the chicken halfway through baking.)
Hi Jen I would like to know if I should fry this first, cook and freeze after when I need this I will just put them to the oven as you mentioned in the reply? Please let me know it’s my daughters birthday next week but I’ll be travelling and no time to prepare when I come home I hope you can help me so I can start preparing them thanks in advance
Hi Sheirry, I’d fully cook them before freezing; they freeze nicely. (Happy early birthday to your daughter!)
Absolutely best chicken finger recipe! I love the crunch. The batter stays on perfectly. Chicken and Waffles are even better in my house these days! Thank you!
If I wanted to add hot sauce to this for a little kick, how much would you suggest adding? I want it hot, but not to the point I’ll need to chug a glass of milk LOL. Btw, this is one of my fav go to recipes!!!!
Glad you like them, Russel! I’d start with about a tablespoon of hot sauce. If you like them even spicier than that, it’ll give you a good excuse to make them again and increase the heat :).
Delicious! I’ve been trying to find a recipe like one I used to use, but nothing has come close until this one…and I think this one beats it! My extremely picky 18 month old also devoured these. My 11 year old and his dad fight over the last ones too, lol.
I do add a bit more spice to them and some we dip into the buffalo sauce to cover them after they are cooked and set, but really they are delicious just as the recipe calls for! This will be a go-to meal for us, thank you!!
These chicken tenders are really good. My mother-in-law makes really good fried chicken wings and drumsticks but I usually like boneless chicken and the way she told me she makes her chicken never really worked well with chicken tenders. This recipe solves my problem of being able to make good chicken tenders at home. I really like how you marinate it overnight. That really allows for the flavors to soak into the chicken.
Best chicken tender Recipe EVER!
So good, buttermilk bath really makes them tender. Love the spice mix. Another family favorite for my book.
I have made this recipe three times and it has been amazing each time. I don’t like to fry since I don’t want greasy food. But each time they are crispy, moist and tender. They are still crunchy the next day after being in the fridge. This will be my go to fry recipe for other meats and maybe even fries!!
If you are looking for a awesome chicken tenders recipe, just stop looking now. This is it. No reason to look anywhere else. Just follow the directions. Don’t need to add anything, don’t need any other suggestions from other reviews. It is that good. Just do it. Simple, easy and delicious. That’s all you need.
Taste so great
My chicken tenders came out great….thank you. ..
Made these today with seasoned crinkle fries and my family loved them! I even had to try one because they were so overwhelmed with how good they tasted! I’ve tried many recipes for chicken tender, they were either bland or didn’t have that crunch that I was looking for so I am very pleased i tried yet another recipe of yours thank you:)
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! I used peanut oil, and I cooked the tenders for 7 min, turning halfway. I drained on a rack because I find that using a paper towel makes them soggy.
Love love love this recipe. I didn’t get to marinate this very long but the chicken was flavourful and tender and juicy. My question is, what does one do with the oil afterwards? This was my first time frying like this.
Glad you liked the chicken! Here are some good guidelines on dealing with the leftover oil.
Just want to say thank you! What an amazing recipe and didn’t change a thing. My teenagers loved it. I Haven’t been able to please them in quite a while. Thank you and look forward to seeing other recipes from you!
Has anyone tried this gluten-free?
Hi, first time trying this for our 8th anniversary. my husband is from georgia and me australia, so hopefully I can remind him of home with this marinating overnight. thank you.
Happy anniversary– hope you both like the chicken!
Finally found a great recipe for chicken tenders! I dredged in a mix of flour then dipped in egg mix (added buttermilk) before rolling them in this recipes batter… turned out great!
Never made fried chicken before. Thank you for the help. They looked just like you said and were yummy!
Made this chicken for my grandchildren and they have declared me the best cook in the world. No further comments needed.
This chicken is everything!!! I used to hate frying chicken at home. This is the recipe that changed my mind. It is SO AMAZING. This is homemade KFC level good. Well, way better because you know what’s in it. The buttermilk marinade really makes the chicken so tender & juicy. I even had a friend “hire me” to make this for her dinner party of 10, and I am not a caterer lol! I have also used this on cod too, not marinated but simply dipped in buttermilk and then dipped in the flour mixture and shallow (pan) fried. It’s perfect every time. The only change I make is I use chili powder instead of cayenne and increase the amount a bit since chili powder has less heat, but that’s just a matter of preference. This recipe is a keeper!!
I’ve never left a review for a recipe before but this was so good I had to! My husband and girls LOVED this chicken. I made it exactly like instructed and it turned out wonderful..(and this was my first time frying chicken by the way). Easy and delicious- A++++!
Great recipe. My husband usually makes the chicken fingers in the family, he worked late one night and I tried out this recipe, it was a total hit. My husband even said he liked these better than his recipe. Thanks for helping me make a hit with the fam.
I’ve made these several times and they are a definite hit. The only changes I make are adding a little hot sauce to the marinade and adding cayenne to the flour mixture. They are still super delicious without the changes but my family likes a little more heat.
My husband and I are foodies and, WOW, I was impressed with your reviews and decided to cook this delicious dish for College football night! I love the fact that you have been professionally trained and it shows!!! The chicken was absoutly delicous with a beautiful battered crust. I was out of baking powder so I utilzied baking soda. I used the baking soda since as you know, but leaving for others that its much stronger. To off set the baking soda you need to use an acid. I used a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to a table spoon of lemon juice and it worked perfect! I am so excited to try your other recipes. Thanks for sharing .
Unbelievable. An excellent substitute for takeaway fried chicken but with ingredients you recognise. I only marinated for 3 hours and it was still incredibly juicy.
Absolutely perfect breading! My family loves really spicy foods. This was great as is, but the second time I made it I added 2 tbsp of hot sauce to the buttermilk marinade and then instead of adding buttermilk to the breading, I substituted hot sauce. They were PERFECT! My boyfriend said these were the best fried chicken tenders he’s ever had. Now my next mission is to apply this recipe to bone in chicken legs, thighs, wings, etc.
Fantastic! I only used 1 pound of chicken tenders but kept the measurements for everything else the same. So glad I did. I also halved my tenders lengthwise and made strips. My kids LOVED them. I just printed up the recipe! Thanks!
I’ve tried no less than 15 recipes for fried chicken, I wish I’d found yours ten years ago. This is so tasty, plus it’s neat and easy. I will visit your website first when I decide to try something I haven’t prepared before. After this chicken recipe you have my 100% faith and trust.
These turned out beautifully, they are delicious. Thank you so incredibly much!
learning to cook here, literally this is the 3rd time i’m gonna cook something, 1st and 2nd were a disaster but I learned a lot.
i hope i got everything right. i am now marinating the chicken overnight in the fridge. And also done with the breading. the question now is, i fried a small amount of breading and gonna cook the chicken tomorrow, will my breading get spoiled tomorrow? or can i still use it? by the way the breading tasted so good i could not believe that i made it my self. Thank you very much
Hi Kenny, I hope the 3rd time is a charm! If I’m understanding your question, it sounds like you’ve combined all the ingredients for the breading but haven’t yet breaded the chicken yet. If that’s correct, as long as you refrigerate it (because of the buttermilk), it’s not a problem at all for the breading to sit overnight. Hope that helps!
Thank you very much. I cooked half of the chicken now and i cant believe it the taste is amazing,
I’m gonna make another batch of the breading cause it clump up so much that i can put it on the chicken even if i had already dip the chickens in an egg and milk mixture.
can i skip the adding of buttermilk on the breading or maybe lessen it a bit so that it wont clump up that much?
Thank you very much for the recipe for replying greatly appreciated it.
P.S. soon I’m gonna have 1 something that I’m gonna brag to my wife, sister and mother 😀
Hi Kenny, Glad you have something to brag about :)! If you’re referring to making the breading mixture in advance, you can leave out the buttermilk and just add it when you’re ready to bread the chicken, but I do think this works best with the buttermilk and it should be included. Hope that helps!
Excellent recipe. I’ve never made any type of fried chicken. My tenders were quite large but cooked up nicely. The flavoring of the coating was delicious and the chicken was amazingly tender. My 7 yr old son thanked me profusely for making these.
I made these tonight and they were fantastic….I substituted the cayenne pepper and the salt for seasoned salt instead because I have seen on other fried chicken recipes that some use seasoned salt.
Easy to make and so good. Husband really liked it too.
So delicious and easy to make!!
I marinated these overnight and they were so tender and juicy. Will make again!
Delicious, moist and crispy. Re-heated in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes the following day and it was as perfect. Thanks for another perfected recipe!
hi, I really want to make this. but where I live buttermilk is not an option. can i use the vinegar and milk as a substitute or will it not work with this recipe. Thank you 🙂
Yes Frances, that will work here. Enjoy!
I didn’t have buttermilk or Vinegar but added just plain milk to see what would happen. I’ve made this recipe a dozen + times and found it was just as yummy.
Can you oven bake them instead of frying them…if so how would you suggest to do it?
Hi Jeannine, These are really best fried, but if you’d like a chicken tender recipe you can bake, try these Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders.
This is the best buttermilk chicken tenders recipe I’ve found thus far! So yummy! Thank you!
Hello from England! Thanks to the tips in this recipe i’ve finally been able to make fried chicken as i have always wanted to! Many attempts and many recipes, and it’s never quite come out right. Particularly, pressing hard on the chicken when breading it. Perfect! Thank you 🙂