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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Hi Jenn, can I prepare this But before frying it ALL, (there’s just two of us) cover and put the dredged chicken in fridge and cook the other half the next day? …will it still be nice and crispy?
Yes, I think you could get away with it as they are fairly forgiving. Please LMK how they turn out!
They turned out GREAT!! Still crispy still delicious Jenn!! My husband couldn’t wait for this second batch!! And that homemade honey mustard sauce was the BOMB!!!
can I make these in the air fryer instead of deep fry? How long and how high?
Hi Karin, 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 that helps at least a bit!
Hi Jen, can I bake these? Thank you
Hi Rhonda, These are really best when fried. If you’d like a chicken tender that you can bake, I’d recommend this recipe. (While I do prefer them fried, if you want to bake them I’d put them in a 350 degree oven for 15 – 20 minutes. Enjoy!
I’ve made these a few times for my family and they’re always a hit. “Best chicken tenders I’ve ever had” is what people say when they try them. Making some tomorrow night for my son’s birthday dinner! Thank you!
Can you deep fry them?
Yep – enjoy!
These are an absolute hit!!! Sooo juicy and crispy! This was my first time making my own chicken tenders (fried) and I’m so glad I did!!
These are AMAZING!! One question… while they were being eaten, the breading fell off a little bit. Any suggestions for how I can remedy this? I think maybe I should pound out the chicken a little bit with a mallet–the chicken tenders I had were kinda thick. Maybe the breading will stick a little better if they are thinner?
Glad you liked them! Yes, I do think that pounding them out a little will help the breading to stick. 🙂
Holy crap! I have never made fried chicken before — a friend gave me a mini deep-fryer years ago and I never used it once. I FINALLY pulled it out to make these chicken tenders and, not only were they better than any chicken tenders I have ever had at a restaurant bar, they were the tastiest dinner I have had in months! The perfect amount of heat — they fry up super crispy with lots of crunch. I don’t ever leave reviews but my lord, my week has been made because of this recipe. Thank you!
Nailed it!
For years, I have wondered how they made flaky breading for chicken and seafood—this is it!
I was doubtful about making the breading, but once I saw it come together it made sense. The crispy, flaky breading was DELICIOUS and CRUNCHY!
The only thing I would do differently next time is tenderize my chicken tenderloins with a mallet as they were very large and thick—I prefer a thinner piece of chicken.
You won’t regret this! We also dipped the tenders in the buttermilk ranch (from this website). So tasty!
I made these last night and they are absolutely delicious!!! Jenn, this is the fifth or sixth recipe that I’ve used from your blog, and they have all been fantastic! Thank you for sharing, and I’m planning to continue preparing your yummy recipes!!
I’ve been wanting to try this, but I don’t have 4 hours to marinate it.. will it be ok with a couple hours of marinating?
Sure, Kristie, they’ll still be good. Enjoy!
Yummy!! These are delicious and easy to make; I followed the recipe exactly as presented. I also made the honey mustard sauce for dipping. This recipe is a home run!!
Flavorful and crunchy! I modified your recipe slightly (diet considerations) and bakd these and they came out delicious. I have experimented with flour vs panko and we prefer panko as it provides us the crunch we would have had from frying. Really amazing, thank you!
What temperature & for how long did you bake them? I’m very interested to hear.
Hi Jen, these chicken tenders are awesome, thank you for the recipe. I just have a question about the nutritional info. Did you mean that 1 serving (out of the 4 servings that the 2lbs makes) is 925 calories or that the entire 2lbs of tenders is 925 calories? Thanks a bunch!
Glad you like them! The nutritional info is for 1 serving.
Made these for the first time and they came out SUPERB! The chicken was moist, crispy and seasoned to perfection. My husband loved them. Definitely saving this recipe. Your recipes are terrific. Thanks for sharing them👍