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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recipe was very easy to follow. marinated for 4 hours. perfect seasoning and crispness. I’ve always wanted to make buttermilk chicken fingers and after making these I thank you on how good they were.
Awesomely excellent!!! Easy and delicious! Thank you thank you!
Very tasty chicken recipe, but I had a lot of trouble with the batter falling off the chicken tenders as they were cooking. I followed recipe exactly. I used vegetable oil and my trusty old cast iron skillet which always keeps the oil temperature even. The buttermilk marinade was very good and tenderized the meat, but I don’t think I’ll use that batter recipe again. Maybe it would have helped if I placed battered chicken in freezer for a short while.
Hi Marie, Sory to hear you had a problem with the batter sticking! 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!
Can you bread these and then freeze them before cooking? Jeanne
Hi Jeanne, you can freeze them, but they should be cooked before freezing.
These tenders are spectacular. My 16 year old twin boys cannot get enough. The addition of liquid to the breading provides wonderful texture to the tenders. We like to punch up the seasoning in both the marinade and breading… white pepper and a little more cayenne. We have tried many tender recipes, but this one is their favorite. I agree with other posters about marinating 24 hours or more (for convenience). Really delicious with simple steamed broccoli!
Hi Jenn! I cannot make these fast enough! They disappear as they come out of the oil. I make a double batch pretty much every week! I’d much rather my teenage son have these to snack versus going through a drive thru! Thank you!
Laura
Tried this recipe & it was soooo good! Substituted black pepper for cayenne pepper. The 1st time I tried it, only had an hour to marinade but it was fine. The 2nd time, it marinated for 3.5 hours. Such a big difference in flavor! I did add smidge more paprika & black pepper. Wow so good! I had to use buttermilk substitute recipe sine my lical store was out, but it didn’t affect the flavor at all. Everyone loved this recipe, even my super picky aunt! Thanks for our new way of making fried chicken.
These were delicious, wouldn’t change a thing.
I am planning on making these for a family gathering after an early evening event, so I need to be able to have a quick turnaround time, how much can I do in advance? Can I bread them and have them in the fridge? Or fry and then reheat in the oven? Thank you! Love your recipes and can’t wait to check out the book!
Hi Lisa, So glad you like the recipes! I think you could bread them in advance and refrigerate; these are pretty forgiving. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you!
I made these tonight and they are the best chicken tenders and they are so easy! Thank you for the recipe!
I have never made fried chicken before but I knew I wanted something that would be juicy and well seasoned. I hate cooking, but this was easy to do and tasted absolutely delicious. I used the chicken in my fried chicken salad and everyone loved it. I used canola oil instead of plain vegetable oil and followed the recipe exactly as described letting it marinate overnight.
Chicken Tender Perfection! I’ve made this recipe several times now. Avoid putting your own spin on this recipe. It’s perfect the way it is. I even avoid dipping sauces because they tend overpower the buttermilk flavor.
This was my first time making fried chicken. I left it marinating for about a whole day which helped keep the chicken flavorful and moist. The only modification I had to make was that I used buttermilk instead of milk since I did not have any. Overall, my kitchen smelled great and this chicken was very tasty and crispy!!!
Hi Jenn,
I was wondering do you think this recipe for chicken tenders would work if I wanted to make Buffalo chicken tenders for the Super Bowl? My husband prefers tenders over wings. Would I just toss them in Frank’s bottled hot sauce after cooking? or right before eating if bringing to someone’s house? Thank you!
Hi Cheryl, I would suggest using the sauce from this wing recipe. If you’re going to toss these in the sauce, I would do it immediately before serving. (Or, you could just have a bowl of this sauce on the side for dipping.). Hope everyone enjoys!
Delicious! We LOVED these! First time we ever tried frying chicken. So a bit nervous. So easy! So tasty! Hubby & I thought they were the best chicken tenders we ever ate! We made the honey mustard sauce & it paired wonderfully! Make this recipe…you won’t be disappointed!
Is there a way to make this healthier ?
Hi Amy, these are a bit an indulgence due to the fact that they’re deep-fried. If you’d like a chicken tender option that is a smidge healthier, you may want to give these a try. They are best cooked on the stovetop in a frying pan; but if you’d prefer to bake them, I’d suggest 350°F for 15-20 minutes. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn! Can I use an air fryer instead?
Hi Yaritza, I’ve never used an air fryer and don’t know much about them, so I can say for sure how it would work for this recipe. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Can I use chicken wings as well?
Hi Ginny, I wouldn’t recommend wings for this recipe- sorry!
The BEST chicken tenders!!! So tender! And delicious!!! This is the only recipe I will use!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
I’ve done this recipe so many times. It is GREAT! I like how crunchy the chicken turns out to be and the leftover still taste good the second day.
Thank you
Amazing recipe!! I added some corn flakes to the batter.
Have been looking for a good boneless chicken recipe for years….have tried many and this is by far the best! Didn’t have tenders so used cut up breast and deep fried about 6 minutes, otherwise followed recipe and turned out perfect. Will be adding this to my regular rotation.
Gluten Free
OMG I made these with Bobs Red Mill Cup for Cup GF flour. They came out sooo good . Marinated about 4 hours. And followed the directions.
Actually Bobs1 to 1
how important is the baking powder to the recipe, in the middle of making these and realized I don’t have any. Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Nicole, Not sure if I’m seeing this in time but the baking powder does make the batter “puff” a bit and it also helps make the crust crunchy, but I think you could get away without it. Hope they turn out well!
Thank you for replying! I decided to let the chicken mariande overnight based on the other reviews. So I bought the baking powder and will make today instead. So excited to make these for New Year’s Eve tonight! I will be sure to post after I make them.
I did it without the baking soda and they came out great!!
After reading the fabulous reviews I would like to try my hand at these, but I would like to use almond flour in place of the regular flour that the recipe calls for. Do you feel that this will work? Thank you, Jen
Hi Kirsty, I’m afraid the almond flour would cause the chicken tenders to burn quickly. Sorry!
I have made these twice now. I never know what I’m going to make for dinner so an overnight marinade is usually not for me. However, even having them marinade for only 3-4 hours, they have come out perfectly.
I’m tossing my old recipe out the window for sure. Also was hubby and toddler approved!
Best chicken my family has ever tasted! Followed the recipe exactly. Letting the chicken marinate overnight is even better than just a few hours (I’ve made this several times). I use chicken breasts, remove the tenderloin and cut into 2 or 3 strips depending on the size of the breast. The oil does take a while to heat, I recommend to start heating it while you’re coating your chicken and making sure you have tongs and a baking sheet lined with paper towels ready that way there is no scrambling. I set my stove right inbetween medium and medium-high and it tends to heat to the perfect temperature (between 350 and 375). I usually put 3 or 4 in at a time and 3 minutes on each side (yes I set a timer) seems to be the perfect amount of time for that brown crispy exterior and fully cooked juicy interior. This is the be-all end-all of fried chicken recipes. You need not look any further. Perfection.
This is the PERFECT tenderloins recipe. Take the time to marinate overnight, it’s totally worth it.
Hands down best chicken tenders recipe ever. I’ve tried lots! Don’t worry if you need to leave the chicken in the spices/buttermilk longer than suggested time in recipe. I’ve not gotten to mine for a couple of days and still these were fabulous. I’ve used this technique for frying other things as well like veggies and whole pieces of chicken.
First time chicken fryer here. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a great taste. I’ll be adding this to my regular rotation of meals.
If I were to make this with mashed potatoes, do you have a recommendation for what gravy would to go along with it?
Thanks Jenn.
Hi Ryan, Glad you enjoyed the chicken! I think you’ll like this gravy recipe.
I don’t usually rreview recipes, however I’m making an exception! These were fantastic!
I thought “No way that coating is going to stick… It’s either going to have to be flour or batter…not in between!” but, I did it and my kids said it was better than fast food chicken! 😆
Really great…thank you!
Can you modify this recipe to bake in an oven?
Hi Jayne, These really are best when fried; if you want a chicken tender recipe that you can bake, I’d suggest this one. Hope that helps!
I made these tenders last night. Easy to make and so moist and tender. Crispy coating. I put the dry in a plastic bag and put the chicken in the bag with some of the buttermilk. So easy and little to clean up!
Thank you for this recipe!
Dana
I’ve made these before and they’ve been amazing. Im making them for a party so wondered how far in advance I could prepare them before frying? Could I soak them in buttermilk Friday night, and coat them Saturday morning, and keep them refrigerated to fry that evening? Or will the coating have turned strange by then? Would appreciate the swiftest response you can manage, thank you Jenn for the amazing recipes on here.
Hi Farouk, I think that’d be fine. These are pretty forgiving.
Just made these tonight – followed the recipe – marinated the chicken overnight. My family LOVED these!! Such an easy recipe and delicious! Can’t wait to make them again. Also can’t wait for the cookbook to be released.
Wonderful recipe! I have made this two nights in a row. A question I do have, is have you tried making these spicy? Suggestions? Should I just add some franks red hot or some other hot sauce to the marinade? Any input would be appreciated and thanks so much for this awesome recipe.
So glad you’re enjoying these! To add some more heat, you could add a tablespoon or two of hot sauce to the marinade and/or substitute a little of the buttermilk in the breading for hot sauce. I’d love to hear how they turn out with any tweaks!
Can the tenders marinate for more than 24 hours? I was thinking of getting them ready today but not frying until Tuesday (today is Sunday).
Sure, Nancy, should be fine. Enjoy!
Delicious!
I never ever had anything ‘buttermilk fried’; I’m not American, perhaps that’s why. These were so very, very yummy. I can predict a lot of buttermilk fried stuff in my future. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Wow, this recipe was amazing!! YOU have changed my fried chicken game FOREVER!!
Thank you!!!!
WOW! This was the best fried chicken I think I’ve ever eaten, and I can’t believe I was the one who fried it! Unlike a lot of internet recipes this one gives very specific instructions and tips. I followed it to a T, and my supper guests couldn’t believe it was homemade. I will definitely be making this again. And again. And again. And ag….
Super good. Best I’ve ever made, thank you! I added a 1/3 cup of instant potato flakes…. so crunchy. I wish fried food wasn’t so messy but these were worth the mess, totally.
This is a good recipe. I followed all except I dipped the chicken in an egg wash before coating with flour. I wanted to make sure coating stayed to my expectation. It turned out great. Seasoning is just right.
This is hands down the best and the only fried chicken recipe you will ever need. I have made it 5-6 times now, and they have turned out permanently even though I’ve played with the marinade time. Last time I made them, I decided to expand the recipe by making fried chicken sandwiches. I added sourdough bread rolls, sandwich pickles, mayo, lettuce, and tomato. My fiance thought he’d died and gone to heaven; he tells everyone that it was the best meal he’s ever eaten in his life.
Chicken Heaven
Crispy Crispy Crispy on the outside Juicy inside!!!
To get the best crunch make certain to follow the directions and lay out the breaded chickens in a single layer on a baking sheet before frying. One time I omitted that step and just piled them on a plate—-the breading became soggy and didn’t fry up crispy; what a let down. I have never forgotten and every time I make it now it comes out perfect. Thank you Jenn for such detailed instructions.
I don’t understand why the calories/sodium evaluations are so high. For 6 chicken tenders?
I also can’t understand why I’m the first one to comment; so many other recipes get lambasted for these counts; I don’t usually, if it’s obvious where the counts come from.
There was a question about whether the counts were for the whole recipe, but the answer was they were for one serving.
They sound delicious, so I’ll probably just ignore the counts and make ’em – at least once (and then, again and again).
I wish I could just ask you, instead of posting this question.
Hi Sandra, the oil that the chicken is fried in definitely boosts the calories here. And there is a fair amount of added salt (which definitely helps with the flavor), but feel free to cut back on it to reduce the sodium in the recipe.
These are perfect!!! They come out amazing every time. The chicken is juicy and tender and the breading is seasoned perfectly. Definitely better than what you’d find on any restaurant menu!
My grandsons love these chicken fingers.
I tried these and they are delicious, I added a bit of hot sauce to my buttermilk mixture, but turned out great.
My three grandsons LOVED these. Had to make my own buttermilk (not something I buy) but it worked. Making them again Sunday when they come over. Can you freeze these?
Glad your grandsons enjoy them! Yes, they freeze nicely.