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.
Pair with
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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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!