Fried Chicken Tenders are an easy party appetizer made with chicken tenderloins, a seasoned starch dredge and a cold wet batter, ready in 30 minutes from start to finish. That makes them a quick game day snack for a party, a potluck or a weeknight dinner, since they fry twice and stay crunchy.
The thing that decides these is the oil temperature, because it drops the second the chicken hits it. So keep the first fry at 325°F, then take the oil up to 375°F for a two minute second fry.
Most tender recipes stop at plain flour, but this dredge mixes flour with potato starch, cornstarch and baking powder. And you drizzle a little water into that dry mix before you start, which makes craggy bits that fry into the crunch.
Fried Chicken Tenders
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes10
minutes638
kcalChicken tenderloins get a 20 minute dry brine, a cold egg batter and a heavily seasoned starch coating. Then they fry low first and hot second, so the outside shatters and the inside stays juicy.
Ingredients
- Chicken:
1.5 lb chicken tenders
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Seasoning Dredge:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup potato starch
1 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
½ tbsp garlic powder
½ tbsp onion powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp baking powder
- Wet Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup cold water
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
- For Frying:
2 quarts neutral oil
Directions
- Season the chicken:Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cayenne in a small bowl, then toss the tenders until every piece is coated. Leave them to dry brine for 20 minutes while you set up.
- Build your station:Mix the seasoning dredge in one bowl and the wet batter in another, then line them up beside the chicken so you are not scrambling with sticky hands.
- Make the craggy bits:Drizzle ¼ cup of water into the dry dredge and rub it through with your fingers until you get little clumps. Those clumps are what turn into the crunch, so do not smooth them out.
- Bread the tenders:Dip each piece in the wet batter and let the excess drip off, then press it into the seasoned flour so there are no bald spots. Shake off the loose bits and lay them on a foil lined tray.
- First fry:Heat the oil to 325°F in a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, then fry in batches for 4 minutes. I did two batches for 1.5 lb, because crowding the pot drops the temperature below 300°F. Drain them on a wire rack.
- Second fry: Skim the loose bits out of the oil and bring it up to 375°F, then fry the tenders again for 2 minutes. Let them cool on the rack, then serve with whatever sauce you like.
FAQs
Can I make these in the air fryer instead?
Not with this batter, because a wet batter needs hot oil around it to set. It slides off in an air fryer and you end up with a mess on the basket. If you want air fryer tenders, use a dry breading recipe built for it.
What if I don’t have potato starch?
Use more cornstarch, though you will lose a little of the brittle snap. Potato starch has bigger granules, which is what makes the crust rigid rather than just crisp. The baking powder still does its job either way.
Do I really have to fry them twice?
Yes, if you want them crunchy an hour later. The first fry at 325°F cooks the chicken through gently, while the second fry at 375°F drives the moisture out of the crust. One fry gives you tenders that go soft as they cool.
Can I bread them ahead of time?
I would not leave them sitting breaded for long, because the wet batter soaks into the dredge and turns it pasty. Twenty minutes on the tray is fine. If you need a head start, do the dry brine early and bread right before frying.
Can I reuse the oil afterward?
You can, once it cools completely and you strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Store it in a sealed jar somewhere dark, then use it for frying again within a month or so. Toss it if it smells off or turns dark and thick.
