Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders (Southern-Style!)

5 from 2 votes

This homemade Southern-fried chicken tenders recipe will soothe your soul with its crispy coating and juicy, succulent meat. It's easy to make for home cooks, using everyday ingredients and a few simple steps, and perfect for game day or a tasty lunch.

🌟 Why this recipe works

This Southern-fried chicken tenders recipe is the perfect combination of crispy and juicy that everyone at your dinner table will fall in love with! Whether you're hosting a fancy dinner party or just looking for a tasty meal with the family, this recipe is an absolute winner.

The secret to creating the perfect fried chicken tenders lies in the buttermilk and hot sauce marination that helps to tenderize the chicken. The chicken is then dredged in a flour and buttermilk coating that seals in the moisture and flavor of the chicken and creates a super crunchy exterior that sets this recipe apart from other fried chicken recipes.

You'll be surprised at how easy making the crispiest fried chicken tenders can be! All you need is a few simple ingredients and some time to let the chicken marinate in the buttermilk mixture. Then it's a matter of dredging and frying.

You'll be rewarded with a flavorful, juicy chicken that's crisp to perfection! Also try my classic chicken and dumplings in your next meal.

Served on top of fluffy homemade Belgian waffles and drizzled with maple syrup for the most comforting meal EVER!

🍽 Key Ingredients

All you need to make this delicious tender fried chicken recipe to go with your Belgian waffles are a few spices, a flour mixture, buttermilk, and oil for frying.

For the buttermilk brine:

Chicken breasts - Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenderloin, or chicken tenders for this recipe. You want the chicken to be moist and tender!

Buttermilk - This is an essential ingredient for the brine. It helps to keep the chicken flavorful and juicy.

Salt and pepper - Used for seasoning the chicken and bringing out all of the amazing flavors.

Hot sauce - Adds a bit of heat and extra flavor to the brine.

For the crispy fried chicken:

Flour - This is used to create a nice coating on the chicken.

Cornmeal - Adds a nice crunchy texture to the fried chicken.

Seasoning - Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper are all used to create a flavorful coating for the chicken.

Buttermilk - This helps the flour mixture to stick to the chicken.

Oil - Use canola or peanut oil for frying the chicken pieces.

Substitutions

Here are a few suggested substitutions for this delicious chicken and waffles recipe:

Buttermilk
Yogurt or sour cream can be used as substitutes. Or make your own by mixing 1 cup of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Chicken breasts
You could use bone-in chicken like chicken thighs, chicken wings, or chicken legs instead of chicken breasts.

Hot sauce
Use any type of hot sauce you like, such as Crystal, or leave it out altogether if you're not a fan of spicy foods.

Cornmeal
You could also use almond flour as a substitute for the cornmeal in the flour mix.

🔪 How to make

Making fried chicken tenders is so easy and requires minimal ingredients. Follow the steps below to have this delicious dish ready to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in no time.

Preparations

Step 1
To make the brine for the crispy chicken, place a layer of plastic wrap on a cutting board and a chicken breast on top. Fold the plastic wrap over the chicken to cover it and bash it with a meat mallet or rolling pin to make it thin to about ½ inch thickness.

Step 2
Repeat this step with the other chicken breasts.

Step 3
Mix the buttermilk, hot sauce, and seasoning in a bowl, then pour the mixture into a zip-lock bag and place the chicken inside. Massage the brine into the chicken and place it bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Step 4
After the chicken has marinated in the fridge, remove it 1 hour before you plan to fry it.

Step 5
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius).

Step 6
To fry the chicken, start by heating a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with around 1 inch of oil.

Cooking instructions

Step 1
Place 2 shallow bowls or plates on the work surface and make the seasoned flour for the chicken by mixing the flour, cornmeal, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in one of the bowls. Add the buttermilk to the other bowl.

make the seasoned flour for the chicken by mixing the flour, cornmeal, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in one of the bowls

Step 2
Remove the chicken from the brine, pat the flattened breasts dry with paper towels, and cut the chicken into 1-inch strips. Now, dredge the strips into the seasoned flour, then into the buttermilk, and back into the flour. Shake off any excess buttermilk and place them into the hot oil 4 to 5 pieces at a time.

dredge the strips into the seasoned flour, then into the buttermilk, and back into the flour

Tip: Check the hot oil with a thermometer so that the oil is between 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the perfect temperature for frying foods.

Step 3
Fry the fried chicken for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown, then remove them with tongs to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to remove excess grease and place the baking sheet in the preheated oven to keep the heavenly-good fried chicken warm.

Step 4
Continue to fry the remaining chicken.

💭 Cooking tips

Use a thermometer.

To make sure your oil is at the perfect temperature to fry chicken, use a meat thermometer.

Remove the chicken from the fridge.

You need to allow the chicken to come to room temperature before dredging and frying it so that the oil temperature doesn't decrease when placing the chicken in the hot oil and also absorbing it. The room-temperature chicken will instantly become crispy and cook faster.

Keep it warm.

We recommend keeping the cooked chicken warm in the oven until you are ready to serve it with the waffles. This will ensure the chicken stays crispy!

📖 Recipe Variations

If you’re looking for something a bit different, there are plenty of variations to this fried chicken tenders recipe. Here are some tasty ideas.

Spicy fried chicken

Give the best-fried chicken recipe an extra dose of spice by adding 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon of chili powder to the flour mixture.

Breaded chicken

For a crunchy coating, omit the buttermilk and beat 3 large eggs with a tablespoon of milk. Dip the chicken into beaten eggs after dredging in the flour and cornmeal mixture, then into a shallow bowl with panko breadcrumbs.

Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the flour for extra crunch.

Herb chicken

Give your fried chicken a herby twist by omitting the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper for 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the flour.

🥗 What to serve with

Fried chicken tenders is a comforting dish that can be enjoyed with a variety of side dishes, like homemade buttermilk waffles, homemade biscuits, or pasta recipes. Here are a few of our favorites:

Waffles

There's nothing better than chicken and waffles, and with this easy-to-make Belgian waffle recipe, you can guarantee that the waffles will be light, fluffy, and sweet. Another alternative is my artisan bread recipe with butter.

Biscuits

These tender, flaky buttermilk biscuits are the perfect side dish for a plate of crispy chicken. Serve with a jug of country-style white gravy for a real treat!

Pasta & rice dishes

If you're looking for a heartier side to accompany your succulent chicken, try this white cheddar mac and cheese recipe, a creamy asparagus risotto, or spicy chorizo pasta with zucchini.

Don't forget desserts, highly recommended my hummingbird cake and sock it to me cake recipe — the possibilities are endless!

🙋 Frequently asked questions

Can I use other oils for frying chicken?

Yes, you can use other oils for frying chicken. Vegetable oil or sunflower oil are good alternatives to canola or peanut oil.

How long do I need to let the chicken sit in the brine?

You should let the chicken sit in the brine for at least 8 hours or overnight for the best results. This will ensure that the chicken is perfectly seasoned and absorbs the flavors of the brine, but if you are stuck for time, you can reduce the brining time to 4-6 hours.

Why is my chicken not crispy?

If your chicken isn't crispy after frying, it could be because the oil wasn't hot enough or the chicken was not dried properly before dredging. To keep your fried chicken crispy, make sure your oil is between 350-375F and allow the chicken to sit on paper towels before frying. This will help remove excess moisture.

🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating

If you have leftover fried chicken, you can refrigerate or freeze them for reheating another day.

Fridge - Transfer the cooled chicken pieces to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer - Place the leftover chicken pieces in a freezer bag, label them with the date, and store them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating - To reheat, preheat the oven to 350F and bake the chicken for 8-10 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat them in hot oil again for 2 to 3 minutes.

🍳 More Chicken Recipes

For more comforting soul food recipes, like this fried chicken, check out our collection of 30 best Sunday dinner soul food recipes. And if you need something to serve with the fried chicken, take a look at these 26 side dishes for fried chicken. Happy cooking!

👪 Serving size

This fried chicken tenders recipe serves 4 people, but can easily be scaled.

We hope you enjoyed this fried chicken recipe! It's perfect with waffles and a drizzle of maple syrup, but also tastes amazing with our side dishes for fried chicken! Let us know what you think of this succulent fried chicken recipe in the comments. Bom Appetit!

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Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!

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