Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders 🍗🔥
Crispy, golden, and packed with bold flavor, these fried chicken tenders are marinated in tangy buttermilk and coated in a spiced flour crust. They’re hot, juicy, and everything you want in a homemade comfort food classic!
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
1½ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Cholula or Tabasco)
1½ pounds chicken tenders (about 10 tenders)
Vegetable oil or shortening (at least 4 cups for frying)
Method:
Prep the chicken:
Make sure your chicken tenders are fully thawed and pat them dry with paper towels.
Heat the oil:
Fill a Dutch oven or heavy pot with 4–6 inches of oil. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F—this will take about 15 minutes. Start this step early so the oil is hot by the time you’re ready to fry.
Make the buttermilk dip:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce.
Mix the flour coating:
In a separate shallow bowl or on parchment paper, whisk together the flour, garlic salt, sea salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder.
Coat the chicken:
Dredge each tender in the flour mixture, dip it in the buttermilk, then back in the flour. For extra-crispy tenders, repeat the buttermilk + flour steps again.
Fry the tenders:
Working in batches, gently lower the tenders into the hot oil. Fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temp reaches 165°F. Keep the oil steady at 350°F while cooking.
Drain and serve:
Transfer the tenders to paper towels or brown paper to drain excess oil. Serve hot and crispy right away with your favorite dipping sauce!
Serving Information:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
