Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders (Printable)

Tender chicken strips soaked in buttermilk, coated in spices, and pan-fried to golden crisp.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

→ Marinade

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Coating

09 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

→ For Frying

16 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying (about 2 inches depth)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and optional cayenne in a large bowl; add chicken strips and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours, or overnight.
02 - Combine flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder in a shallow dish.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each piece in seasoned flour, pressing to adhere, and arrange on a plate.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C) with roughly 2 inches depth.
05 - Fry chicken in batches, cooking 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Avoid overcrowding.
06 - Transfer cooked tenders to a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade keeps the chicken impossibly juicy inside while the flour crisps up to an audible crunch.
  • It's faster than you'd think once you get the oil hot, and the results rival any takeout place.
  • Leftover tenders taste just as good cold the next day, tucked into a sandwich or eaten straight from the fridge at midnight.
02 -
  • Don't skip the two-hour marinating time—it's not just for flavor, it's what keeps the inside tender while the outside crisps up.
  • Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and you end up with soggy, oil-logged chicken instead of crispy exterior, juicy interior.
  • Double-dipping really does work: after the first flour coating, dip back into buttermilk and coat with flour again for an almost audible crunch.
03 -
  • If the oil smokes or seems too hot, pull the chicken out immediately—better to start over with fresh oil at the right temperature than ruin an entire batch.
  • Uniform chicken pieces are non-negotiable; if some are thick and some are thin, they'll cook at different rates and you'll have both raw and burnt pieces in the same batch.
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