Deep Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on May 27, 2026 It’s no exaggeration when I say my deep fried chicken tenders recipe makes the absolute best, most crunchy and juicy chicken fingers! What’s the secret? Use quality ingredients with my easy step-by-step instructions, and I guarantee you’ll fry up restaurant-style tenders in 30 minutes or less. Simply soak the tenders in a combo of buttermilk, egg, and a few seasonings, then dunk them in a flour mixture and quickly pan-fry until golden brown. Serve them with gravy and Texas toast or your favorite dipping sauces and fries!
You might have noticed, comfort foods are practically their own food group in our house. And when I think of Southern comfort food at its finest, fried chicken is at the top of the list! I love fried chicken in all forms, like my spicy Nashville chicken recipe. But this simple boneless fried chicken tenders recipe might be at the top of my top list! Let’s be honest, bone-in fried chicken is incredible, since frying chicken on the bone adds so much flavor and moisture. However, handy chicken strips are easy to eat, kids and adults alike enjoy them with all sorts of fabulous dipping sauces. Plus, they are quicker and easier to make than large pieces! When I’m cooking for a crowd, tenders are always a safe bet.
PS, if you’re still craving on-the-bone fried chicken, try my all-around favorite best fried chicken recipe!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Quick and Easy Dinner – This simple chicken tenders recipe is so easy to make, you might add them to your weekly rotation. If you marinate them on the lower end of the suggested time, you can have a batch ready to serve in as little as 30 minutes!
Family-Friendly – There’s a reason you see chicken fingers and fries on nearly every menu across America… Everyone loves them! Crunchy, moist chicken strips taste amazing and are fun to eat with your hands.
No Deep Fryer Needed – Despite the name, you don’t actually need a deep fryer to make southern fried chicken fingers. I make these chicken tenders in a skillet on the stovetop, using a candy thermometer to dial in and maintain the temperature. This method uses way less oil and cooks the tenders evenly.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Chicken tenders – I’m going for as easy as possible, people, and suggest you buy precut and ready-to-use chicken tenders to make this fried chicken recipe. Feel free to do the work yourself if you prefer, and slice the tenders off the bottom side of chicken breasts. Or if you can’t find tenders, you can cut breasts into long, 1-inch wide strips.
- Buttermilk – I always recommend buttermilk for marinating chicken to fry. The acid in the buttermilk helps tenderize the meat and keep it extra moist! PS, you can save yourself some money and make homemade buttermilk with just 2 ingredients.
- Egg – I use one extra-large brown egg.
- Seasonings – Lawry’s or McCormick’s seasoning salt, and ground black pepper. If you don’t have seasoning salt on hand, you can combine one and a half teaspoons of salt, a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder, and a quarter teaspoon of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
- Flour and cornstarch – These two dry ingredients make the breading light and crispy… Using just flour would be heavy, and only cornstarch would be too thin of a coating.
- Fry oil – Peanut oil is my favorite high-heat and low-flavor oil for frying chicken strips. Canola oil or vegetable oil are other great options!
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Marinate the Chicken – I start by placing the tenders in a plastic ziploc bag before adding the buttermilk, egg, and most of the seasonings. Close the bag tightly, and gently squish everything around so the chicken is thoroughly coated in the marinade. Then I pop the bag into the fridge and let it rest anywhere from 15 minutes to, ideally, an hour. This will make the chicken super tender and well-seasoned.
Whisk Breading Mix – When the chicken tenders are about done marinating, I whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and the remaining seasonings in a small bowl.
Prepare Fry Oil – Next, I set my big cast iron skillet over medium heat on the stove. If you don’t have a true cast iron, that’s ok, you can use another heavy-bottom skillet. I clip the cooking thermometer to the side of the pan, and pour in the cooking oil. It should fill the pan to almost halfway. Keep in mind that the chicken is going to make the oil level rise.
When the temperature reaches 370 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s fry time!
Dredge and Fry – Working one at a time, I use tongs to dip half of the marinated tenders into the flour and cornstarch mixture. I move them around carefully so each piece gets evenly coated, like doing a ‘lil shake-n-baking. Then I pick the chicken from the bag tender by tender, and place in the hot oil. Don’t crowd the pan! Trust me, it’s best to be patient and work in several batches if necessary.
Keep in mind that the oil temp will drop a bit as each tender is added to the skillet. I adjust the stovetop heat as needed to keep the oil temperature at least 350 degrees. While the pieces are frying, I use the tongs to move them around and flip once or twice, roughly every 2 minutes, until the breading is golden brown.
Move to Drying Rack – The chicken tenders will take about 6-8 minutes to fry. While they are cooking, I get out a wire rack and place it over a rimmed baking sheet to catch any excess oil that drips off. And as each tender turns golden, I use the tongs to carefully move them one by one from the skillet and place them on the wire rack.
Expert Tips
You don’t have to soak the chicken strips for long, but I will say the longer they soak in the buttermilk, the more tender the tenders become. This also helps all that great flavor penetrate the juicy chicken meat.
Cast iron pans are exceptional for making my fried chicken recipe because they help hold in the heat so well, to keep the oil at a consistent temperature. I recommend you use one if you have it; however, another deep skillet with a heavy bottom will also work well.
It is super important that you don’t crowd the pan when making deep-fried chicken. Not only will this lower the oil temperature, but too much moisture in the oil from multiple pieces of chicken will also make it harder for the breading to properly fry. That’s why I work in at least two batches!
If you don’t have a wire rack to drain off excess oil from the fried tenders, you can line a plate with 2-3 layers of paper towels. Work with whatever you’ve got, because you definitely don’t want the tenders to soak in their own oil! Any moisture left on the chicken will make the breading less crispy.
Serving Suggestions
They’re fried chicken strips, and you know you want to dip ’em! In these pictures, I’m serving the tenders with cups of sausage white gravy and thick slices of Texas toast for a true Southern vibe. (We really will put white gravy on nearly anything!)
Then, of course, there are classic options like ketchup or BBQ sauce. But why not expand your horizons a bit? Try dipping your tenders in any of my homemade sauces, like –
- Comeback Sauce
- Remoulade
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- Magic Aioli Sauce
- Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- French Fry Dipping Sauce (not just for fries!)
Speaking of fries… Everyone loves a basket of homemade fries or zesty Cajun fries on the table with tenders, too!
Storing and Reheating
Fried chicken tenders, like most fried foods, taste best immediately after frying and cooling them. That being said, they will keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
You can bake or air fry to reheat and get that crispy coating back. I recommend baking in the oven for 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees, or reheating in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 375 degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s important that the oil reach the full 375 degrees before adding the chicken. Then it’s equally important to maintain a high temperature of 350-360 degrees F when the tenders are frying. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the breading will just sort of slide off, pr become soggy.
Frying the chicken at the right temperature will help “lock in” the moisture on the inside while making the outside breading crunchy. Keep a close eye on the breading, and use tongs to pull the tenders out of the oil as soon as they start to go from blonde to light brown. The coating will continue to brown a bit and get crisp as the tenders cool on the wire rack.
No, absolutely don’t cover the skillet. Putting a lid on the pan when frying will cause moisture to get trapped, which will change the oil temperature and make the tenders soggy. This can also be dangerous, as condensation that builds in the lid can drip and cause the hot oil to splatter.
Well, let’s be honest… They certainly aren’t a healthy food! That’s usually the case when deep frying in oil is part of the process. If you are looking for a “fried” dish that’s easier on the hips, you might try my baked chicken cutlet recipe.
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More Chicken Recipes
Deep Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt divided, like Lawry’s or McCormick’s
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 quart fry oil peanut, or canola
Instructions
- Place the chicken tenders in a large zip bag. Add the buttermilk, egg, 2 teaspoons seasoning salt, and black pepper. Squish the mixture around to combine and then shake well so that the chicken is fully coated in the buttermilk and seasoning mixture. It's best to let the chicken tenders soak in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight. But if you're in a hurry, let them soak for at least 15 minutes while the oil is heating.
- Set out a mixing bowl. Combine the flour, cornstarch, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of seasoning salt. Whisk well.
- Place a cast iron sauté pan over medium heat and add a cooking thermometer to the pan. Add enough oil to the pan to come about halfway up the side. Make sure to leave plenty of room to add the chicken tenders.
- Once the oil reaches 370°F, it's time to dredge the tenders. Working in two batches, take half the tenders and dunk them in the flour mixture one at a time. Adding the tenders to the hot oil will lower the temperature. The temperature needs to stay right at 350-360°F for the chicken to cook properly. Adjust the temperature as needed.
- Fry the tenders for 6-8 minutes, rotating every two minutes with tongs. Once the tenders are light-gold, use tongs to move them to a drying rack or a plate line with paper towel towels.
- Repeat with the second batch of tenders. Serve warm as is, or with dipping sauces.
