Best Battered Chicken Tenders Recipes

BEER-BATTERED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Set aside 1/3 cup flour and whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour with Coors Light and beaten eggs. Season the batter to taste.
• Dredge chicken tenders in flour and then dip or roll tenders in batter.
• Deep-fry tenders in 375 degree F oil until deep golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to even thickness of about about 1/2″. Then cut into strips of about an inch thick. Place in a bowl with buttermilk and let sit in refrigerator for about an hour.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, season salt, paprika and parsley flakes. In another bowl, beat two eggs.
• In a deep frying pan, heat oil to about 350 degrees F (medium heat for about 5 minutes).
• Remove chicken strips from buttermilk, dredge in flour mix, the eggs, then back through flour. Set aside on a paper plate until complete.
• Carefully place coated chicken into pan with hot oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes, then flip pieces over for another 3 minutes or until golden brown. Internal temp should be 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
• Carefully remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels.

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• To marinate the chicken: In a large sealable bag, combine the chicken tenders with the remaining marinade ingredients. Seal the bag tightly and massage the chicken until it is evenly coated with buttermilk and seasoning. Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
• To make the breading: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then add the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly clumpy.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and toss into the breading mixture. Be sure to press the chicken firmly into the breading so clumps adhere to the meat. (It's a messy job: use one hand to remove the wet tenders from the bag and the other to toss in the breading.) Set breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
• To fry the chicken: Line another baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels and set next to the stove. Add oil to a large, high-sided pot until the level reaches about ¾-inch. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350°). (If a cube of bread sizzles when you drop it in, it's ready.) Using tongs, place several chicken tenders in the hot oil without crowding the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom side, a few minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, a few minutes more. Set the cooked tenders on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Fry remaining tenders in batches adjusting the heat as necessary (if the tenders are browning too fast, lower the heat). Serve hot.
• Note: I find that it's hard to tell how golden the chicken is when it's immersed in the oil. It may only look lightly golden, but it's actually a perfect fried chicken golden brown. If you're unsure, simply pull a tender out of the oil and rest it on the paper towels to see the true color.
• Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the chicken tenders when frying.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked chicken tenders can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, put the frozen tenders on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven until heated through and crisp, about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN STRIPS

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and buttermilk. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, pepper, salt and paprika. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then flour mixture., In an electric skillet, heat oil to 375°. Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese.

BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Make the dip: Mix yogurt, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and plenty of pepper. Set aside.
• Prepare the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut chicken breasts lengthwise into about 1 1/4-inch-wide strips. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Mix together flour and paprika in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Place eggs in a large bowl and whisk with 1 teaspoon water. Season with salt and pepper. Put bread crumbs in a large bowl or shallow baking dish, and season with salt and pepper.
• Working with few pieces at a time, toss the chicken in the flour mixture, making sure it's evenly coated. Shake off excess flour, and dip into egg wash. Shake off any excess.
• Dip chicken into bread crumb mixture a few pieces at a time, pressing to adhere as many bread crumbs as possible. Shake off any excess, and set chicken aside on a large plate.
• Place breaded chicken strips on a foil- or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake until one side is beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, flip chicken and continue to cook until the other side is golden brown and crisp, another 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with herbed yogurt dip.

BATTERED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Sauce: Combine all ingredients, you can adjust any of the ingredients to suit your taste. Sauce can be doubled.
• Heat oil in fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk egg and water medium bowl.
• Whisk in flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Let the batter sit for a few minutes.
• Coat each piece of chicken with dry flour.
• Dip the chicken into the batter and let a little batter drip off the chicken.
• Once the excess batter has dripped off add to fryer.
• Fry for 7 to 9 minutes (ensure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees).
• Repeat with the remaining chicken, frying 3 to 4 tenderloins at a time.
• Drain fried chicken strips on paper towels and serve with favorite dip or dressing.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
• In shallow dish, place flour. In another shallow dish, beat egg and water. In third shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and cheese. Coat chicken with flour; dip into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Place on cookie sheet.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in center and coating is golden brown. Serve with dipping sauce.

EASY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Place egg in a shallow dish. Place bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper into a large zip-top freezer bag and mix well. Dip 2 chicken strips into egg and then place into bread crumb mixture and shake to coat. Place coated chicken pieces onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Spray each chicken tender with cooking spray 2 times.
• Bake tenders in the preheated oven for 7 minutes; flip, continue to bake on opposite side until no longer pink in the centers, about 7 minutes more. Remove from the oven.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Broil tenders in the preheated oven for extra crunch, about 2 minutes more.

BREADED CHICKEN FINGERS

Steps:

• Place chicken strips into a large, resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk and garlic powder. Pour mixture into bag with chicken. Seal, and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.
• In another large, resealable plastic bag, mix together the flour, bread crumbs, salt and baking powder. Remove chicken from refrigerator, and drain, discarding buttermilk mixture. Place chicken in flour mixture bag. Seal, and shake to coat.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Carefully place coated chicken in hot oil. Fry until golden brown and juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.