🍗 Crispy Chicken Tenders

Chef notes

Soaking the chicken in buttermilk first makes it way more tender and helps the coating stick. I made two versions: one with just spices and one glazed with sauce. The double dredge (flour, then buttermilk, then flour again) is what makes the coating really thick and crunchy. The sauced one is honestly incredible.

Ingredients

• Chicken breast or tenders
• Buttermilk
• All-purpose flour
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Vegetable oil

Recipe

1. 1.Toss chicken tenders with ¼ cup flour in a large bowl and let sit in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to dry out.
2. 2.In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and spices for the dredge. Transfer ½ cup of the dry dredge to a separate bowl and whisk in sparkling water until it's the consistency of pancake batter.
3. 3.Preheat oil to 350°F.
4. 4.In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with sriracha, hot sauce, and honey. Whisk together as the butter melts, bring to a light simmer, then remove from heat.
5. 5.Dredge each tender: wet batter → dry dredge → wet batter → dry dredge.
6. 6.Fry in the preheated oil until light golden and crispy, about 5–7 minutes.
7. 7.Immediately brush with the sriracha honey sauce and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.