Chicken Tenders
Fried, air-fried, or baked, chicken tenders are a classic, kid-friendly meal that's quick and easy! Truly crispy fried chicken tenders are a dinnertime staple your whole family will love. Juicy, tender, and crispy chicken that's ready within 20 minutes; minimal prep is required! Serve it with Russian Dressing!
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken tenders
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt plus more if needed
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
Frying Method
- In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, pour the canola oil about 1 to 2 inches from the bottom. Heat on high heat until it reaches 350F. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature. This is important.
- Set up a station for the chicken. In one bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. In a third bowl, pour in the breadcrumbs. Set up a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Line a plate with paper towels.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg mixture; let the excess drip off. Roll it around in the breadcrumbs until completely coated. Place onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tenders.
- Gently place a few tenders of chicken into the heated oil at a time. You want to cook in batches. Do not drop them in. Oil will splatter and no one wants to be burned! Cook until golden brown on the bottom side, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, and the internal temperature is 165F, about 8-10 minutes. Place the cooked chicken onto the plate with the paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Bake Method
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Follow the recipe up to step 3.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until cooked through. (Broil in the last 2-3 minutes for a golden crispy!)
Notes
Storage: Keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.Freeze: Cooked tenders can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Reheat from Frozen: Put the frozen tenders on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and warm in a 350F oven until heated through and crisp, about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Reheat from Fridge: I recommend using a toaster oven or air fryer for reheating since it'll crisp up. Microwaving might result in non-crispy tenders.