Recipes

Chicken Tenders

These Chicken Tenders can truly be called a fried success! It is incredibly easy to make this comfort and fried food, and it will be really hard to find somebody who does not like it. The only disadvantage to this meal is that you will never have enough! In this detailed recipe, I will show you exactly how to take simple chicken breasts and transform them into golden, crispy perfection using a heavily spiced milk marinade, a well-seasoned breading made of all-purpose flour, and the absolute magic of deep frying. By carefully managing your hot frying oil and double-coating the tender strips perfectly through a custom egg wash mix, you will easily achieve a restaurant-quality crunch right in your own kitchen. We will also ensure perfectly cooked, juicy poultry by checking that the meat reaches the minimum recommended safe serving temperature using a trusty food thermometer. Serve these crispy delights up with a homemade Mediterranean aioli or your favorite sides for an unforgettable feast!

Tom the Chef Tom the Chef Founder
Published:
July 21, 2026

Before You Start

Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…

Welcome to My Easy Recipe for Chicken Tenders

Hello everyone, it is Tom the Chef here, and I am so excited to share my absolute favorite way to prepare Chicken Tenders right in your own kitchen! If you are craving the ultimate comfort and fried food, this recipe is a guaranteed fried success that will leave your family asking for more. We start by preparing beautiful chicken breasts, meticulously cutting them into perfect tender strips, and letting them soak in a richly spiced milk and freshly grated garlic marinade. Then, we create an incredibly crispy exterior using a seasoned blend of all-purpose flour and an egg wash mix. The real secret to that perfect crunch is mastering the deep frying process. By keeping your frying oil at exactly 350°F and utilizing a food thermometer to verify the minimum recommended safe serving temperature of 165°F, you will get juicy, perfectly cooked meat every single time. I personally love pairing these with Mediterranean aioli for dipping. Let us get started on making the absolute best fried chicken you have ever had!

1. Creating the Perfect Spiced Milk Marinade for Chicken Tenders

The very first step to making these incredible Chicken Tenders is building a flavorful foundation with our marinade. I always grab a medium mixing bowl and combine 1 cup of milk with 2 cloves of peeled and grated garlic. To this, I add exactly half of our total spice blend to infuse the meat from the inside out: half a teaspoon of ground paprika, half a teaspoon of chili powder, half a teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, half a teaspoon of ground black pepper, and half a teaspoon of salt. I whisk this all together thoroughly for about one to two minutes until it is fully incorporated. This spiced milk bath is absolutely essential for our comfort and fried food because it gently tenderizes the poultry while deeply infusing it with immense flavor before it ever touches the all-purpose flour or the hot frying oil.

2. Preparing and Portioning the Chicken Breasts

Proper meat preparation is a regular and crucial step for any cook making Chicken Tenders. I start by making sure that my one and a half pounds of skinless and boneless chicken breasts are properly rinsed under cold water, and I carefully remove any unwanted parts using my chef’s knife. Next, I cut each of the chicken breasts lengthwise into perfectly sized tender strips. You should aim to get about five to six pieces from each breast. Once they are portioned, I place all the tender strips into the medium mixing bowl with the prepared marinade. I stir everything gently with a silicone spatula until all the pieces are completely covered. Then, I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, though I must say leaving it overnight yields the most amazing flavor for deep frying!

3. Mixing the Seasoned All-Purpose Flour

While the meat is marinating in the fridge, I like to prepare the dry coating that will give our Chicken Tenders their signature thick crunch. In a separate large mixing bowl, I place 3 cups of all-purpose flour. To ensure every single bite of our comfort and fried food is boldly flavorful, I add the remaining half of our spices into this bowl: half a teaspoon of ground paprika, half a teaspoon of chili powder, half a teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, half a teaspoon of ground black pepper, and half a teaspoon of salt. I also add 1 tablespoon of baking powder, which is a fantastic trick that helps create a beautiful, airy texture when it hits the hot frying oil. I thoroughly stir this dry mixture with a french whisk for about one to two minutes until fully incorporated. (If you want to add a dash of dried oregano to the flour, you can do so, but please remember that this is a modification that is not part of the recipe!)

4. The Meticulous Egg Wash Mix and Breading Process

The breading process is where the magic truly happens for our Chicken Tenders! To create very even results, I prefer to complete each step with all the tender strips before moving to the next, working with each piece one by one using tongs. Never grab multiple pieces at one time! First, I place the pieces from the marinade into the all-purpose flour mixture, letting the liquid drip off for a couple of seconds. I make sure they are not directly touching and cover them using my hands, shaking the bowl to improve the coating. Next, I create an egg wash mix by adding 2 large eggs into the leftover marinade bowl and whisking until incorporated. Using tongs, I dip the floured pieces into the egg wash mix, and then place them back into the flour mixture, ensuring again they do not touch. I shake the bowl well. From this point on, because the coating is extremely fragile, I touch the meat only with my hands—no tongs! I gently shake off the excess flour and place them on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching before deep frying.

5. Mastering Deep Frying and Reaching the Safe Temperature

Now it is finally time for deep frying! I set my deep fryer or pot with a thermometer to preheat the frying oil exactly to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in two or more batches based on the size of the fryer, I carefully place the heavily breaded Chicken Tenders into the hot frying oil one by one. I let them fry immersed in the oil for about 4 to 5 minutes until a nice golden color is reached—turning the pieces is not necessary! The most important part of cooking poultry is ensuring safety, so I always check with a food thermometer probe to make sure the meat has reached the USDA minimum recommended safe serving temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once done, I remove them to a cooling rack to let the excessive oil drip off for about a minute. Then, I sprinkle them with freshly ground salt and serve them hot, perhaps with some creamy Mediterranean aioli, fries, or as an unforgettable sandwich!

Recipe

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