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Like most kids, my daughter prefers “kid food” to “grown-up food” any day of the week. Occasionally, it works to my advantage—a trip to McDonald’s makes excellent bribery—but most of the time I’m just dealing with a picky eater. Rather than desperately trying to coax her into eating dinner every night, sometimes I just make her favorites. These chicken tenders, marinated in seasoned buttermilk and pan-fried to crispy, crunchy perfection, are at the top of her list. They’re delicious plain, dipped in honey mustard sauce, or perched on top of a salad. And they’re not just for picky kids—everyone loves them.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)To marinate the chicken: In a large sealable bag, combine the chicken tenders with the buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Seal the bag tightly and massage the chicken until it is evenly coated with buttermilk and seasoning.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)When you’re ready to cook them, make the breading: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Whisk until well blended.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly clumpy.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and toss into the breading mixture.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)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.)
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Set breaded tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)To fry the chicken: Line a 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 3/4-inch. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350 degrees). (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.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Set the cooked tenders on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Fry remaining tenders in batches adjusting the heat as necessary (if the tenders are browning too fast, lower the heat). Serve hot with honey mustard sauce.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal. Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018))By Jennifer Segal
Servings: 4
Total Time: 40 Minutes, plus at least 4 hours marinating time
Ingredients
For The Marinade
For The Breading
For Cooking
3-4 cups vegetable oil, for cooking
Instructions
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 degrees). (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 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until heated through and crisp, about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram.