Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Buttermilk Chicken Tenders are marinated in buttermilk, then battered and pan fried until golden brown. The crunchy batter makes them perfect on a salad, as a snack with honey mustard sauce, or for dinner with a tasty side dish!
The Best Chicken Tenders Recipe!
- Tender and Juicy: marinated in buttermilk to tenderize the chicken
- Great Flavor: loaded with seasonings for extra flavor
- Crowd Favorite: kids of all ages love crispy chicken tenders!
Kids love chicken tenders! Adults will fight you for the last one on the plate. So, get out your cast iron skillet and make this easy recipe for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
This is my favorite way to fix any type of fried food because the buttermilk marinade and flour dredge works like a charm. What's my secret? The addition of cornstarch to the batter makes it extra crunchy and crispy!
Want to make chicken nuggets at home? Try these Chicken Minis for the best Copycat Chick-Fil-A nugget recipe I've ever seen!
Ingredient List
Marinade: buttermilk, garlic salt, paprika, pepper and dried oregano or Italian seasoning.
Dredge: all purpose flour, cornstarch, and all of the seasonings above. You'll also need vegetable or canola oil for frying.
Honey Mustard Sauce: mayonnaise, yellow mustard, honey, and a dash of garlic salt and paprika.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
1 - Mix up the marinade and pour it over chicken. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours if you're in a hurry. The meat needs time in the marinade to absorb the acid and flavor.
2 - Prepare your dredging station. You'll need two large bowls, a large plate or sheet pan, plus spoons and forks.
3 - Whisk the flour mixture together to make the batter. Remove tenders from the marinade and dredge them in the flour mixture. Pat the flour down to make sure it sticks. Place chicken on a plate or sheet pan while heating up the oil.
4 - Heat oil to 350 degrees (medium temp) in a skillet. Test oil to see if it's ready by adding a little flour to the skillet. If it sizzles, it's good to go. Add battered chicken fingers one at a time to the hot oil. Take care not to put too many in the pan at once.
5 - Fry tenders on one side for 3 minutes. Flip and fry 3 more minutes. Flip one more time and fry until golden brown (about 3 minutes more). Remove from oil and place on a rack over a sheet pan. Keep warm in a 170 degree oven until ready to serve.
How to Make Honey Mustard Sauce
To make honey mustard sauce, add mayonnaise, mustard and honey to a bowl and stir well. Add a dash of garlic salt and paprika and you're good to go! For quantities, check out the recipe card below.
Other Dipping Sauces to Try
You could use any sauce as a dipper! Some of my favorites are...
Recipe FAQS
The secret to getting batter to stay on while frying is to use whole buttermilk instead of egg. Buttermilk is thicker and adheres to the chicken better. Also, heating the oil to medium (350 degrees) is important. You can check to see if the oil is ready by adding a few specks of flour. If the oil sizzles, it's time to fry!
The best way to keep the breading crispy is to keep the tenders in a 170 degree oven after frying. Place them on a baking rack over a sheet pan. This will keep the chicken warm and crispy until ready to serve.
Buttermilk has acid in it that breaks down the protein in meat, so it works well to tenderize chicken. It also acts as a great binding agent when dredging meat in flour, so it's the perfect ingredient for tender and crispy fried chicken!
Tips for Success
- Leave the chicken in marinade overnight for best results.
- Be sure the oil is the correct temperature (350 degrees) before adding chicken or the batter won't stick.
- This recipe doesn't work well in an air fryer because of the buttermilk. Leave it out if you want to try air frying instead.
Storing Leftovers
You can freeze this recipe after frying for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container or vacuum sealed.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, do so in a 350 degree oven until warm throughout.
Related Recipes
Buttermilk Chicken Tenders go great with dips, but they're also perfect for dinner with all types of southern sides.
If you love southern fried chicken, try these other recipes that are sure to please!
Recipe Card
Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
BUTTERMILK MARINADE
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound chicken tenders
BATTER
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup vegetable oil
HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE
- 4 Tablespoons mayonnaise I use Duke's
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- dash of garlic salt
- dash of paprika
Instructions
- Mix up the marinade and pour it over chicken. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight, or use immediately if you're in a hurry.
- Whisk the flour mixture together to make the batter.
- Remove tenders from the marinade and dredge them in the flour mixture. Pat the flour down to make sure it sticks.
- Place chicken on a plate or sheet pan while heating up the oil.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees (medium temp) in a skillet.
- Gradually add battered chicken fingers one at a time into the hot oil.
- Fry tenders on one side for 3 minutes. Flip and fry 3 more minutes. Flip one more time and fry until golden brown (about 3 minutes more).
- Remove chicken tenders from oil and place on a rack over a sheet pan. Keep warm in a 170 degree oven until ready to serve.
- To make honey mustard sauce, combine all ingredients together and mix well. Serve with chicken tenders.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Leave the chicken in marinade overnight for best results.
- Be sure the oil is the correct temperature (350 degrees) before adding chicken or the batter won't stick.
- This recipe doesn't work well in an air fryer because of the buttermilk. Leave it off if you want to try air frying instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
Tried this Recipe and Loved It? ❤️ Please scroll down and leave a *STAR* review!
Delicious! I had all the ingredients on hand. I only marinated my chicken strips for a couple of hours and really didn’t measure the ingredients (I never do, unless I am baking) but I used all the ingredients and the chicken came out perfect. For the honey mustard sauce, I added a tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten up a little more. I paired the chicken with homemade pimento cheese grits. Thank you for a great recipe.
Thanks so much Ambar! I love your variation ideas.
These look so delicious! Can't wait to make them.
I made these last night and I've never had such a crunchy chicken finger! They were really good. Thank you for this recipe.