Make restaurant-style chicken tenders at home with a light, crunchy coating and juicy, flavorful chicken inside. The secret to the crispiest fried chicken tenders is an inexpensive pantry ingredient you probably already have: cornstarch. Fry them until golden brown and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
If you're looking for a crowd-pleasing meal to make for the entire family, whip up a batch of these crispy chicken tenders and serve them with my crispy buttermilk onion rings and homemade ranch dressing!
If you've ever found yourself intimidated by making fried chicken, homemade crispy chicken tenders are a great place to start. Chicken tenders fry up quicker and cook much more evenly than drumsticks. I've tried many different methods over the years and came up with one that my family goes nuts over, using a secret ingredient that you probably have in your pantry.
What Makes These Chicken Tenders So Crispy?
The secret to extra-crispy chicken tenders is using equal amounts of all-purpose flour and cornstarch in the coating. Flour gives the breading structure and flavor, while cornstarch creates a lighter, crunchier exterior that stays crisp after frying. Frying the chicken in small batches also helps maintain the oil temperature so the coating becomes golden and crisp instead of greasy.
Why I Like This Recipe
- Simple pantry ingredients. Aside from the chicken, this recipe uses inexpensive ingredients you may already have on hand, including flour, cornstarch, milk, an egg, pickle juice, and a few basic spices.
- Juicy and flavorful. Pickle juice tenderizes the chicken and adds flavor without making the finished tenders taste strongly like pickles.
- Extra crispy coating. A 50/50 blend of flour and cornstarch creates a light, crunchy coating that stays attached during frying.
- Perfect for dipping. Chicken tenders are the perfect shape for dipping in your favorite sauce. I even included my favorite homemade dipping sauce recipe!
- More affordable than takeout. With a family of seven, making restaurant-style chicken tenders at home is a huge money saver. I can feed our entire family for less than the cost of two restaurant combo meals.
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What People Are Saying
I’ve made fried chicken tenders a thousand times for my family…. And they’ve always been …."good"…..but this recipe really is a winner. The ratio of cornstarch and flour and seasonings is great, but the real kicker is the pickle juice in the marinade. It perfectly tenderized and flavored the chicken, resulting in next level tenderness and texture. This is a keeper! Thanks Brandy. ---Kayce
I just made this chicken tender recipe, and it is literally the best fried chicken I have ever made! Very tender and crispy fried. Great flavor, I can't say enough about how happy I am to have found it! Thank you so much for sharing, I will be using this one from now on! ---Amanda
These are good! I forgot to take a picture, but they turned out nicely- golden brown with a medium amount of breading. I also used only a quarter cup of pickle juice because others said they tasted too strongly like pickles. They did not taste like pickles, they were nicely seasoned. They were also crispy. I used less corn starch because I didn’t have that much, and replaced it with flour. I made the sauce recommended with it, which my husband and I both liked with some added hot sauce. ---H (Pinterest comment)
Tips and Tricks
- Use Corn starch. A 50/50 ratio of cornstarch and flour creates a lighter, crispier coating than flour alone. Cornstarch is the pantry ingredient that gives these chicken tenders their restaurant-style crunch.
- Check the oil temperature: For the most reliable results, use a thermometer and keep the oil around 350°F. Without a thermometer, dip the end of a wooden spoon or bamboo skewer into the oil. A steady stream of small bubbles means the oil is hot enough to test one tender.
- Fry one test tender: Heat the oil to about 350°F, then fry one chicken tender before cooking the entire batch. If the coating browns too quickly, lower the heat and allow the oil to cool slightly. If the chicken absorbs oil without becoming crisp, allow the oil to heat again before adding more.
🥣Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breast Tenders: I've made this recipe using chicken tenders or sliced up chicken breasts, and they both come out delicious. I prefer tenders, but chicken breasts work great too.
- Pickle Juice: Pickle juice helps tenderize the chicken and adds a subtle, tangy flavor. The finished chicken should not taste strongly like pickles.
- All-Purpose Flour and Cornstarch: A 50/50 mixture creates a light, crunchy coating. The flour gives the breading structure, while the cornstarch makes it extra crisp.
- Spices: I use a combination of garlic powder, paprika, seasoning salt (Johnny's is my go-to), and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Oil for Frying: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
- Dipping Sauce: If you'd like to make my dipping sauce, you'll need mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and more pickle juice!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳 How To Make The Crispiest Chicken Tenders
Step 1: Soak the chicken tenders in pickle juice, milk, and an egg for 30 minutes. When the chicken has about 5 minutes of soaking time left, mix the dry ingredients. Corn starch, flour, seasoned salt, paprika, garlic powder, and a bit of cayenne pepper.
Step 2: Place everything in a plastic bag and dip 6 tenders at a time. Seal the bag, give it a good shake, and transfer the chicken tenders to a rack. Repeat until all of the tenders have been dipped and shaken.
Step 3: Let the coated chicken tenders rest on the rack for 5–10 minutes while the oil heats. This gives the coating time to hydrate slightly and helps it adhere to the chicken during frying.
Top Tip
Dip and shake everything at once so you don't have to stop and wash your hands multiple times. It also makes the frying process quicker if all of the tenders are ready to go!
Step 4: Heat the oil in a deep skillet or fryer to 350°F. Line a platter with paper towels. Fry the chicken tenders in small batches for approximately 5–6 minutes, turning as needed, until the coating is golden brown and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. Do not overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the oil temperature and make the coating greasy rather than crisp.
Allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
Step 5: Once the chicken is done, remove it and place it on a platter with paper towels to drain.
This recipe makes 16-18 crispy fried chicken tenders, so you can easily fry all of them in 3-4 batches.
Fried Chicken Tenders FAQs
You might think that a chicken tender is simply a chicken breast cut into strips, but it's actually a different piece altogether. A chicken tenderloin is a small strip of meat located on the chicken breast. True to their name, the tenderloin is more tender than the chicken breast. It also has more flavor. That being said, boneless skinless chicken breasts are packed with vitamins and are lean. They are more affordable than tenders, too.
You can leave the pickle juice out if you prefer, and the tenders will still be crispy and delicious. Pickle juice tenderizes and adds flavor.
This specific recipe was developed for deep frying. You can reheat the cooked tenders in an air fryer at 375°F for 3–5 minutes, but for cooking raw chicken tenders in an air fryer, I recommend using a recipe specifically developed with breadcrumbs or a coating designed for air frying.
If cooking several batches, keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you finish frying. Avoid covering them, since trapped steam will soften the coating.
The breading may fall off if the chicken is too wet, the coating does not have time to rest, or the tenders are moved too much while frying. Shake off excess marinade, coat each tender thoroughly, and let the coated chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before frying.
Fried chicken tenders are best served immediately, but you can bread the chicken a short time in advance and refrigerate it on a rack until you are ready to fry. For food safety, keep the raw chicken refrigerated and fry it the same day.
Reheat chicken tenders in an air fryer at 375°F for 3–5 minutes or in a 400°F oven for approximately 8–10 minutes, until hot and crisp. Avoid reheating them in the microwave, which can make the coating soft.
Vegetable, canola, and peanut oil all work well because they have neutral flavors and high smoke points. Use enough oil for the tenders to fry without touching the bottom of the pan excessively.
If you enjoyed this recipe, don't miss my growing collection of Copycat Recipes! From famous restaurant dishes and luxury hotel cookies to bakery favorites and nostalgic grocery store treats, there's something for everyone.
More Chicken Recipes to Make
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Crispiest Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. chicken tenders 16 tenders (or chicken breast cut into strips)
- oil for frying
Chicken Soak
- ¾ cup dill pickle juice
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
Chicken Dip
- ¾ cup corn starch
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt
- cayenne pepper pinch
Optional Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce
- splash Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice
Instructions
- If making the optional dipping sauce, mix ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving.
Chicken Tenders
- Mix pickle juice, milk and egg in a large bowl. Add chicken tenders and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients in a plastic bag.
- Place tenders in plastic bag, 6 at a time. Seal bag and shake.
- Remove tenders and place on a rack. Repeat with remaining tenders.
- Heat oil to 350-375 degrees.
- Fry tenders, 5 at a time, for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place cooked tenders on a paper towel lined platter.
Pam6622 says
This came out deliciously! Coating was crisp, chucked was juicy. I made a honey mustard that was really good with it. Thanks!
Brandy says
I’m so glad!!
Sandy says
Hello which pickle juice do you use? Sweet or dill?
Brandy says
Dill
beth says
They were so tender and juicy!!!
Brandy says
Yay! So glad to hear!
Sarah says
I tried it and it was delicious the best chicken fingers I ever tasted thanks for the recipe and the sauce was delicious too.
Brandy says
Thank you for letting me know. I'm so glad you like them!
Lisa says
I’ve been searching for the perfect chicken tender recipe and thus is it! Batter stays in the chicken, very crisp and flavorful.
Brandy says
Yay! I'm so glad!
Marianne says
This came out so good. I had heard of brining the chicken but never tried it before. We've been trying to get good crunchies on our chicken and finally got them!! Thanks for sharing.
Brandy says
This made my day! So glad to hear!!
Cydney says
Made this chicken last night for dinner, and it was a HIT! No complaining from the kids at all (which is a big deal in our house)! I also made the tangy sauce, and it was loved all around! My 6 year old refuses any and all condiments but LOVED this sauce. Which brings me to my question- if I made a large batch of this sauce and stored in a condiment bottle, how long do you think it would last?
Brandy says
Hi Cydney! This made my day! So we've made the sauce and kept it in the refrigerator for about 5 days before we finished it. I haven't tested it any longer than that. Sorry I'm not more help!
Donna says
Abolutely THE BEST chicken I have ever made!!! My family LOVES it!! I'm so glad I found this recipe on Pinterest!!!
Brandy says
Oh, I'm so glad! It is our favorite, too!
Janillia says
Maybe try popping the battered chicken strips in the fridge for a bit. Haven't tried it with this recipe but it has worked for others.
Monica says
Made these tonight and they were AMAZING!! Boyfriend says they were the best chicken tenders he's ever eaten in his life. I doctored the sauce just a bit but it was perfection!!!
Brandy says
Monica, that is AWESOME. I'm so glad they worked out for you and that he loved them so much! They are a favorite over here with our family. We like using the same technique to make nuggets, too!
Beth says
I made this last night. Very good and moist. Husband said this is a recipe to do again. It wasn’t KFC crispy, different but good. Guess it was the corn starch.
Brandy says
Yes, I have yet to figure out KFC, but we do like this recipe! Crispy and has a bit of a tang from the pickles! Glad you guys liked it, too!
Gail Patterson says
I think you'll have to double dip for the extra crispness. I haven't tried these yet, but the recipe looks like the best I've seen. I'll let you know how double dipping goes!
Laurie says
Do you think this would work in an air fryer?
Brandy says
Hi Laurie! I'm still new to air frying so I'm not sure what the time/temperature would be for making these. I'm sure you could though!
Stephanie says
Made these tonight and we Loved them! I marinated the chicken all day. And I found a chick fil a sauce recipe to dip them in 🥰😋 perfection!!!! Thanks for sharing.
Brandy says
Yay! And I'm going to need to find that Chick fil A sauce recipe for dipping!
Jennifer says
Do you use sweet pickle juice or dill pickle juice?
Brandy says
I like using dill. 🙂
Don says
Do you make your pickle juice, or pour it off of dill pickles?
Brandy says
Hi Don! Yep! I pour it off the pickles. There is always pickle juice left in the jar from store bought pickles so I save it for making this recipe.
Stephenie says
Delicious! Marinade kept it super moist, and such a good idea to use pickle juice 😄 Didnt try the sauce because we’re suckers for buffalo sauce.
Brandy says
So glad you liked it! And the pickle juice adds such great flavor, right?