Chicken Tenders Fried
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A delicious Fried Chicken Tenders recipe served with a tangy sauce.. Made on your stove top, these easy chicken tenders come together in just about 30 minutes after they have had a chance to marinate!
This chicken tenders fried recipe is like a canes chicken tenders copycat recipe. We have several of the Raising Cane’s eateries here in southern California. Be sure to try my Chick Fil A Copycat Nuggets recipe too.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
If you are like me, every once in a while there is nothing like a little fried chicken now and then.
These delicious chicken tenders are made in minutes with simple ingredients and make a great dinner idea or can be served as a lunch or game day appetizer.
This dish is quite inexpensive to make, chicken tenders are often on sale at the grocery store.
These are delicious and if you are a Cane’s fan, they taste just like them. You can serve then with the tenders sauce or a buffalo sauce or both.
You can also serve these many different ways. The sauce makes these exceptional! It’s a favorite dipping sauce!
Ingredients For Cane’s Chicken Tenders Copycat
There are several parts to this recipe – the marinade, the dredge, the wash and the sauce. A homemade seasoning blend is used too but it is all easy to do.
Chicken. – You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts ore chicken tenderloins. I use whatever is on sale.
Worcestershire Sauce.
Buttermilk.
Flour.
Cornstarch.
Egg.
Oil. I use vegetable oil or canola oil
Bread Crumbs. You can use store bought or make your own. I prefer bread crumbs over panko crumbs because the bread is a little heartier coating.
Spices – for flavor
Equipment
- Dutch oven or stock pot (no need for a deep fryer) You can use a cast iron skillet or electric skillet if you have one.
- Tongs
- baking sheet
- paper towels
- wire rack
How to Make Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
Step-by-Step Instructions for Raising Canes Tenders and Sauce
Prepare Seasoning Blend and Marinade
- Prepare the buttermilk and egg mixture. This becomes the marinade.
- Cut chicken if not already cut into tender sizes.
- Marinate the chicken strips for a minimum of 2 hours. Use a zipped bag or covered dish.
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Prepare Dredge, Wash and Tenders
- Prepare the seasoning blend.
- Prepare the dredge flour mixture.
- Set up a dredging station: flour, buttermilk, flour, wire rack to rest.
- Heat oil over medium high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade.
- Dip chicken into the seasoned flour mixture.
- Dip into the dredge (3/4 cup buttermilk + 1 tbsp seasoning blend)
- Dip back into the flour mix and coat well.
- Place on wire rack for a minimum of 10 minutes to let it absorb.
- Check oil. By this point the oil will be ready for the chicken.
To test it, drop a little flour over into the oil. When it sizzles the oil is hot enough. - Place tenders slowly in the hot oil in a single layer using tongs.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until fully cooked.
- Set tenders on paper towels to remove excess oil. Repeat fry8ing in small batches.
Pro Tips and Timesaver Shortcuts
- You can make the seasoning blend a day or two before.
- If the oil is too hot it will fry the outside and leave the inside raw. Do not go over a medium-high heat temperature.
- Canola oil gives it a beautiful brown color and crunch, vegetable oil is also acceptable.
- The marinade is key and should not be skipped. For a deeper flavor marinade over night.
- For best results, let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two before frying.
Variations, Notes, and Substitutions
- You can change up the sauce and serve these with honey mustard sauce or ranch dressing. BBQ sauce works well too.
- You can use the same recipe and process to coat chicken breasts.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
- Serve these with sauce as an appetizer or meal idea. A fun way is to serve a few sauces with them for a gathering.
Ways to Cook Chicken Tenders
- pan fry in a cast iron skillet
- bake in the oven
- bake in an air fryer
Recipe FAQs
Can you Marinate Chicken tenders Too Long?
Yes, uncooked meat can get mushy if marinated too long. The suggested time is 2 – 24 hours.
Can I use this to marinate Chicken Breasts?
Yes, you can use this for marinating chicken breasts. Do not reuse the marinade once you do.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
We love our Baked chicken tenders recipe for an easy dinner. Other chicken recipes we love are Baked Salsa Chicken, Thai Chicken , Buffalo Chicken Fries and Chicken Lo Mein.
Chicken Tenders (Cane’s Copycat Fried)
Equipment
- Large stock pot or Dutch oven Tongs
- Wire Rack
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts cut into strips 4-5 cups Canola Oil
Marinade
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
Flour Mix
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- Seasoning blend recipe below
Seasoning Blend
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
Dredge
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp seasoning blend
Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
Prepare Marinade
- In a medium bowl, beat egg.
- Add buttermilk and to beaten egg mixture. This becomes the marinade.
- Marinate the chicken strips for a minimum of 2 hours using a ziploc bag or marinade dish,
Prepare Season Flour Mixture
- Prepare the seasoning blend and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup buttermilk + 1 tablespoon of the prepared seasoning blend.
- In a separate large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, bread crumbs, and the remaining seasoning blend.
- Set up a dredging station for flour mixture and buttermilk mixture. Set up a wire rack to rest chicken.
- Begin to heat your canola oil over medium high heat.
- First remove the chicken from the marinade.
- Dip into the seasoned flour mixture.
- Dip into the dredge (buttermilk mixture).
- Dip again into the flour mix and coat well.
- Place on wire rack for a minimum of 10 minutes. Repeat for all chicken pieces.
- By this point the oil will be ready for the chicken.
- To test it, drop a little flour over into the oil. When it sizzles the oil is hot enough.
- Carefully place tenders in oil using tongs, .
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until fully cooked and golden brown.
Notes
Canola oil gives it a beautiful brown color and crunch, vegetable oil is also acceptable.
The marinade is key and should not be skipped. For a deeper flavor marinade over night.
Nutrition
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Cassidy sometimes makes these and they are such a hit for all of us!!
I bet they are good!
Excellent recipe, I let the strips soak overnight in marinade. Made a station on the flour and dredge. Let all the strips rest on paper bags and racks. While my oil was heating up I made the slaw and sauce. The sauce is great to, I added tobacco sauce. I cooked about 3 to 4 pieces at a time. About 8 minutes. They turned out crunchy and tender. Will make again. I found this recipe on a google search.
These chicken tenders are AMAZING!
Yummy!!! Thanks for posting this
I’m having a problem of the coating not sticking on the chicken.
Also, I also had a problem with med-high heat being too high, and the insides were still raw… (though maybe my tenders were too thick??) so I had to put in the oven at 350 degrees for 7min, after frying the outsides for 1.5 min per side.
Hi Earl,
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you but glad you were able to finish them out in the oven. It sounds like the tenders may have been a bit thank. Appreciate the feedback.