There’s nothing more nostalgic than perfectly crispy fried chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce. There really is nothing else that bring me back to my childhood more than this combo. Anyone else feel the same? Although, even as an adult I’m still guilty of loving chicken tenders when out at a restaurant. I mean… who doesn’t love fried chicken?? Whether it’s lunch, dinner or happy hour… these things are delicious.
The best part about these tenders is how easy they are to make. It’s a three step method. First step is to soak them in a buttermilk spice mixture and let them marinate for a few hours. Then you dredge them in plain all purpose flour. Last step? Fry them in canola oil and season with creole seasoning once out of the oil. Easy right? Just make sure your oil stays at a steady 350 degrees and this recipe is pretty much cool proof.
Also try:
CUCUMBER LIME MINT AGUA FRESCA
CHEESY SPINACH + ARTICHOKE DIP
BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS
Prep time: 4 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Serves: 8 chicken tenders
INGREDIENTS:
For chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into long strips (about 3-4 per breast) (may also use tenders instead)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 cups canola oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- Creole seasoning
For honey mustard:
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (Duke’s)
- 1 tsp country dijon
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1.5 tsp honey
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix the ingredients together for the honey mustard and place in the fridge till ready to serve.
- Place buttermilk, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper in a large bowl or resealable bag. Mix together and then add in the chicken tenders. Mix together so all the chicken is coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or seal the bag shut) and place in the fridge for 2-4 hours. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Place the flour in a large bowl. Take a chicken tender and let most of the buttermilk drip off, then dredge it in the flour. Set on a plate or baking sheet and continue to dredge all the remaining tenders.
- Place the canola oil in a tall sided pot (like a le Creuset or cast iron). Heat using a thermometer to 350 degrees F. Keep the temperature steady throughout cooking.
- While the oil heats up, put some paper towels on a large plate for when the chicken is done cooking.
- Place the chicken tenders (one by one) into the oil and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. (Be sure not to overcrowd the pot.. cook in batches if necessary). Drain the chicken on the paper towels and lightly season the chicken with creole seasoning as soon as the chicken comes out of the oil (It’s important to do so immediately so that the seasoning will stick to the hot oil still on the chicken… if you allow the chicken to cool too much then the seasoning will not stick).
- Serve tenders while hot with honey mustard and enjoy!