• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
This Silly Girl's Kitchen
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
    • Work With Me
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Baked Goods
    • Drinks
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Sweets
  • Seasonal
    • Spring
    • Summer
      • 4th of July
    • Fall
    • Winter
      • Christmas
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Home » Recipes » Main Dish » Homemade Chicken Tenders

Homemade Chicken Tenders

January 28, 2014 By Dana DeVolk 72 Comments

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share
1731Shares

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

It’s the last week in our comforting classics series and I wanted to bring something that everyone loves- Chicken Tenders!

Chicken tenders are definitely one of those comforts you can find everywhere. But, have you thought of making them yourself?

PIN NOW AND SAVE FOR LATER

Homemade Chicken Tenders: Super crunchy outside and moist, tender chicken inside, serve with your favorite dipping sauce or by themselves... they're that good!

This is mostly the same batter I use for my normal fried chicken, although I’ve been making them into tenders more and more often!

With this recipe they are much more flavorful and easier than you would think! Super crunchy outside and moist, tender chicken inside, serve with your favorite dipping sauce or by themselves… they’re that good!

What is the difference between the chicken tenders and chicken breast?

Chicken breast is meat that is attached to the ribs of the chicken. Tenders are a strip of breast meat that are near but not attached to the breast.

However, I cut up actual chicken breast for this recipe and it works great!

Homemade Chicken Tenders: Super crunchy outside and moist, tender chicken inside, serve with your favorite dipping sauce or by themselves... they're that good!

 

How to make chicken tenders:

Cut up your chicken into 1 inch strips, cutting against the grain if you can.

Place chicken in a large bowl and add the dried seasonings. Mix together so all the pieces are coated.

Coat the chicken in this mixture in the baking powder, baking soda, and flour.

Add in the cold water and mix until a batter form.

Get the oil hot and start frying!

Chicken is done when golden brown and has an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

When chicken is done frying, sprinkle a little of the kosher or coarse salt on the chicken.

Serve with your favorite sides and dipping sauces and enjoy!

These are also delicious the day after, just cold. The flavor is amazing!!

An easy and delicious recipe for frying chicken tenders!

Homemade Chicken Tenders: Super crunchy outside and moist, tender chicken inside, serve with your favorite dipping sauce or by themselves... they're that good!

The hardest part might be getting the oil temperature just right but when you’ve mastered that you’re good to go! Simple, easy and delicious.

I really hope you enjoyed this last post in the comforting classics series, check back next week for February’s series!

More comforting recipes:

  • Salted Caramel Brownies
  • Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza
  • Chicken Alfredo Ravioli Bake 
  •  Creamy Chicken Pot Pie
  • Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie 
  •  Easy Homemade Shepherd’s Pie

Homemade Chicken Tenders- you need to try these asap!

Homemade Chicken Tenders: Super crunchy outside and moist, tender chicken inside, serve with your favorite dipping sauce or by themselves... they're that good!

Tools used to make chicken tenders:

  • Deep skillet
  • Kitchen tongs
  • Wire cooking rack
  • Chefs Knife
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Instant Thermometer
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
4.89 from 9 votes

Homemade Chicken Tenders

Chicken Tenders, super crunchy outside and moist, tender chicken inside, serve with your favorite dipping sauce or by themselves… they’re that good!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked chicken tenders, homemade chicken tenders, recipe for frying chicken tenders
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 209kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts I get the split packs, debone them and discard the skin
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp season salt
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Cup cold water
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Kosher or a coarse salt to use when chicken is done frying

Instructions

  • In a heavy bottom skillet with deep sides, add in enough oil to go up the side of the pan 2-3 inches. Heat oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
  • Cut up your chicken into 1 inch strips, cutting against the grain if you can.
  • Place chicken in a large bowl and add the dried seasonings. Mix together so all the pieces are coated.
  • Add in the baking powder, baking soda and flour. Coat the chicken in this mixture.
  • Add in the cold water and mix, by hand until a batter form, if there are some lumps that's okay. (If you need to add some more water, do so a little at a time. It can depend on the weather if more is needed. It should be like a pancake batter consistency.)
  • Test the oil with a tiny drop of the batter, if it sizzles and bubbles immediately but doesn't burn you're ready!
  • Place the chicken strips one by one into the pan, but don't over crowd them. They should not be touching.
  • Let fry on one side about 4 minutes and flip over with a tongs. Chicken is done when golden brown and has an internal temperature of at least 165°F degrees. About 8-10 minutes total.
  • Do chicken in batches. When chicken is done frying, place on a wire rack over a pan so the excess oil and drip off. Immediately sprinkle a little of the kosher or coarse salt on the chicken. This will ensure the salt sticks, when there is still some oil on the outside.
  • Continue doing this until all chicken is done. If you have a lot of tenders, you can hold the already fried chicken in a oven set on the lowest setting.
  • Serve with your favorite sides and dipping sauces and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2.1mg
Nutriton Disclaimer
Tried this recipe?Follow me @danadevolk or tag #danadevolk!
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Dana DeVolk
Follow me
Dana DeVolk
Dana is a professional Chef turned blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, cookbook author, brand ambassador, local tv personality, and more! Her passion is writing about food and posting recipes while offering tips and tricks of the trade. She lives in Florida with her Hubby and fur babies. Interested in working with Dana? Email her at [email protected]
Dana DeVolk
Follow me
Latest posts by Dana DeVolk (see all)
  • Cookies and Cream Red Velvet Brownies - January 20, 2021
  • White Chicken Chili (Low Calorie Recipe!) - January 18, 2021
  • Stuffed Pepper Soup - January 15, 2021
(Visited 715 times, 2 visits today)
Pin
Share
Tweet
Share
1731Shares

Related

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER.

Get my latest recipes goodies straight to your inbox!

I hate Spam as much as you do so, No Spam I promise!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Disclaimer: By clicking on the "Yes, I want in" button above you are giving me your consent to collect and use your information according to the law and My Cookie Policy Privacy

*If you are an EU Citizen please join the list through this GDPR link: this GDPR link

Filed Under: Main Dish, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: batter, chicken fingers, chicken tenders, comfort food, fried chicken

Previous Post: « Game Day Appetizers: Potato Skins & Chicken Wings!
Next Post: 10 DIY Organization Projects {The Weekly Round UP} »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa

    August 24, 2015 at 7:57 pm

    Made these tonight for my husband. He really enjoyed them!

    Reply
    • Dana DeVolk

      August 24, 2015 at 8:19 pm

      I made them again tonight too! I’m so glad he liked them 🙂

      Reply
  2. Betty

    December 19, 2015 at 7:54 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks Dana , I made these and they were just great! Chicken was tender inside the tasty batter. Mine looked just like the photo. I have been cooking for years and never had a good recipe for this. I will try it on shrimp also.

    Reply
  3. Pearl Shourd

    February 16, 2016 at 5:55 pm

    5 stars
    I tried and I loved! My family and grandchildren devoured them. They are better than any chicken strip that I have ever tried.

    Reply
  4. Jill

    March 2, 2016 at 2:39 pm

    Making these tonight…can I get the batter ready ahead of time then just fry when I’m ready?

    Reply
    • Dana DeVolk

      March 2, 2016 at 4:19 pm

      I would make the batter right before cooking, as that is the only way I have done it. But, if you try it the other way, I would love to know how they come out!

      Reply
  5. Sioux

    April 11, 2016 at 6:42 pm

    4 stars
    I make chicken tenders similarly except I use seltzer or club soda because the carbonation makes the batter puff up nicely. But this recipe is good for me for the seasoning and flour, etc. amounts. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Sara Charces

    January 16, 2018 at 11:12 am

    5 stars
    Made these last night. They were a hit. Will definitely save this recipe.

    Reply
  7. Vanessa

    March 7, 2018 at 8:16 pm

    These were fantastic! I don’t normally rate things, so you know I mean it. Well done!

    Reply
  8. KD

    July 2, 2018 at 11:45 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely Delicious! Thank you for such an easy recipe. My kids loved them. My 14 year old said they were the best she’s ever tasted! This is definitely going on my Tried & Loved board! ?

    Reply
  9. cindy

    April 5, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. My husband doesn’t like white meat because he says it’s always too dry. While I was cooking them, just looking at them, they looked like they were going to be hard as rocks. When I try something new I always ask the family to grade from 1-10. This is the first 100 I’ve ever got. Not only was it delicious, but just the right crispiness on the outside & MOIST on the inside. This is a definite keeper.

    Reply
  10. Stacy

    August 13, 2019 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    The first time I made them I was mad because I should have made more because they were so yummy. I have made these three times since and have learned my lesson! They are so moist and I love how light and crispy the batter is.

    Reply
  11. Noel Angell

    October 19, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    can these be made and frozen for later eating?

    Reply
    • Dana DeVolk

      October 19, 2019 at 4:44 pm

      I’ve never tried and I really don’t think it would end in a good result.

      Reply
  12. Stephanie

    January 30, 2020 at 7:41 am

    Have you ever tried these in an air fryer?

    Reply
  13. bren

    February 26, 2020 at 7:09 pm

    I am a southern and have eaten a lot of fried chicken in my life but this has got to be the best recipe ever!!! Thank you

    Reply
  14. Cyndi

    October 28, 2020 at 6:23 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve been trying to make a batter like this without success, today this recipe hit the mark! Thank you for this tasty treat that I’ll be sure to repeat in the future!

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

HI, I’M DANA!

Dana from This Silly Girl's Kitchen Blog

Dana is a professional Chef turned blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and more! Her passion is writing about food and posting recipes while offering tips and tricks of the trade. She lives in Florida with her Hubby and four fur babies.

Read more about me HERE…

Categories

Subscribe

Join Our Newsletter
Join Our Newsletter

Get my latest recipes goodies straight to your inbox! I hate Spam as much as you do so, No Spam I promise!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Disclaimer: By clicking on the "Yes, I want in" button above you are giving me your consent to collect and use your information according to the law and My Cookie Policy Privacy

HOLIDAY FAVORITES

Whipped Cream in bowl square image

Chocolate Whipped Cream

Close up of Tiramisu Pie on plate Square image

Tiramisu Pie

Chocolate Layer Cake on cake stand square image

Chocolate Layer Cake

Close up of Southern Collard Greens on white plate square image

Southern Collard Greens

Cranberry Orange Braid

Eggnog Pudding in glass topped with whipped cream square image

Eggnog Pudding

Popular posts:

  • Monterey ChickenMonterey Chicken
  • The Best Fluffy Buttercream FrostingThe Best Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
  • Fluffernutter DipFluffernutter Dip
  • Cinnamon Cream Cheese CookiesCinnamon Cream Cheese Cookies
  • Key Lime Pie - Mini No Bake Pies!Key Lime Pie – Mini No Bake Pies!
  • Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll UpsApple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll Ups

Footer

FEATURED IN

AS SEEN ON

COPYRIGHT © 2012-2020 · THIS SILLY GIRLS KITCHEN | POLICY PRIVACY.