Crispy Chicken Tenders
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen.
Buttermilk-soaked chicken strips are coated in a seasoned panko crumb and fried until golden, served with a quick honey mustard dip.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Cut and soak. Slice the chicken breast into strips about 2 cm wide, or use mini fillets with the white tendon pulled out. Submerge the strips in the buttermilk mixed with salt and garlic powder, and leave in the fridge for anywhere from 30 minutes up to 12 hours. The buttermilk's mild acidity gently tenderises the meat while seasoning it right through.
- 2
Mix the coating. Combine the flour, panko, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow dish, then crush the panko lightly between your fingers as you mix. Breaking the crumbs down slightly helps the coating cling evenly rather than falling off in clumps.
- 3
Coat the strips. Lift each strip from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press firmly into the coating on all sides. Rest the coated strips on a wire rack for 10 minutes before frying, which gives the crumb time to set onto the surface.
- 4
Heat the oil. Pour the oil into a heavy pot to a depth of about 4 cm and heat to 175°C, checking with a frying thermometer. Getting the temperature right before frying starts keeps the thin strips from burning outside or staying raw within their short cooking time.
- 5
Fry in batches. Fry 5-6 strips at a time for 3-4 minutes, turning once partway through, until deep golden and the thickest strip reads 74°C. Frying in small batches keeps the oil temperature steady, so each batch browns at the same even rate.
- 6
Drain and season. Lift the cooked strips onto a wire rack to drain, and sprinkle lightly with salt while still hot. Salting immediately helps it dissolve slightly into the warm, oily crust rather than sitting on top as loose grains.
- 7
Make the dip. Whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, honey and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Serve alongside the warm tenders for dipping.
Air-fryer option
sourced: America's Test Kitchen, "Air-Fryer Chicken Nuggets": America’s Test Kitchen
instead of frying as in the method below, the dish can be made in the air fryer.
- Oil: a light coat of oil spray on the basket, sprayed again before each batch (instead of the frying oil)
- Air fryer: 204 °C, 10–12 min, tossing halfway
- Steps:
- 1
Soak and coat the chicken as in steps 1–3.
- 2
Lightly spray the basket with oil and lay in as many strips as fit in one layer.
- 3
Air-fry at 204 °C until golden and the thickest strip reads 74 °C (as in step 5), 10–12 minutes, tossing halfway. Spray the basket again before each batch. Season and serve with the dip as in steps 6–7.
- 1
Storage
Cooked tenders keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a hot oven until piping hot and 74°C in the centre to keep the crust crisp rather than soft from a microwave. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
38.6 g protein for 561 kcal = 6.9 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 28% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 2.7 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 242 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
5.5 g per serving
11 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 22 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large heavy cast-iron or deep frying pan (28-30 cm) or heavy pot
- frying thermometer
- wire rack set over a tray
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- large bowl
- shallow dish
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 561 kcal |
| Protein | 38.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 28.8 g |
| of which sugars | 6.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 5.5 g |
| Fat | 31.6 g |
| of which saturates | 4.1 g |
| Fibre | 1.7 g |
| Salt | 2.49 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.9 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
