Crispy Chicken Tenders

Crispy Chicken Tenders is a high-protein homemade fast food recipe ready in 2 h 30 min. It makes 4 servings, each 770 kcal with 37 g protein. Intermediate level, 15 ingredients.

Recipe by @essen_paradies, adapted and measured by Cookpath.

  • 2 h 30 min40 min hands-on
  • Intermediatelevel
  • 770kcal a serving
  • 37 gprotein
Jump to the recipe
Crispy Chicken Tenders

What is Crispy Chicken Tenders

Buttermilk-marinated chicken tenderloins in a double seasoned flour coating, deep-fried until crisp and served with a tangy mayonnaise dipping sauce.

More:High-protein egg recipesHigh-protein chicken recipesChicken recipes

How to make Crispy Chicken Tenders

Tips from the cook

  • Marinate overnight if you can: the chicken turns more tender.
  • Coat twice for the thick crispy crust, and rest the coated chicken 10 minutes before frying so it sticks.
  • Fry in small batches to keep the oil hot, and drain on a wire rack, not paper, to keep it crisp.
  • No tenderloins? Cut chicken breast into thick strips.
Cook it with the app

Step by step with timers, in your shopping list in one tap.

Get Cookpath

Goes well with

Sides from Cookpath that balance this dish, the same picks the app suggests.

Apple Raisin Coleslaw15 min · 170 kcalYogurt Coleslaw15 min · 310 kcal

Meal prep and storage

Keeps 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen; reheat at 200 °C or in the air fryer. The sauce keeps 5 days.

Prep a few days

See this week’s meal prep plan on the blog, or plan your own week in the app.

Crispy Chicken Tenders substitutions

Out of something, or cooking around an allergy. Each swap was checked against a source.

Buttermilk2 options
  • Unsweetened soy drink + 1 tbsp lemon juice per 240 ml (rest 10 min) 1:1 by volume

    Still contains soy.

  • Gluten-free oat drink + 1 tbsp lemon juice per 240 ml 1:1 by volume

    Curdles less than soy.

Egg2 options
  • Flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) per egg

    Not above 3 eggs, not sponge.

  • 60 g unsweetened applesauce per egg

    Denser.

From the cook: egg binds coating; use plain flour + soy buttermilk instead.

Onion powder2 options
  • Garlic powder use about half as much
  • Leave out leave out (small background flavour)
Flour1 option
  • Gluten-free plain flour blend (rice/potato/tapioca) 1:1 by weight

    Pizza dough needs extra water and binder.

Mayonnaise2 options
  • Plain Greek yogurt (or unsweetened soy yogurt if dairy-free) 1:1 by volume

    Frying/hot dishes; not a binder for crispy rice.

    Still contains dairy.

  • Vegan mayonnaise 1:1

    Often contains mustard; check label.

    Still contains mustard and soy.

Worcestershire sauce2 options
  • Soy sauce + splash of vinegar + pinch sugar 1 tsp: 1/2 tsp soy, 1/4 tsp vinegar

    No fish/tamarind depth.

    Still contains soy and gluten.

  • Gluten-free Worcestershire (vinegar-based) 1:1

    Contains anchovy.

    Still contains fish.

Serve it with

Cook next

Fast food · 20 min · 22 g proteinCajun Chicken Wings Fast food · 30 min · 30 g proteinLoaded Chicken Fries Fast food · 30 min · 23 g proteinGochujang Chicken Wings Fast food · 30 min · 23 g proteinHoney Sriracha Wings Fast food · 35 min · 37 g proteinHoney BBQ Chicken Sliders Fast food · 50 min · 52 g proteinPeri-Peri Chicken Nachos