Chicken Tenders

Name: Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken breast tenders; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 4 tbsp cornstarch; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp paprika; 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Crispy golden chicken tenders, a family favorite that's quick, easy, and absolutely delicious.

25 minEasyServes 4340 cal/serving

AmericanDinnerStovetopStandard

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

1

In a shallow dish, whisk together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 4 tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp paprika.
2

Coat 2 lbs chicken breast tenders evenly in the flour mixture.
3

Heat 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying) in a large skillet to 350°F (175°C).
4

Carefully place coated chicken into the hot oil.
5

Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
6

Remove to a wire rack and drain excess oil.
7

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The American Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

How hot should the oil be for Chicken Tenders?

For Chicken Tenders, the frying oil is held at 350 F (about 175 C) in step 3. Hotter scorches the outside before the inside cooks, and cooler turns it greasy. The target internal temperature is 165 F (about 75 C), given in step 5. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

How do I know when Chicken Tenders is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 5: cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). A reading of 165 F on a thermometer settles it.

Is there a substitute for cornstarch in Chicken Tenders?

The entry for Chicken Tenders calls for 4 tbsp cornstarch. In its place: Use twice as much all-purpose flour and cook it a few minutes longer, or the same amount of arrowroot or tapioca starch.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts in Chicken Tenders?

Yes. Boneless thighs at the same weight are more forgiving and stay juicier. Give them two to four minutes longer; they are at their best around 175 F rather than 165 F. As written, the entry for Chicken Tenders uses 2 lbs chicken breast tenders.

Can I make Chicken Tenders gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Chicken Tenders is 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.