Homemade Chicken Tenders

These homemade chicken tenders are crispy, golden, and packed with flavor. Chicken breast strips are coated in a seasoned flour mixture, dipped in egg, then coated again before being fried until perfectly crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauces for an easy meal the whole family will love.

Jump to Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: 45-50 minutes
Servings: 4-6 servings

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Extra crispy: The double coating creates a crunchy, restaurant-style crust.
• Full of flavor: Garlic, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and a touch of sugar give the breading plenty of flavor.
• Juicy chicken: Cutting the chicken into evenly sized strips helps it cook quickly and evenly.
• Easy to customize: Make them mild or add extra cayenne for more heat.
• Perfect for dipping: Ranch, honey mustard, fry sauce, and ketchup all work great.

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Ingredients

Chicken Tenders

• 1 ½ lbs chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch thick strips
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 quart vegetable oil, or another high-smoke-point oil, for frying

Seasoned Flour

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 ½ tsp paprika
• 4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 ¼ tsp crushed black pepper

For Serving

• Ranch
• Fry sauce
• Ketchup
• Honey mustard

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How to Make Homemade Chicken Tenders

1) Prepare the Breading Station

In a shallow bowl, combine and mix the flour, garlic powder, sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Transfer ¾ cup of the seasoned flour mixture to a second shallow bowl.

In a third shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons of water.

2) Coat the Chicken

Working with one chicken strip at a time, dip the chicken into the bowl containing the ¾ cup of flour mixture and turn to coat.

Shake off any excess flour, then dip the chicken into the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off.

Finally, press the chicken into the bowl containing the remaining seasoned flour mixture, making sure it is thoroughly coated.

Set the coated chicken aside and repeat with the remaining strips.

3) Fry the Chicken

4) Prepare the Cooling Rack

5) Serve

Serve the chicken tenders warm with ranch, fry sauce, ketchup, and honey mustard for dipping.

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Tips for the Best Chicken Tenders

• Keep the chicken strips similar in size. This helps them cook evenly and prevents thinner pieces from overcooking.
• Don’t skip the double coating. The first flour coating gives the egg something to stick to, while the second flour coating creates that crispy exterior.
• Use a thermometer. Keeping the oil around 325°F helps the tenders cook through without burning the breading.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot. Frying 5–6 pieces at a time keeps the oil temperature more stable and helps the tenders crisp properly.
• Let the oil recover between batches. Wait until the oil returns to 325°F before adding the next batch.
• Use a cooling rack instead of paper towels. The rack allows excess oil to drip away while keeping the bottoms from becoming soggy.

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Dipping Sauce Ideas

You can’t go wrong with a good dipping sauce. Try:

• Ranch
• Honey mustard
• Fry sauce Ketchup
• BBQ sauce
• Buffalo sauce
• Sweet and spicy chili sauce

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Final Thoughts

There’s something hard to beat about a plate of crispy homemade chicken tenders. They’re simple, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make at home. The seasoned double coating gives these tenders that extra-crispy texture, while the juicy chicken inside makes them much better than the frozen variety.

Pair them with a few dipping sauces and some crispy fries, and you’ve got an easy homemade meal that’s sure to disappear quickly.