A chicken tenders recipe appropriate for all ages!
If you told me you didn’t like chicken tenders, I’d think you’re crazy (unless you’re vegan and that’s okay)! What’s not to love about them? They’re seasoned to perfection, crunchy, tender (no pun intended), and satisfy any hunger craving! Chicken tenders are simply irresistible.
My chicken tenders recipe is not only delicious, but there’s levels to the flavor! Check out the full step by step recipe and see for yourself how to make the best chicken tenders.
- The brine– These days, I brine my chicken whether it be a wet brine or a dry brine. This version of a wet brine is done using sweet tea. This not only helps to add flavor to the chicken, but it gives it the chicken a juicier texture. A lot of southerners use this method for making bone in fried chicken. I also believe Bojangles might as well, but trust me when I tell you, this is a technique you do not want to skip out on!
- The method of frying– This isn’t a suggestion. This is mandatory! Double frying these bad boys is the only way to get that superior crunch. This is key when making chicken tenders.
- The sauce– This recipe is complimented with a sweet Thai chili peanut sauce that blends the perfect balance of sweet and heat.
- Chicken breast or tenderloins
- Sweet tea
- Bay leaves
- Seasonings
- Flour
- Cornstarch
- Potato starch
- White rice flour (optional)
- Sweet chili sauce
- Granulated sugar
- Rice wine vinegar
- Mirin (Asian cooking wine)
- Teriyaki sauce
- Brown sugar
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Club soda
- While not necessary, if you want maintain the most crunch, brush the sauce on rather than coat the tenders with them. Adding them into sauce loses some of the crunch since the breading is heavily coated but that’s just a preference. Especially with chicken tenders, maintaining that crunch can make a big difference.
How to Make the Best Chicken Tenders Ever!
Description
Take your love of chicken tenders to the next level with this amazing recipe! These tenders have the perfect crunchy texture with a sauce that will satisfy your tastebuds!
For the tenders
Dry batter
Wet batter
For the sauce
Instructions for making the chicken tenders
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Take your chicken breasts that have been sliced into tenderloins and place them into a bowl.
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Carefully add your sweet tea and immerse those tenders into the chicken.
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Add the bay leaves.
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Cover and let it brine 2-4 hours.
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Once brined, pat the tenders dry and season them.
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Mix until well combined.
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Grab two large bowls, one for the dry batter and one for the wet batter.
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Add the dry batter ingredients into one bowl and whisk.
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Add the wet batter ingredients into the other bowl and whisk, slowly adding the club soda as you may not need to use all of it.
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Dip the tenders into the dry batter, shaking any excess off.
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Add it to the wet batter and bring it back to the dry for a final coat.
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Place them on a wire rack to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow it to crisp even better.
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Add your oil to a heavy bottom pot and heat to 325.
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Add the tenders and fry for two minutes. They will come out light but that is fine.
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Once all of your batches of tenders are done with the initial fry, place them to the side.
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Crank the heat up to 350.
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Add the tenders back into the oil and fry until they reach an internal temp of 165 degrees.
Creating your sauce
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Heat a saucepan on medium heat.
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Add your granulated sugar
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Stir in your rice wine vinegar until the sugar dissolves completely.
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Add the mirin and stir.
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Once stirred, add in your teriyaki sauce and whisk.
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Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
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Add the sweet chili sauce and then toss in your peanut butter.
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Whisk until the sauce thickens.
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Add in sesame seeds and stir.
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Turn the heat off and coat your tenders in the sauce.
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Serve and enjoy!
chicken, chicken tenders, dinner, lunch, Thai, Asian
