Chef Easy Crispy Spicy Chicken Tenders

Golden and crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside! These homemade crispy chicken tenders are packed with delicious flavour using Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy).

Marinated in buttermilk and coated in a crunchy mixture of flour, cornstarch and crushed cornflakes, they’re perfect for family dinners, weekend treats or whenever you’re craving delicious homemade fried chicken. No extra herbs or spices needed!

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Cook Time:

6–8 minutes per batch

Servings:

3–4 (approximately 12 tenders)

Flavour Used:

Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy)

Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

1 lb (454 g) chicken tenders (approximately 12 pieces)
1 tbsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy)

½ cup buttermilk

Crispy Coating

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup crushed plain cornflakes

2 tbsp cornstarch

½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy)
2 tbsp buttermilk, reserved from the ½ cup above

For Frying

Vegetable or canola oil, enough for deep frying

Chef Easy Tip

No additional salt, black pepper, garlic, onion powder, paprika, green seasoning or other dry spices are needed. Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy) provides the flavour for both the chicken and its crispy coating, making it easy to prepare delicious homemade chicken tenders without measuring several different spices.

Chef Easy Cooking Tips

Make your own buttermilk alternative: Don't have buttermilk? Combine ½ cup regular full cream milk with 1½ tsp fresh lime juice. Stir gently and allow to stand for approximately 5–10 minutes. The mixture may thicken or curdle slightly. Use it in place of buttermilk in this recipe, remembering to reserve 2 tbsp for the coating.
Marinate for maximum flavour: Refrigerate the seasoned chicken in buttermilk for 4–6 hours. This allows the seasoning to flavour the chicken while helping maintain a tender, juicy texture.
Use cornflakes for extra crunch: Crushed plain cornflakes create a crunchy exterior that adds texture to every bite.
Create an extra-crispy coating: Adding a little buttermilk to the flour and cornflake mixture creates small clumps that become crunchy when fried.
Rest before frying: Refrigerating the coated chicken for approximately 10 minutes helps the coating adhere and reduces the chances of it falling off during frying.
Maintain the oil temperature: Keep the oil close to 350°F (175°C). Oil that is too hot may brown the coating before the chicken is fully cooked, while oil that is too cool can result in greasy chicken.
Avoid overcrowding: Fry in small batches to help maintain the oil temperature and achieve an evenly crispy coating.
Check for doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of each chicken tender reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

Instructions

Prepare the chicken
Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. If using boneless chicken breasts instead, slice them lengthwise into strips approximately 1 inch thick.
Prepare the buttermilk
Measure ½ cup buttermilk and reserve 2 tbsp in a separate bowl for the crispy coating. Keep the remaining buttermilk for marinating the chicken.
Season the chicken
Sprinkle 1 tbsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy) over the chicken tenders. Rub evenly over each piece to ensure all sides are coated.
Marinate the chicken
Pour the remaining buttermilk over the seasoned chicken. Toss until evenly coated, cover and refrigerate for 4–6 hours to allow the flavours to develop.
Prepare the crispy coating
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, crushed cornflakes, cornstarch, baking powder and ¾ tsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy). Add the 2 tbsp reserved buttermilk and gently rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips to create small, uneven clumps. These will develop into an extra-crispy coating during frying.
Coat the chicken
Remove each tender from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press firmly into the flour and cornflake mixture, turning until completely coated. Shake off any loose excess flour.
Rest the coating
Place the coated chicken tenders on a wire rack and refrigerate for approximately 10 minutes to help the coating adhere.
Heat the oil
Pour vegetable or canola oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, filling it no more than halfway. Heat to 350°F (175°C).
Fry the chicken
Carefully add the tenders to the hot oil, working in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for approximately 6–8 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and crispy. Adjust the heat to keep the oil close to 350°F (175°C).
Check for doneness
Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Thicker tenders may require additional cooking time.
Drain the chicken
Remove the cooked tenders from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
Serve and enjoy
Serve immediately while hot and crispy with ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey mustard or your favourite dipping sauce.

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Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade •1 lb (454 g) chicken tenders (approximately 12 pieces) •1 tbsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy) •½ cup buttermilk Crispy Coating •½ cup all-purpose flour •¼ cup crushed plain cornflakes •2 tbsp cornstarch •½ tsp baking powder •¾ tsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy) •2 tbsp buttermilk, reserved from the ½ cup above For Frying •Vegetable or canola oil, enough for deep frying

Chef Easy Tip

Chef Easy Cooking Tips

Make your own buttermilk alternative: Don’t have buttermilk? Combine ½ cup regular full cream milk with 1½ tsp fresh lime juice. Stir gently and allow to stand for approximately 5–10 minutes. The mixture may thicken or curdle slightly. Use it in place of buttermilk in this recipe, remembering to reserve 2 tbsp for the coating. Marinate for maximum flavour: Refrigerate the seasoned chicken in buttermilk for 4–6 hours. This allows the seasoning to flavour the chicken while helping maintain a tender, juicy texture. Use cornflakes for extra crunch: Crushed plain cornflakes create a crunchy exterior that adds texture to every bite. Create an extra-crispy coating: Adding a little buttermilk to the flour and cornflake mixture creates small clumps that become crunchy when fried. Rest before frying: Refrigerating the coated chicken for approximately 10 minutes helps the coating adhere and reduces the chances of it falling off during frying. Maintain the oil temperature: Keep the oil close to 350°F (175°C). Oil that is too hot may brown the coating before the chicken is fully cooked, while oil that is too cool can result in greasy chicken. Avoid overcrowding: Fry in small batches to help maintain the oil temperature and achieve an evenly crispy coating. Check for doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of each chicken tender reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. If using boneless chicken breasts instead, slice them lengthwise into strips approximately 1 inch thick. 2. Prepare the buttermilk: Measure ½ cup buttermilk and reserve 2 tbsp in a separate bowl for the crispy coating. Keep the remaining buttermilk for marinating the chicken. 3. Season the chicken: Sprinkle 1 tbsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy) over the chicken tenders. Rub evenly over each piece to ensure all sides are coated. 4. Marinate the chicken: Pour the remaining buttermilk over the seasoned chicken. Toss until evenly coated, cover and refrigerate for 4–6 hours to allow the flavours to develop. 5. Prepare the crispy coating: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, crushed cornflakes, cornstarch, baking powder and ¾ tsp Chef Easy Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy). Add the 2 tbsp reserved buttermilk and gently rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips to create small, uneven clumps. These will develop into an extra-crispy coating during frying. 6. Coat the chicken: Remove each tender from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press firmly into the flour and cornflake mixture, turning until completely coated. Shake off any loose excess flour. 7. Rest the coating: Place the coated chicken tenders on a wire rack and refrigerate for approximately 10 minutes to help the coating adhere. 8. Heat the oil: Pour vegetable or canola oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, filling it no more than halfway. Heat to 350°F (175°C). 9. Fry the chicken: Carefully add the tenders to the hot oil, working in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for approximately 6–8 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and crispy. Adjust the heat to keep the oil close to 350°F (175°C). 10. Check for doneness: Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Thicker tenders may require additional cooking time. 11. Drain the chicken: Remove the cooked tenders from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain excess oil. 12. Serve and enjoy: Serve immediately while hot and crispy with ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey mustard or your favourite dipping sauce.

Shop Fried Chicken Seasoning (Spicy)

Browse More Recipes