Home » Main Course » Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Tenders

The best way to make buffalo chicken tenders at home: deep fried and tossed in homemade buffalo sauce.

Restaurant-style breaded and crispy tenders tossed in a delicious buffalo sauce, this recipe will please even your pickiest eaters.

plate on chicken tenders with fries in the background

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Perfect for picky eaters! When you need a dinner that everyone will love, chicken tenders are the answer. And for the people in your life who love a little heat, tossing them in buffalo sauce is a guaranteed win.
  • Super affordable. Just chicken breasts and pantry ingredients!
  • Quick to make. Yes, deep frying is a bit messy but it’s also fast!
plate of chicken breasts, bowl with eggs and milk, large bowl with flour, Panko, and seasoning

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.

You’ll need the following for these spicy breaded tenders

  • chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • eggs
  • milk
  • flour
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • salt
  • pepper
  • seasoned salt
  • peanut oil, for frying
  • A deep fryer (or you can deep fry in a Dutch Oven and monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer.)
  • medium hot sauce, such as Frank’s or Texas Pete
  • butter
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • A deep fryer or Dutch oven with candy thermometer
  • Large plate
  • Paper towels (for draining)
  • 3 bowlls

🍴Instructions

Step ONe: Breading the chicken

grid of 4 images: bowl with flour. and seasoning, separate bowl with beaten egg, chicken being dipped, fully breaded chicken tenders

Preheat the oil while you assemble the chicken tenders. You want the oil at 360 degrees. If you are using an electric deep fryer, just make it is set up properly and set the temperature.

It’s helpful to get all your bowls set up before you begin and put them in order. First the eggs and milk, then a larger bowl with the flour, panko bread crumbs, and seasoning.

Dip the chicken first into the egg/ milk mixture, then the flour/ bread crumb mixture. You will want to work in small batches of just two to three tenders.

Step Two: Deep frying and making the sauce

grid of 4 images- chicken tender in deep fryer basket before cooking, fried chicken tenders, pot with butter, hot sauce and worchestershire sauce, and pot with all ingredients melted

For the crispiest tenders, you want to make sure each piece of chicken has room to float around. If you’re using a deep fryer, lay them in a single layer. If you are using a Dutch Oven, fry them in batches so they have room.

If you are using a deep fryer, these will take about five minutes. If you are using a Dutch Oven, the time will be similar but you’ll need to turn them halfway through.

When they’re cooked through, remove them to a plate or baking sheet lined with a few layers of paper towels.

Prepare the buffalo sauce by combining and melting all ingredients in a saucepan. Toss the tenders in the pan to make sure they are well coated in the sauce.

Serve right away. Everyone will love them!

12 buffalo chicken tenders on plate

🥫 Storage instructions

Let leftovers cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Leftovers are good cold or reheated.

Breaded chicken does not free well

🍽 what to serve it with

  • Homemade fries, of course! Any time you are using the deep fryer, you might as well throw some fries in there.
  • Blue cheese or ranch dressing is nice to tone down the spiciness.
  • Fruit or a salad lightens the meal.

📘 Related Recipes

🔍 FAQs

How spicy are these tenders?

Not too spicy. Your mouth won’t burn. You can always look for a mild hot sauce to tone it down a bit!

Can I bake them instead?

No. The deep-frying is what makes them delicious.

Can I air fry them?

It will work, but they won’t be as tasty. The air fryer is great for reheating, however.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

  • Make sure you give each piece of chicken room to be surrounded by oil in the fryer.
  • If your oil drops in temperature too much, the tenders won’t be crisp. Keep an eye on things and let it heat back up before you drop in the next batch!

📖 Here’s the recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

Fried Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Print Recipe
The best way to make buffalo chicken tenders at home: deep fried and tossed in homemade buffalo sauce.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Click here for a FREE autumn cookbook (25+ Recipes!)

Ingredients

  • 4 large chicken breasts cut into strips
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1 quart peanut oil for frying
  • ½ cup of medium hot sauce such as Frank’s or Texas Pete
  • ½ cup 1 stick of butter
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oil in deep fryer to 360 degrees.  
  • Combine eggs and milk in a medium mixing bowl and stir until combined.  In a separate large mixing bowl combine the flour, panko, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt.  Bread the chicken by dipping it first in the egg/ milk mixture, then the panko/ flour mixture.  Work in batches to avoid the chicken sticking together.
  • Lay the chicken in a single layer in the deep fry basket and lower it into the oil.  Deep fry for 6 minutes.  Remove basket from oil and remove chicken onto paper-towel lined plate.  Keep frying in bstches until all the chicken is cooked.
  • Combine the butter, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium saucepan, stirring as the butter melt.  Place the chicken tenders in the pan of sauce, tossing to coat.
  • Remove to a plate and serve immediately.

Notes

Deep fried foods are best serve immediately.  To store any leftovers, allow to cool before storing in the fridge and reheat in the oven.  

Nutrition

Calories: 724kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 668mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: deep fried buffalo chicken tenders, how to deep fry chicken tenders, how to make boneless buffalo wings
Servings: 16 chicken tenders
Calories: 724kcal
Author: Katie Shaw
Did you make this recipe?If you loved it, please leave a review!

Happy frying!

signature with strawberries
Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Tenders

2 thoughts on “Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Tenders”

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating