Deep Fried Cajun Chicken Tenders

Lots of flavor from a seasoned buttermilk marinade + a seasoned flour dredging. If you, like me, secretly love chicken tenders above all other meals, this will be a new favorite. They aren’t spicy, so the kids will love ’em too.

These are easy to make with the Cajun seasoning doing all the work. And you can prep these up to 4 hours ahead of time and just fry them when you’re ready.

What You’ll Need

If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can fry these in a Dutch oven or a skillet with a 1/2 inch of oil, but you’ll need to flip them halfway through. If your Cajun seasoning has salt in it, don’t add extra salt. You can sprinkle the fried chicken with salt after cooking if they still need it. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use regular milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.

This makes 6 servings. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

• Deep fryer
• 2 Large bowls

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (trimmed and cut into ½-inch strips then cut in half lengthwise)
• 1 quart oil for frying (peanut recommended)

For the marinade

• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons salt (if using salt-free Cajun seasoning)
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (without added salt)
• 2 tablespoons honey

For breading the chicken

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt (if using salt-free Cajun seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

How to Make

If you’re frying in batches and need to keep the first ones warm, place them on a wire rack in a 200°F oven. This keeps them crispy, unlike placing them directly on a plate, which can make them soggy.

Step One: Soak the Chicken

Mix up that buttermilk with the seasoning, salt, and honey in a big bowl. Dump in your chicken strips and make sure they’re all covered. Let them sit for an hour on the counter, or stick them in the fridge for up to 4 hours. The longer, the better.

Step Two: Get Ready to Fry

Heat your oil to 365°F. Mix the flour, salt, and Cajun seasoning in another big bowl. Pull those chicken strips out of their buttermilk bath and let the extra drip off. Then roll each piece in that seasoned flour until it’s completely coated.

Step Three: Fry Them Up

Set up a baking sheet with paper towels and a wire rack on top – trust me on this. Drop those tenders into the hot oil, but don’t crowd them. Fry for about 6 minutes until they’re golden brown and cooked through. Move them to that wire rack to drain while you do the next batch.

Step Four: Eat!

Serve these right away, or keep them warm in a 200°F oven if you need to wait. Ranch is classic, but honestly? They’re good enough on their own.

Storage Instructions

If you have any leftover chicken tenders, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the oven or microwave before eating, or enjoy them cold.

They don’t freeze very well. The breading doesn’t stay crisp.

What to Serve

Serve these with some other easy favorites.

• Have some Cajun ranch dressing for dipping.
• Make some coleslaw or a cucumber salad for a veggie side.
• Nothing goes better with fried chicken than French fries or a homemade biscuit!
• Finish off dinner with a delicious creamy lemon pie for dessert.

More Fried Chicken Recipes

• Make this crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich and skip the restaurant prices.
• Deep-fried chicken thighs are affordable and can be prepped early in the day.
• If you want tenders with more of a kick, try these spicy fried Buffalo chicken tenders.
• Or for more milder tenders, these crispy chicken tenders are kid-approved.

Printable Recipe