This recipe is the perfect meal for any night of the week. They’re perfectly seasoned and fried until crispy golden brown.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- They’re perfectly seasoned. Not too spicy, but plenty of flavor. These tenders will be a hit with kids and adults.
- Easy to make. Cajun seasoning does all the work for you so you don’t have to measure out lots of spices.
- They can be made ahead of time. The chicken can marinate for up to 4 hours, so you can prep much of this dish ahead of time and then fry them up when you’re ready to eat.
🧂 Ingredients
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:
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- buttermilk
- salt (if using salt-free Cajun seasoning)
- Cajun seasoning
- honey
- flour
🥣 Equipment
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- Deep fryer
- 2 large bowls
🍴Instructions
Step One: marinate
In a large bowl, mix together the buttermilk, Cajun seasoning, salt, and honey. Add the chicken and coat it with the mixture. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature or 4 hours in the fridge.
Step Two: bread
To begin, preheat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees. While the oil is heating, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk marinade, shaking off any excess. Working in batches, coat the chicken in seasoned flour.
Step three: Fry
To prepare the chicken, first line a baking sheet with paper towels. Then, place a wire cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. Deep fry the chicken in a single layer for 6 minutes, or until it is medium golden brown and cooked through. Once it is done cooking, allow it to drain on the cooling rack.
Step Four: serve
Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200-degree oven. Serve with ranch dressing.
🥫 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.
🔍 FAQs
It helps your tenders turn a beautiful golden brown. They won’t be sweet, don’t worry.
Yes, but you’ll need to turn them halfway through.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- To make sure the chicken is evenly coated, I recommend using a baking dish for the marinade and a large bowl for the breading. As a bonus, a baking dish is easier to fit in the fridge.
- Make sure your oil is at 365 degrees before frying the chicken. If the oil’s too cool it won’t brown properly.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding and ensure that each piece of chicken is cooked evenly.
📘 Related Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
Need to make a crowd-pleasing family dinner? Make these too:
- Biscuits, of course! This recipe is foolproof.
- Cucumber salad
- Scalloped potatoes with cheddar
- Old-fashioned lemon pie with sweetened condensed milk
📖 Here’s the recipe
Cajun Fried Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- Deep fryer
- 2 Large bowls
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast trimmed and cut into 1/2 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
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Combine the buttermilk, Cajun seasoning, salt, and honey in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken and toss until fully submerged. Cover and allow to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or 4 hours in the refrigerator.
- Bread. Preheat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees. While the oil is heating, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk marinade, shaking off any excess. Working in batches, coat the chicken in the seasoned flour.
- Fry. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with paper towels and laying a wire cooling rack on top. Deep fry the chicken in a single layer for 6 minutes, or until medium golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Allow it to drain on the cooling rack while you finish cooking the remaining chicken.
- Serve. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200-degree oven until serving. Serve with ranch
