Chicken tenders are one of our go-to weeknight meals around here. They are simple, always tasty, and my kids love ’em!
These crispy chicken tenders are similar to our Baked Chicken Fingers, only they are fried instead of baked. If you are a fan of delicious fried chicken for dinner, you’ll want to try our fried chicken breast as well.
Fried + Homemade
These chicken tenders taste just like something you’d buy at a restaurant. They are breaded and fried in a little oil which makes them taste amazing!
Oh yeah – kids love them too! They’ve become one of our favorite dinner recipes. We love having a bunch of different dips on hand to switch up the flavors (like our homemade ranch).
This recipe always saves the day when I’ve forgotten to plan dinner for that night. I usually have all the ingredients on hand and right in my pantry and fridge. Easy and quick – what more could you ask for?
These are also great for eating outside during warm summer nights! No utensils required. Just your hands and your favorite dips.
How to Make Chicken Tenders
PREP. Make sure your chicken breasts are cut into strips before you start. Heat the oil in a pan on medium high heat. Beat your eggs and add them to a bowl. Put the flour in another bowl and Panko mixed with garlic salt and lemon pepper in a third bowl.
COAT. Dip the chicken pieces into the flour, then into the egg mix and then into Panko. Make sure you coat the whole chicken piece evenly.
FRY. Fry each chicken piece in oil for 4 minutes on each side (or until golden brown). Place it on a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
SERVE. Serve the chicken tenders warm with dipping sauce! YUM! Totally craving these now.
Tips for crispy Tenders
FRY. Make sure to fry the chicken tenders until they are nice and brown. You want the oil to be hot enough to fry them evenly throughout. Throw a little bit of egg into the oil to see if it bubbles up—then the oil is ready!
DRY. To keep the chicken tenders crispy, dry them completely on the paper towel. No one wants a soggy chicken tender!
HEALTHY. You can even fry these bad boys in the air fryer if you are going for a little more healthy version. To do that, make as directed, spray with avocado oil and fry for about 10 minutes – flipping at the 5 minute mark.
Tips, Tricks + Storing
Dips: We have a whole long list of dips to eat with our chicken tenders! Here are a few:
- Homemade Ranch
- BBQ Sauce
- Ketchup
- Fry Sauce (Mayo + Ketchup)
- Honey Mustard
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last for 3-4 days if stored properly. Heat them up in the microwave or warm oven for a few minutes! These leftover chicken tenders make a great lunch the next day.
Freeze: If you’d rather freeze them, keep them in a freezer safe bag or tightly wrapped in foil in the freezer. They should last up to 4 months.
For more quick and easy dinner ideas, try:
Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
- vegetable oil
- 2 lbs chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into strips
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cup Panko Bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt (with parsley flakes)
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil on medium-high heat in a pan.
- Add beaten eggs to a bowl, flour to another bowl and Panko mixed with garlic salt, and lemon pepper in a third bowl.
- Dip chicken pieces into flour, then into the egg mix, and then into Panko making sure to coat the whole chicken piece.
- Fry chicken pieces in oil for 4 minutes on each side (or until golden brown). Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve warm with dipping sauce.
My family could eat chicken tenders everyday! These were crispy & just perfect. I will make these again!
These are delicious!! My entire family gobbled them down! Thanks!
Great kid friendly recipe! So easy and so crispy!
I love the brightness that the lemon pepper adds to these tenders. I make these all the time!
These are a million times better than the frozen stuff you buy at the store! great recipe!
Chicken Tenders are the best! Thanks for a graet recipe!
Yum! My kids loved this. We will be making it on the regular.
Hands down the best chicken tenders I have ever had!
The little kids love chicken tenders. These tenders really take no time and come out nice and crispy.
Hello Kristyn,
I’m looking forward to make these. I have all the ingredients to make these. But my question, how much oil is needed ? They look deliouses girl… (smiling)