Description
Chick-fil-A style chicken tenders bring Southern comfort to your kitchen with crispy, golden perfection. Homemade goodness meets restaurant-quality breading, promising a delightful meal that satisfies crispy chicken cravings in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) boneless chicken tenders
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) dill pickle juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) milk
Coating and Seasoning:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) peanut oil or canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Immerse chicken tenders in pickle juice within a container, ensuring complete coverage. Allow the poultry to absorb flavors through marination in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, or ideally overnight for enhanced taste profile.
- Discard the pickle juice marinade after removing chicken from refrigeration.
- Whisk egg and milk together in a separate vessel, creating a smooth liquid coating mixture.
- Completely submerge each chicken tender in the milk-egg blend, guaranteeing thorough coverage.
- Craft seasoned flour mixture by combining flour, sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground black pepper within a robust resealable plastic bag.
- Gently shake the sealed bag to distribute seasonings evenly throughout the flour mixture.
- Carefully transfer milk-coated chicken tenders into the seasoned flour bag, ensuring each piece receives comprehensive coating through gentle manipulation.
- Heat selected cooking oil (peanut or canola) in a heavy-bottomed skillet, maintaining medium temperature for optimal frying conditions.
- Strategically place chicken tenders into hot oil, avoiding overcrowding to maintain consistent cooking temperature and crispy exterior.
- Fry each tender approximately 3-4 minutes per side, rotating when achieving a rich golden-brown coloration.
- Extract fried tenders and position on paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil and preserve crispiness.
- Present immediately alongside preferred dipping sauces for maximum flavor enjoyment.
Notes
- Quick pickle juice bath infuses the chicken with tangy, zesty flavor that mimics Chick-Fil-A’s signature taste.
- Marinating for at least 30 minutes helps tenderize the meat and adds depth to the overall chicken experience.
- Coating technique using seasoned flour mixture creates a crispy, well-seasoned exterior that locks in moisture.
- Peanut or canola oil ensures a perfect golden-brown crunch and authentic fast-food style texture.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain oil temperature and achieve maximum crispiness on each tender.
- Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and keep the chicken extra crispy before serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (including marination)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg