Tennessee Hot Fried Chicken Tenders

Prep 25 min
Total 25 min
Servings 4

Spicy chicken tenders are the foodie trend that's on everyone's lips, and for good reason. With so much flavor and a beautiful crunch to take the taste further, this Nashville hot chicken tender recipe is a must-have on your table. They're easy to make too, so they're the perfect meal when you have a lot on your plate. Enjoy this spicy fried chicken tenders recipe for all the crunch, all the texture, and all the flavor-packed in each delicious bite. They're the trendiest treats you'll eat today!

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated November 4, 2020

Make with

Gold Medal Flour

Ingredients

1

package (14 oz) uncooked chicken tenders (not breaded)
1

teaspoon salt
1/2

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1

cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/2

cup buttermilk
1

teaspoon Frank's™ RedHot™ Original cayenne pepper sauce
2

cups vegetable oil
3

tablespoons butter
1

teaspoon paprika
1/2

to 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4

teaspoon garlic powder

Steps

1

Season chicken tenders with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
2

In shallow bowl, mix flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper with whisk. In another shallow bowl, beat buttermilk and hot sauce together with whisk. Dredge chicken tenders in seasoned flour, then in buttermilk mixture, and back in flour.
3

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot (350°F). Fry tenders in hot oil, all at once, about 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and no longer pink in center (at least 165°F). Place on rack lined with paper towels to drain, with paper towels underneath rack.
4

In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Beat in paprika, red pepper and garlic powder with whisk. Brush fried chicken tenders with spicy butter. Serve with slices of white bread and sweet pickles, if desired.

How hot is Tennessee hot? It’s up to you. We suggest a range of cayenne pepper from 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. At the lower end of the range, you will feel it, but it won’t be overwhelming. At the upper end of the range, you will definitely get a more intense heat.
To cool the heat a bit, you could serve your favorite ranch dressing alongside these tenders as a dipping sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 450
Calories from Fat: 300

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 34g; 52%
Saturated Fat 10g 49% Trans Fat 1/2g
Cholesterol: 80mg; 27%
Sodium: 590mg; 25%
Potassium: 240mg; 7%
Total Carbohydrate: 13g; 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 0g
Protein: 23g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 15%; 15%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 4%; 4%
Iron: 10%; 10%

Exchanges:

1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 3 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 6 1/2 Fat;