KFC Chicken Tenders Copycat Recipe

It’s difficult to resist a bucket full of KFC Chicken Tenders, but constantly visiting the restaurant can get expensive. Therefore, our Chef Jasbir has replicated the KFC chicken tenders recipe for us. 

Confession: I had been on a mission to find the best KFC chicken tenders recipe and this recipe has proven to be the one. It provides the same juicy, crispy, and flavorful experience each time that the KFC chicken tenders offer.  

After trying out this recipe myself, I discovered that the secret lies in the buttermilk marinade that makes this KFC Chicken Tenders tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

You can dip these tenders with any of your favorite sauces. I usually have them with honey mustard, ranch, or BBQ sauce.

 Equipments Required

• Large Bowls – You’ll be needing three bowls for preparing this recipe. 
• Skillet or Wok – A skillet or wok will be required to fry your tenders and make them crisp.
• Paper Towels – Paper towels will help you drain excess oil from the fried chicken tenders. 
• Whisk – A whisk will help you combine the ingredients to make the coating for the tenders. 
• Knife – A knife will be required to cut the chicken breasts in strips. 

KFC Chicken Tenders Ingredients & Substitutions

Note: This recipe for KFC crispy chicken tenders is good for serving 3 people.

• 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (each cut into 4 long strips)
• 2 Cups Flour – This recipe is prepared using all-purpose flour. You can also use wheat flour or almond flour. 
• 2 Cups Water
• 1 Cup Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk at home, you can make it at home by adding one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a cup of milk. 
• 1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce – If you are out of hot sauce, I replace it with Tabasco.
• ⅛ Teaspoon Garlic Powder – If you can’t find garlic powder, you can use fresh garlic paste in its place.
• ⅛ Teaspoon Paprika
• ¾ Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ⅛ Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Canola Oil (for frying) – If you are out of canola or vegetable oil, you can also use olive oil.

Preparation And Cooking Time

How To Make KFC Chicken Tenders At Home

Step 1

Marinate the chicken strips by pouring buttermilk to it.

Step 2

Next, add hot sauce to the bowl.

Step 3

Allow the chicken strips to marinate for half an hour.

Step 4

To prepare the batter for coating the chicken strips, gather flour, paprika, black pepper, and salt.

Step 5

Now add baking powder and garlic powder as well and stir the ingredients to combine.

Step 6

Now, coat the chicken strips in the seasoned flour, then dip them in egg and coat them with seasoned flour once again.

Step 7

Remove the excess flour.

Step 8

Then, heat canola oil in a wok to a temperature of 350℉ and fry the chicken tenders in a single layer until they turn golden and crispy. It will ensure that the chicken pieces don’t stick to each other. Moreover, by frying chicken in batches, the temperature of the oil will also remain stable.

Step 9

Your KFC style Chicken Tenders are ready.

KFC Chicken Tenders Recipe Video

Expert Tips That I Recommend

• Don’t Skip On Buttermilk – I think I’ve already mentioned it a lot of times before and I am gonna mention it again. The secret to making the best KFC chicken tenders lies in marinating it in buttermilk as it tenderizes and makes the chicken more flavorful. In fact, if you can’t find buttermilk, then it is recommended that you make it at home. 
• Proper Coating – After marination, coat the chicken well, as the crispy and crunchy texture of tenders entirely depends upon it. 
• Properly Drain The Oil – After frying the tenders, Jasbir always recommends removing excess oil by placing them on a paper towel or a wire rack. It will ensure you get rid of any extra oil.   
• Place The Tenders In Oven – Chicken tenders are best enjoyed piping hot out of the oil. However, if you plan to eat them a little later like me, you can place them in a warm oven just like KFC does. It will ensure they stay hot and crispy.

FAQs About KFC Chicken Tenders Recipe

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Chicken tenders make for a healthy meal. We can say so by looking at the nutritional information in the table mentioned above. 

These chicken tenders contain moderate amounts of calories and fat, and are also rich in protein. So, I suggest you to have these tenders in moderate quantity.

Recipe Variations For Different Diets

• Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders – You can replace the flour with potato starch, cornstarch or tapioca starch/flour. Surprisingly, I found no difference in the taste and texture while using these substitutes.  
• Vegan Chicken Tenders – If you follow a vegan diet, you don’t need to miss out on the amazing flavors of this dish. You can easily replace chicken for mock meat.
• Keto Chicken Tenders – If you are following a keto diet, simply replace all purpose flour with almond flour.

Storing And Reheating This Recipe

Storing KFC Chicken Tenders

All you have to do is wrap leftover chicken tenders in foil or an airtight container once it comes to room temperature. Then, place them in the coolest part of the refrigerator.

By storing the chicken tenders by this method that I’ve mentioned, you can increase their shelf life by 3-4 days.

Reheating KFC Chicken Tenders In Air Fryer

Using an air fryer to reheat this recipe will retain the crispiness of these chicken tenders on the outside and the moisture on the inside. Therefore, I recommend using this way to reheat. 

All you need to do is place the tenders in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes at 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Reheating KFC Chicken Tenders In Oven

You can also use an oven to reheat these chicken tenders as it distributes the heat evenly. Moreover, the hot air also helps in creating a crunchy texture. So, place the tenders in a preheated oven for 10 minutes at 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through. 

I’m sure you must be wondering why I haven’t mentioned reheating the tenders in the microwave. That’s because there is a lack of proper air circulation in the microwave. 

Thus, the tenders will turn dry and rubbery when reheated in the microwave. Moreover, the coating will become soggy. 

Lastly, between cooking a fresh batch of chicken tenders and reheating cycle, make sure that the tenders are not left outside for more than an hour at all times, as meat items spoil quickly. If you observe a change in appearance or odor, discard the leftovers. 

What To Serve With This Recipe

• Mac and Cheese – Chicken tenders and mac and cheese are a match made in heaven. That’s because the creamy and cheesy mac compliments the savory and crunchy flavor and texture of the chicken tenders. 
• Green Beans – Enjoy a full Southern experience by pairing tenders with smoky and savory green beans.  
• Coleslaw – A creamy and refreshing coleslaw helps cut through the greasiness from the chicken. 
• Caprese Salad – Never underestimate the power of a refreshing salad. The light and savory flavors of the Caprese salad will compliment the tenders and make for a well-balanced meal.
• Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes makes for the right contrast of textures with crispy tenders. If you haven’t tried this combination yet, it’s time to do so.
• Honey Mustard Sauce – Rich and creamy, honey mustard sauce makes for the perfect dipping accompaniment.
• Ranch Dressing – If you prefer light and refreshing dipping sauces on the side, then a ranch dressing is what you need to try with chicken tenders.
• BBQ Sauce – To elevate the flavor profile of your chicken tenders, a homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce can do wonder with its smoky goodness. 

Printable Version

KFC Crispy Chicken Tenders Recipe

Author : Samah

Serving : 16

Calories : 136 kcal

Total time : 1 hour hr

It’s difficult to resist a bucket full of KFC Chicken Tenders, but constantly visiting the restaurant can get expensive. Therefore, our Chef Jasbir has replicated the KFC chicken tenders recipe for us. 

4 from 16 votes

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Ingredients

• ▢ 4 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts (each cut into 4 long strips)
• ▢ 2 cups Flour
• ▢ 2 cups Water
• ▢ 1 cup Buttermilk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon Paprika
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoon Salt
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ ½ cup Canola Oil (for frying)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  3 Large Bowls
• ▢
  Deep Fryer
• ▢
  Paper Towels
• ▢
  Whisk
• ▢
  Knife

Instructions

 

• Marinate the chicken strips by pouring buttermilk to it.
  
• Next, add hot sauce to the bowl.
  
• Allow the chicken strips to marinate for half an hour.
  
• To prepare the batter for coating the chicken strips, gather flour, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
  
• Now add baking powder and garlic powder as well and stir the ingredients to combine.
  
• Now, coat the chicken strips in the seasoned flour, then dip them in egg and coat them with seasoned flour once again.
  
• Remove the excess flour.
  
• Then, heat canola oil in a wok to a temperature of 350℉ and fry the chicken tenders in a single layer until they turn golden and crispy. It will ensure that the chicken pieces don’t stick to each other. Moreover, by frying chicken in batches, the temperature of the oil will also remain stable.
  
• Your KFC style Chicken Tenders are ready.
  

Video

Notes

• Don’t Skip On Buttermilk – I think I’ve already mentioned it a lot of times before and I am gonna mention it again. The secret to making the best KFC chicken tenders lies in marinating it in buttermilk as it tenderizes and makes the chicken more flavorful. In fact, if you can’t find buttermilk, then it is recommended that you make it at home. 
• Proper Coating – After marination, coat the chicken well, as the crispy and crunchy texture of tenders entirely depends upon it. 
• Properly Drain The Oil – After frying the tenders, Jasbir always recommends removing excess oil by placing them on a paper towel or a wire rack. It will ensure you get rid of any extra oil.   
• Place The Tenders In Oven – Chicken tenders are best enjoyed piping hot out of the oil. However, if you plan to eat them a little later like me, you can place them in a warm oven just like KFC does. It will ensure they stay hot and crispy.

Prep Time : 40 minutes mins

Cook Time : 20 minutes mins

Total Time : 1 hour hr

Cuisine : American

Course : copycat

Nutrition

Calories : 136kcal  |  Carbohydrates : 12g  |  Protein : 14g  |  Fat : 2g  |  Cholesterol : 57mg  |  Sodium : 458mg  |  Potassium : 255mg

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Conclusion

I hope you are happy to find out about KFC’s copycat crispy chicken tenders recipe. Now, it’s time for you to give it a try and enjoy its delectable flavors from the comfort of your home. 

However, before you get started, I would like to tell you that there are numerous other recipes waiting on our website to be discovered by you.

They have been curated, tried, and tested in-house by our chef, just like this one. So, do go through our website and make the most of them. Happy cooking!

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