There is nothing better than juicy fried chicken with a crunchy outside. Usually to achieve this, you would need a bunch of steps and a lot of time. This is a no fuss, but super crunchy recipe that eliminates the need for buttermilk or eggs. Following this recipe you get to have beautiful crunchy chicken without having to soak anything in buttermilk or use eggs and extra flour. Cut down on the carbs and time! Use that extra time to have fun with your family.
#chicken #tenders #familydinner #easylunches #kidfriendly #crunchy #spicy #quickdinner #friedchicken
Ingredients
(Serves 4-6 people)
Meat & Proteins
12 Chicken Tenders
Baking & Spices
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Salt (more, if desired)
2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper (more, if desired)
3 tbsp Garlic Powder
3 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
3 tbsp Paprika
3 tbsp Basil
Dried Parsley for decor
Oils and Vinegars
6 cups Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil for frying (however much your fryer will take)
Condiments
Buffalo Wing Sauce
Hot Sauce
Directions
Wash chicken and remove the tendon from the tenders
Place the tenders in a large Ziploc bag. Pour the Buffalo Sauce, Hot Sauce, and the Pickle Juice on top. Close the bag and massage the chicken. Let sit in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes prior to cooking. (TIP: This would be a great time to start your sides. You can always use my Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe.)
Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 375 degrees. To check your oil temperature. Drop a little bit of flour in. If it sizzles then the oil is ready to use.
Pour the All Purpose or Self Rising Flour in a Large Flat Container. You can use a bowl, but a flatter surface works better. Add in Salt, Cracked Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, and Dried Basil. Mix together.
Before coating the chicken, add about 2 tbsp of the wet mixture (that the chicken was soaking in) to the flour and stir. It should make the flour slightly clumpy.
Coat each soaked tender in the flour mixture being careful NOT to shake off any sauce. This is what makes it crunchy. As you coat more and more chicken, you will see more clumps of flour start to appear. Use those clumps to also coat the chicken. (Tip: I like to lightly pat the flour on the tender to make sure its fully coated.)
Fry the coated chicken tenders for about 10-12 minutes. The tenders will start to float once they are done. Don't overcrowd your fryer. (Tip: For smaller fryer, only 4-5 tenders should be cooked at one time.)
Drain the cooked chicken on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce or condiment. (Tip: If you have a smaller fryer and have to cook in smaller batches, drain your chicken on a cooling rack and place in the oven on Warm until they are ready to be served.
Now you have something cooked from the SOUL. Serve it to the CULTURE!
