Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

This super delicious Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders Recipe are the perfect combo of crispy, juicy and flavorfully spicy! 

These extra crispy chicken tenders fried to golden brown perfection and coated in a spicy oil sauce are truly delicious! Each bite of these tenders are a rich mix of flavors that will leave wanting more!! To make this recipe you will need the key ingredients shared below.

Chicken Tenders

• Chicken Tenders
• Buttermilk 
• Eggs
• Hot Sauce
• Flour
• Cornstarch 
• Baking Powder
• Paprika 
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt 
• Black Pepper 

• Frying Oil
• Cayenne Pepper 
• Brown Sugar
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder 
• Chili Powder
• Salt 

Preparation

• Marinate – Combine the tenders, buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, and seasonings in a large bowl. Marinade tenders for 1-2 hours in the fridge or overnight. 
• Dredge – in a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and seasonings. Double coat the tenders by first dredging in the flour mixture, then dip back into the wet batter and lastly back into the flour mixture. Transfer the tenders to a parchment lined baking sheet and rest for 10 minutes before frying. 
• Fry – Heat up oil to 350F. In batches, fry the tenders for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer cooked tenders to a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch excess oil. Reserve 1 cup of the frying oil. 
• Make Sauce – in a shallow bowl, pour in reserved oil, add the seasonings and sugar and whisk to combine.
• Coat – individually coat each of the tenders in the spicy oil. For an extra spicy kick, use a pastry brush to brush the spices in the oil onto the chicken. 
• Serve – immediately with pickles (optional) and your favorite sauce! 

If you tried this Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders Recipe, please let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! I’d love to know what you think of this recipe? Feel free to also leave any questions there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to to you.

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Print Recipe

Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

This super delicious Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders Recipe are the perfect combo of crispy, juicy and flavorfully spicy!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Refrigeration Time1 hour hr

Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Wet Batter

• 2 pounds chicken tenders
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dredging Mixture 

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Frying

• 2-3 cups vegetable oil

Nashville Hot Oil Sauce

• 1 cup reserved frying oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste

Serving

• dill pickles, optional

Instructions

Chicken Tenders

• Add the tenders, buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce, and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix to combine. Marinade tenders for 1-2 hours in the fridge or overnight.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and seasonings. Drizzle some of the wet batter into the flour mixture to form a crumbly texture (optional).
• Double coat the tenders by first dredging in the flour mixture, then dip back into the wet batter and lastly back into the flour mixture. Transfer the tenders to a parchment lined baking sheet and rest for 10 minutes before frying.
• Heat up oil in a heavy-bottom pan or skillet to 350F. In batches, fry the tenders for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
• Transfer cooked tenders to a wire rack set over a paper towel lined baking sheet to catch excess oil. Reserve 1 cup of the frying oil.

Nashville Hot Sauce

• In a shallow bowl, pour in reserved oil, add the seasonings and sugar and whisk to combine.

Serving

• Individually coat each of the tenders in the spicy oil sauce. For an extra spicy kick, use a pastry brush to brush the spices in the oil onto the chicken.
• Serve immediately with pickles (optional) and your favorite sauce! Enjoy!

Notes

• I served Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders with my Homemade Ranch Sauce. 
• If the spices in the sauce settles to the bottom of the bowl/container as you coat the chicken tenders, use a whisk to redistribute the spices in oil. 
• Leftover Nashville hot sauce stored in an airtight container will last up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge. 

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