Try These Spicy and Crispy Nashville Chicken Tenders

Shutterstock // Alexander Prokopenko

Nashville is known for its amazing fried chicken, and this recipe is no exception. The recipe is easy, and preparing the meal is something anyone can do, especially a seasoned home cook. The chicken can be made for everyone and also tastes great with some hot sauce and garlic.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the chicken:

  • 1.3lb chicken tenders
  • 3-4 cups of vegetable, peanut, or sunflower oil

For the dry mix:

  • 3/4 cup of plain flour
  • 2 tsp of paprika
  • 2 tsp of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • 1 tsp of onion powder
  • 1 tsp of baking powder
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 tsp of black pepper
Shutterstock // naito29

For the marinade:

  • 1 cup of buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup of pickle juice
  • 1/4 cup of hot sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp of salt

For the glaze:

  • 1/2 cup of leftover deep-frying oil
  • 1/2 cup of hot sauce
  • 2 tbsp of honey
  • 1.5 tsp of smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
  • Salt to taste

How to Make Them

1. Put the buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, and pickle juice in a medium mixing bowl and mix them well.

2. Now add each of the chicken tenders and make sure they are covered before letting them marinate in the fridge for four hours. Pull them out of the fridge half an hour before you start using the chicken.

3. Use a large but shallow dish to combine your dry mix. In it, you will place the chicken tenders one at a time to coat them thoroughly. Use your hands if you have to add some of the mixture, and make sure there is flour in every crack of the meat to ensure there are plenty of flaky bits.

4. Arrange the pieces on a plate until they are all coated and ready.

5. To fry the chicken, heat up the oil in a big enough pot or cast iron skillet to 350°F. When the oil is hot, put the tenders into the hot oil and be careful not to drop them too quickly.

6. Fry the tenders for a few minutes and flip them. Continue frying them for a few more minutes. The result should be visibly crispy and golden tenders.

7. To make the glaze, use the oil that you used to fry the tenders. Let it cool for a bit and get ½ cup out to pour into a bowl. Add honey, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and hot sauce if you like it. The entire mix should be mixed into a glaze that you can brush all over the tenders.