Southern Fried Chicken Strips

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Cook: 5 min./batch

Makes

6 servings

Updated: Nov. 14, 2023
What's not to love with these crowd-pleasing golden fried chicken strips? A hint of garlic makes this fried chicken tenders recipe irresistible. —Genise Krause, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
  • Oil for deep-fat frying
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and buttermilk. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, pepper, salt and paprika. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then flour mixture.
  2. In an electric skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil to 375°. Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese.

Fried Chicken Strip Tips

What’s the difference between chicken tenders and chicken strips?

Chicken strips are slices of the whole chicken breast. The chicken tender (pectoralis minor) is the tender muscle located underneath each of the chicken breasts.

What is a substitute for buttermilk?

Buttermilk keeps the chicken strips moist and tender throughout the cooking process. Instead of buying buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and add enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes. You can also substitute buttermilk with 1 cup plain yogurt. Learn more about how to make buttermilk from scratch.

How do I get crispy chicken strips?

Do you have soggy chicken strips? For crispy, golden-brown strips, make sure the oil is heated to 375° before adding the chicken. That way, the chicken starts cooking instantly and doesn’t absorb too much oil. Follow our helpful deep frying temperature chart when you're whipping up a new deep fryer recipe.

Nutrition Facts

5 ounce-weight: 327 calories, 11g fat (2g saturated fat), 126mg cholesterol, 320mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 39g protein.