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Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Homemade Ranch Dip Recipe

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4 from 11 reviews

These Buffalo Chicken Tenders are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender inside, marinated in a spicy buffalo sauce and buttermilk mixture. They are double coated, fried to golden perfection, and tossed in a rich, buttery buffalo glaze. Served with a homemade cool ranch dressing, these tenders are an irresistible snack or meal that’s bursting with flavor.

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

  • 1.1 lbs chicken breast (cut into tender-size strips)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup buffalo sauce (or hot sauce)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Coating

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

Buffalo Glaze

  • ½ cup buffalo sauce (or hot sauce)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp lemon juice (or white vinegar)

Ranch Dressing

  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 3–4 tbsp buttermilk (or whole milk)
  • 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper

Other

  • Oil (for frying)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, buffalo or hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until well blended for an even marinade.
  2. Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken breast strips to the marinade bowl, mixing thoroughly to coat all pieces well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight to tenderize and deeply flavor the chicken.
  3. Make the ranch dressing: In a separate small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
  4. Prepare the flour coating mix: In a shallow dish, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Stir well to distribute spices evenly.
  5. Coat the chicken: Remove the marinated chicken strips from refrigerator. Shake off excess marinade but do not wipe off completely. Dredge each strip in the flour mixture, pressing firmly so the coating adheres well and forms a rough texture.
  6. Double dredge for crispiness: For extra crunch, dip each coated strip back into the marinade briefly, then dredge again in the flour mixture to create a thick, crispy crust.
  7. Heat the oil: Pour oil into a deep frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot to about 2–3 inches depth. Heat oil to 175°C (350°F), a good frying temperature indicated by a thermometer or test piece of batter bubbling immediately.
  8. Fry the chicken: Carefully lower the chicken strips into the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Fry for 4–6 minutes on medium-high heat until the coating is golden brown and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
  9. Drain and rest: Transfer fried chicken tenders to a wire rack set over a baking tray to drain excess oil and maintain crispiness. Avoid paper towels which can make the crust soggy.
  10. Prepare buffalo glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine buffalo sauce, unsalted butter, honey, and lemon juice. Stir gently until butter is fully melted and the sauce is smooth but do not boil.
  11. Glaze the chicken: Brush the warm buffalo sauce generously over the fried chicken tenders to coat them evenly with the flavorful glaze.
  12. Serve: Plate the glazed buffalo chicken tenders immediately while hot and crispy, accompanied by the chilled ranch dressing for dipping.

Notes

  • Marinating overnight enhances flavor and tenderness but a minimum of 2 hours works well.
  • Using cornstarch with flour in the coating mix creates a crispier crust.
  • Double dredging the chicken ensures a crunchy exterior that holds up well to the sauce.
  • Maintaining oil temperature is essential to avoid greasy or undercooked chicken.
  • Drain the chicken on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep crust crisp.
  • The buffalo glaze can be adjusted for heat by altering the amount of hot sauce or honey.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/crispy-buffalo-chicken-tenders-with-homemade-ranch-dip-recipe/