Crispy Chicken Tenders with Habanero Hot Sauce and Ranch

Preparing the Chicken and Slaw

These are my extra crispy buttermilk chicken tenders with crunchy slaw, homemade hot sauce, and ranch. For 700 grams of chicken, mix 1 cup of buttermilk with 1 teaspoon each of salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. Cut the chicken widthways into chunky strips, coat well and rest for at least two hours.

Watch the recipeSebastian Greenway

Sebastian Greenway

Extra Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Tenders with Crunchy Slaw, Homemade Hot Sauce and Ranch

Buttermilk-marinated chicken tenders get a triple dredge for maximum crunch, served with a crisp slaw, a smoky habanero hot sauce and a cool homemade ranch.

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 700 grams chicken cut width ways into chunky strips
• 1 cup buttermilk for marinade
• 1 teaspoon salt for marinade
• 1 teaspoon paprika for marinade
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder for marinade
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper for marinade
• 1/4 white cabbage sliced thin
• 1 red onion sliced thin
• 1 carrot grated or julienned
• 1 tablespoon coriander chopped, or flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise for slaw dressing
• 1 tablespoon sour cream for slaw dressing
• 1/2 tablespoon honey for slaw dressing
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder for slaw dressing
• 1/4 teaspoon* cracked black pepper for slaw dressing
• 1/2 lime juice of, for slaw dressing
• 1/2 red pepper diced, for hot sauce
• 1-2 habaneros diced, for hot sauce
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced, for hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar for hot sauce
• 1 heaped teaspoon tomato puree for hot sauce
• 120 ml white vinegar for hot sauce
• 80 ml water for hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon butter to finish hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey to finish hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt to finish hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon* white vinegar extra dash to loosen hot sauce
• 100 grams mayonnaise for ranch
• 100 grams sour cream for ranch
• 50 grams buttermilk for ranch
• 1 tablespoon chives for ranch
• 1 tablespoon parsley for ranch
• 1 tablespoon dill for ranch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder for ranch
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper for ranch
• 1/2 lemon juice of, for ranch
• 200 grams plain flour for dredge
• 80 grams corn flour for dredge
• 40 grams rice flour for dredge
• 2 teaspoons baking powder for dredge
• 2 teaspoons salt for dredge
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder for dredge
• 2 teaspoons paprika for dredge
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper for dredge
• 1 cup* oil for deep frying
• a few* homemade pickles for garnish
• 1* spring onion sliced, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon* coriander for garnish

Method

 

1. For 700 grams chicken, mix 1 cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon each salt, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cut chicken widthways into chunky strips; coat and rest at least two hours.
2. Thinly slice a quarter white cabbage and one red onion. Add one grated or julienned carrot and one tablespoon coriander or flat-leaf parsley.
3. Mix one tablespoon each mayonnaise and sour cream, half a tablespoon honey, one teaspoon garlic powder and cracked black pepper, and half a lime’s juice. Omit salt to keep vegetables crisp longer.
4. Combine half a diced red pepper, one or two diced habaneros, 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Add 1 heaped teaspoon tomato puree, 120ml vinegar, and 80ml water. Cook gently 15 minutes; blend, cook 5 to 10 minutes more, and sieve. Finish with one tablespoon each butter and honey, 1 teaspoon salt, and a dash vinegar to loosen.
5. Mix 100g each mayonnaise and sour cream, 50g buttermilk, 1 tablespoon each chives, parsley, and dill, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, half a teaspoon pepper, and half a lemon’s juice. Refrigerate 30 minutes for garlic flavor.
6. Mix 200 grams plain flour, 80 grams corn flour, 40 grams rice flour, two teaspoons each baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and paprika, and half a teaspoon pepper.
7. Dredge chicken. For thicker coating, wait until first layer turns sticky, dip in marinade again, and redredge.
8. Deep-fry in uncrowded batches until cooked through and crisp.
9. Serve with slaw, ranch, and hot sauce. Add homemade pickles for acidity; finish with sliced spring onions and coriander.

Notes

Amounts marked * are estimates based on the video.

Servings and times are estimates based on the video.

Leaving out the salt helps the vegetables stay crisp for longer.

For the slaw, a quarter of a white cabbage and one red onion. Slice both nicely and thin. Add one grated or julienned carrot and one tablespoon of chopped coriander. Flat-leaf parsley works well here too, if you prefer.

For the dressing, mix one tablespoon each of mayonnaise and sour cream, half a tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of garlic powder, cracked black pepper, and the juice of half a lime. Mix together.

Homemade Hot Sauce and Ranch

For the hot sauce, start with half a diced red pepper and one or two diced habaneros. Add 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and 1 tablespoon of white sugar. Stir in 1 heaped teaspoon of tomato puree, then pour in 120ml of white vinegar and 80ml of water. Cook gently for 15 minutes, blend, then cook for another 5 to 10 minutes and pass through a sieve. Finish with one tablespoon each of butter and honey, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a dash more vinegar to loosen.

For the ranch, mix 100g each of mayonnaise and sour cream with 50g of buttermilk, 1 tbsp each of chives, parsley and dill, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, half a teaspoon of cracked black pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the garlic flavors permeate.

Dredging and Frying

For the dredge, use 200 grams of plain flour, 80 grams of corn flour, 40 grams of rice flour, two teaspoons each of baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and paprika, and half a teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Dredge the chicken. For a thicker coating, let the first layer sit until sticky. Dip it back into the marinade, then dredge again.

Deep-fry in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, until cooked through and crisp. Serve with the slaw, ranch, and hot sauce. You get that really crispy coating around the juicy chicken, plenty of heat from the hot sauce, and the cool ranch to balance everything out. I added homemade pickles for another hit of acidity, then finished with sliced spring onions and coriander.