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Honey-Butter Fried Chicken Tenders
Andre Lewis

Honey-Butter Fried Chicken Tenders

These are crisp chicken tenders, not syrupy chicken fingers. The glaze is mostly browned butter with just enough honey to catch in the crust's high spots. Toss them only after draining, and serve right away before the glaze starts softening the coating.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken breast tenders
  • 1 1/2 cups cultured buttermilk
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 4 cups peanut oil
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp mild honey
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Method
 

  1. Soak the chicken tenders in the buttermilk and salt for 1 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
  2. Combine the flour, cornstarch, onion powder and black pepper in a shallow pan.
  3. Lift the tenders from the buttermilk, press them firmly into the flour mixture and rest them on a rack for 10 minutes.
  4. Heat 1 inch peanut oil in a heavy pot to 350°F.
  5. Fry the tenders in three batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until pale gold, crisp and 165°F at the center.
  6. Brown the butter in a small saucepan for 3 to 4 minutes until it smells nutty, then remove it from the heat and stir in the honey and pepper flakes.
  7. Drizzle the warm honey butter over the drained tenders and turn them once to coat lightly, then serve within 10 minutes.