Chicken Tenders and Fries

For homemade you could start with the same directions below. With egg, flour and/or breadcrumbs you can do that. The key to making them crispy is just a spray of olive oil.

Cooked in Air Fryer

If you wanted to make this duo healthier with hot air you totally can. You can either start with Frozen Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer right out of the bag and start there with a layer or another basket full of Frozen French Fries Air Fryer served together.

Step by Step Photos

Pan Fried

If you want to use the stove this is How to Fry Chicken Tenders and then you can make skillet fries right after that. I suggest using a cast iron skillet so the temperature is steady and is already seasoned.

I would highly recommend that you bread them in at least egg and crumbs. If you wanted to skip the flour the outside would not be as thick. If you want more of a Kentucky Fried Chicken outcome you need it thicker and could even do a double breading if you wanted it to really be caked on.

Ingredient Notes

Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into tender size strips, or you can buy them already this size at the store. I mean you could even use thighs but those are thinner and harder to get into strips.

All purpose flour will coat the outside initially to create a crispy crunchy coating on the outside like KFC a bit. You could use a gluten-free variety with 1:1 ratio if need be.

Garlic salt and pepper will be used for seasonings but you can use whatever you’d like. I often times will use Old Bay even, or red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.

Egg wash will allow the crumbs to stick and create a coating that will fry up to crispy. Other options for how to bread chicken without eggs are to brush mayonnaise or Greek yogurt if you need an alternative.

Italian breadcrumbs are traditionally used for the outsides but you could use crushed crackers, croutons or even rice cakes too Vegetable oil for frying is ideal.

Can you use something other than breadcrumbs?

Yes!! There are a number of ways to coat and bread meat to fry or bake like Cheese It Chicken Tenders are probably favorites amongst kids for sure. Any crackers will work though just smash them so it is sand-like so it sticks well on the outsides and doesn’t fall off.

Directions

Step 1: Start to heat your oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat about halfway full.

Step 2: Cut breasts into tender size strips. Blot dry with a paper towel. Mix seasonings with flour on a plate. Whisk egg in another shallow dish and breadcrumbs in a 3rd.

Step 3: One at a time bread chicken by dipping into flour, then egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Set on a plate or sheet pan until they are all done. You should never fry foods until the olive oil or vegetable base is hot enough or the outsides will get soft and meat will absorb it.

Step 4: How Hot Should Oil be for Fried Chicken? Oil should reach 360 degrees F consistently place each one into pan without overlapping. Fry 4 minutes or so and then carefully flip to the other side for 4-5 minutes until thickest part is 165 F., outsides are golden brown and juices run clear. Cover with paper towels to keep warm if cooking fries next.

Step 5: If you want to pan fry fries, lay on paper towels and press to absorb water from outsides of cut and soaked potatoes. Drop into hot oil, not overlapping and fry for about 5 minutes until crispy. Remove and lay on paper towels, season with salt immediately.

A healthier way is to Boiled Chicken Tenders without the breading at all, and just toss with sauce instead. If you bake the potato strips that is healthier than frying in oil obviously so that route will still do the trick and get you the same taste but in a lighter way.

Ketchup or ranch you can serve with chicken of course but there are so many other options. Really any salad dressings can be used to mix things up. With crispy chicken pieces like this I will make Chicken Nugget Dipping Sauce.

What to make with leftovers

If you have leftovers you can dice the meat up next day and throw into Crockpot Chicken Casserole. You can use just like regular pieces of chicken diced up smaller and tossed with pasta with a creamy sauce. Nobody will know it was originally strips.

Yes you could, the flavors will meld together well and won’t fight one another. They both need high heat to crisp the outsides and keep the center tender so they could be fried together in a skillet or deep fryer together.