Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe
Crispy fried chicken tenders recipe with milk, a crunchy saltine cracker coating, and simple pantry spices. Make juicy, golden chicken strips at home in under 30 minutes.
Crispy fried chicken tenders are one of those dinners that never really go out of style.
This fried chicken tenders recipe with milk uses a simple egg-and-milk batter plus a crushed saltine coating to get that crunchy crust and juicy center without using a marinade.
You’ll season the chicken, dip it through a quick “dry, wet, dry” setup, then fry the tenders in a skillet until they’re golden brown.
Serve them with fries, potato salad, or your favorite dipping sauce for a weeknight meal that feels like takeout at home. If you happen have to leftovers, use them on a crispy chicken salad the next day!
What you’ll need
Here’s a snapshot of what I use in this fried chicken recipe. The full ingredient list with amounts is further down the page.
- Chicken tenders: obviously!
- All-purpose flour.
- Seasoned salt, table salt and black pepper.
- Eggs and milk.
- Hot sauce: Use your favorite brand. We usually use Tabasco or Frank’s.
- Crushed saltine crackers.
- Canola or vegetable oil: for frying.
How to Make My Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe with Milk
This recipe is very simple. It’s just a dry-wet-dry coating and then a quick fry!
- Season the chicken tenders on both sides with salt and pepper. Add flour and seasoned salt to one bowl, whisk the eggs, hot sauce, and milk in a second bowl, and combine the crushed saltines and remaining flour in a third bowl.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the first flour mixture, dip it in the egg-and-milk mixture, then press it into the cracker mixture until fully coated. Cook in hot oil until the chicken reaches 165°F. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Tips for crispy, juicy chicken tenders
- Keep the “dry, wet, dry” sequence in order. Flour helps the egg-and-milk mixture stick, and the cracker mix grabs onto that layer for best crunch.
- Crush the crackers small, not into dust. You want little crumbs for texture, but not big chunks that fall off in the oil. A zip-top bag and rolling pin works great!
- Watch your oil temperature. If the oil is too cool, the coating soaks up oil and gets greasy; if it’s too hot, the outside browns before the chicken cooks through.
- Season as you go. If your first batch tastes a little flat, sprinkle the hot tenders lightly with extra seasoned salt while they’re still warm.
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
Yes, you can. If you prefer a tangier flavor, swap the milk in the egg mixture for buttermilk. The rest of the process stays the same.
Storage
Store leftover tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze cooked tenders in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, then move them to a freezer bag or container. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven or air fryer until warmed through.
How to Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper, for seasoning chicken
- Canola oil, for frying
For Dry Mix #1
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt, to taste
For the Wet Mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- ¼ cup milk
For Dry Mix #2
- 1 package saltine crackers, crushed into small pieces
- 1 to 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
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Instructions
- Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper.1 pound chicken tendersSalt and pepper
- Pour about 1-inch of cooking oil into a deep, heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
Dry Mix #1
- Combine the flour and seasoned salt in a medium bowl.1 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons seasoned salt
Wet Mix
- Beat the eggs, hot sauce and milk in a medium bowl until combined.2 large eggs1 tablespoon hot sauce¼ cup milk
Dry Mix #2
- Combine the crushed saltine crackers and flour in medium bowl.1 package saltine crackers1 to 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Coat the Chicken
- One at a time, place a piece of chicken in the first dry mix, making sure it is evenly coated. Shake off excess flour.
- Dip in wet mix and allow excess to drip off.
- Place in the second dry mix and thoroughly cover with cracker mixture. Press gently to ensure crackers stick.
Fry
- Working in batches, carefully place chicken in hot oil, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Use tongs to turn chicken and cook the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Place cooked chicken on paper towels to cool.
Storage
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
*2/11/26: Post text updated. Recipe didn’t change.
Meet Kimberly
Hi, I’m Kimberly Vargo! Comfort food is at the heart of everything I make like easy dinners and sides to desserts, cocktails, and condiments. A lot of my inspiration comes from old family recipes, personal favorites, and vintage cookbooks.
We love chicken tenders in our house. LOL Frying them is probably the best way to go for the crispy outside but have you ever tried baking them? I wonder if they’d still turn out okay 🙂
Thank you for commenting, Rachel! These chicken tenders usually don’t make it to the next day lol! In regards to baking them, I cannot remember a time when we tried baking them using this recipe. However, I make a different baked chicken tender recipe. Instead of using crackers for the last coating, I use Japanese panko bread crumbs and cook the tenders at 350 degrees. That gives me a crunchy crust, most of the time.