Step 1

In a large plastic bag or bowl, combine the chicken tenders with the buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and Tony's.

Step 2

Massage the marinade into the chicken until it is fully coated, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible.

Step 3

Before breading the chicken, begin preheating the frying oil. The target temperature is 350°F. (Our fryer can take anywhere from 15 - 25 minutes to heat up depending on the amount of oil.) See below for notes about the quantity of oil.

Step 4

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, panko breadcrumbs, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and Tony's.

Step 5

Toss together with a fork until well combined, then drizzle in the buttermilk and stir until the mixture is clumpy.

Step 6

Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and place them into the breading mixture.

Step 7

Press the chicken firmly into the breading so that the clumps of panko and buttermilk stick to the chicken. (This is what makes the breading crispy/like takeout chicken.)

Step 8

Lay the breaded tenders on a baking sheet or dish, but do not stack them on top of each other. Repeat until all tenders are breaded.

Step 9

Check that the oil is heated to 350°F. If I am frying chicken tenders on the stove, I use a thermometer. If I am using a deep fryer, it self regulates the temperature, which is really nice.

Step 10

Next, get a draining station set up for the chicken. I like to place a paper grocery bag down with a layer of paper towels on top and a cookie rack on top.

Step 11

I like to double-check that the oil is hot enough by dropping a rogue/leftover chunk of breading into the oil. If it starts bubbling up right away, it is ready to go. If the breading sinks and doesn't start cooking at first, it will absorb a lot of oil and won't taste very good.

Step 12

Using tongs, place a few chicken tenders in the oil but only in one layer. Do not place them on top of each other or they can stick together. (If using a deep fryer, give the basket a shake to make sure the tenders don't stick to the bottom.) Do not overcrowd the oil as this will drop the temperature and the chicken won't cook right.

Step 13

Cook the tenders until they are golden brown. If they are not fully submerged in oil, flip them over and cook until the second side is also golden.

Step 14

Drip the excess oil off the tenders, then place them on the cookie rack to drain. (If using a deep fryer, I hang the basket on the side for a minute or two before flipping them onto the pepper towels.)

Step 15

Repeat and fry the rest of the chicken tenders in batches. If you are using a deep fryer, it should go pretty quickly. If you are using the stove, keep an eye on the oil level and the temperature. It might need increasing and you might need to add more oil. (This is why a thermometer is really helpful.)

Step 16

Serve tenders while they are still hot with a delicious dipping sauce.