Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders with Hot Honey

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Craggy, deep-fried chicken tenders with a smoky seasoned crust, soaked in buttermilk and hot sauce so the meat stays juicy. A quick warm hot-honey drizzle at the end makes them sweet, spicy, and impossible to stop eating. Everything happens in one pot of oil, and the whole thing is on the table in under an hour.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken tenders
• 1.5 cups buttermilk
• 3 tbsp hot sauce, such as Louisiana-style
• 2 tsp kosher salt

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 6 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying
• 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce, and the salt together, then add the chicken tenders and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
2. In a wide dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour and rub it in with your fingers until you have small shaggy clumps — these become the crispy bits.
3. Pour the oil into a large heavy pot or Dutch oven so it comes no more than one-third up the sides (about 2 inches deep) and heat over medium to 350°F on a clip-on thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. SAFETY: never leave hot oil unattended, keep the pot handles turned inward and away from children, pat the chicken free of dripping marinade so water does not hit the oil, and keep a lid and a box of baking soda within reach — never use water on an oil fire.
4. Lift a tender from the marinade, let the excess drip off for a few seconds, then press it firmly into the flour mixture, turning and packing the coating on all sides. Set on a plate and repeat, coating about half the tenders.
5. Fry 4 to 5 tenders at a time, lowering them in gently with tongs, for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest point. Adjust the heat to hold the oil between 335°F and 350°F. Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt.
6. Coat and fry the remaining tenders the same way, letting the oil return to 350°F between batches.
7. Warm the honey with the remaining 1 tablespoon hot sauce in a small saucepan over low heat for 1 minute, or microwave 20 seconds, then drizzle over the hot tenders and serve right away.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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