Description
Enjoy these crispy chicken tenders marinated in buttermilk and fried to perfection, served with a homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 lbs. Chicken Tenders (boneless and skinless)
- 2 cups Buttermilk
- 2 Fresh Ginger (peeled and sliced)
- 3–4 Lemongrass Stalks (or 2 tbsp. lemongrass paste)
- 1 tbsp. Chili Crisp Oil
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 2 1/2 cups Flour
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp. Paprika
- 1 tsp. Salt
- Frying Oil
- Scallions (for garnishing)
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 1/2 cup Mayo
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Dill (chopped)
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Chives (chopped)
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp. Dried Parsley
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
Instructions
- Bruise the lemongrass stalks by pressing down hard so it cracks using the flat surface of a knife. If there’s a hard outer shell, remove it. Slice into 3-4 large chunks. Add to a large bowl.
- Add the buttermilk, sliced ginger, salt, and chili crisp oil to the bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add the chicken tenders so they’re fully submerged. Cover to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours to overnight.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining fry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Mix well.
- Bring a large skillet of olive oil to 375F, until glistening and hot.
- Working on one chicken tender at a time, remove from the buttermilk mixture and place into the flour mixture. Make sure no lemongrass stalks stick to the chicken tenders. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then dredge back into the buttermilk. Dredge once more in the flour, shaking off any excess flour. Place on a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Working in small batches to not overcrowd the skillet, fry in the hot oil for 6-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until deeply golden brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Garnish with chopped scallions to enjoy warm with the homemade buttermilk ranch!
- Combine all ranch dressing ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
Notes
- This recipe can be made ahead of time by marinating the chicken overnight for extra flavor.
- Feel free to customize the spices in the flour mixture to your liking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 150mg