The Crispiest and Juiciest Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders EVER!

These garlic parmesan chicken tenders start with chicken tenderloins marinated for 1 hour in buttermilk and hot sauce, then dredged in a flour and cornstarch mixture and deep fried at 350°F until golden and cooked to 165°F. They get tossed in a bomb garlic parmesan butter sauce with a secret spoonful of mayonnaise so it clings to every bite. Total time is about 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, most of it hands off marinating, and the frying happens in batches.

I am going to tell you how to make some delicious garlic parmesan chicken tenders.

Listen, this recipe is going to have your chicken tenders nice and crispy and flavorful, so keep on reading for the full step by step breakdown!

Why You Will Love This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders Recipe

• The Crispiest Crunch: Adding cornstarch to our flour mixture guarantees a crazy good crunch that holds up to the sauce.
• That Bomb Sauce: We are using melted butter, garlic, fresh parmesan, and a little secret ingredient which is mayonnaise! It makes the sauce stick to the chicken perfectly and adds an amazing richness.
• Super Juicy Inside: Marinating these in buttermilk and hot sauce makes the chicken so tender and juicy on the inside, while the outside stays nice and crispy.

If you love a golden, crunchy fried chicken, my Tallow Fried Chicken is another crispy, deep fried favorite worth trying.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• Deep skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fryer
• Clip on deep fry or candy thermometer to check the oil temperature
• Instant read meat thermometer to check the chicken temperature
• Wire cooling rack for the finished chicken (set over a baking sheet)
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Large mixing bowls

The Ingredients for the Chicken and Marinade

• 1.5 lbs chicken tenderloins
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp hot sauce of choice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

The Ingredients for the Crispy Flour Mixture

• 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 to 6 cups frying oil like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil (enough for about 2 inches of oil)

The Ingredients for the Garlic Parmesan Sauce

• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)

Deep Frying Safety Checklist

• Fill the pot no more than halfway with oil, about 2 inches deep
• Never leave hot oil unattended
• Lower the chicken into the oil slowly and away from you to avoid splashes
• Keep a lid nearby to smother a grease fire, and never use water on one
• Let the oil cool completely before moving or throwing it away

Let Us Get Cooking

1. The Marinade Magic

First things first, you have to build that flavor! In a large bowl, you want to add 1 cup of buttermilk, two large eggs, and 2 tablespoons of your hot sauce of choice. You can add any hot sauce you have in your pantry! Then, you are going to hit it with spices. Add 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt.

Whisk that all together because that is going to be the marinade for your chicken tenders. Submerge your 1.5 lbs of chicken tenderloins into the buttermilk marinade. You want to make sure your chicken tender is nice and submerged in that marinade and every piece is covered. Cover the bowl and set that aside in the fridge for about 1 hour. Wash your hands after handling the raw chicken and raw egg.

2. Crispy Coating Flour Mix

For your flour mixture, grab a separate shallow bowl. You want to add 1 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, and the exact same seasonings we used in the marinade to keep those flavors popping. That is 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix that together and get that ready to start flouring chicken tenders.

3. Coat the Chicken

To flour them, take one chicken tender at a time out of your marinade and let the excess drip off. Just toss that in the flour mixture, getting that chicken tender nice and coated. Press the flour into the chicken so it gets beautifully coated. Repeat until all tenders are coated. Throw away the leftover marinade and any flour that touched the raw chicken.

4. Heat the Oil

Fill a deep skillet or Dutch oven with enough oil to deep fry the tenders, about 2 inches deep and never more than halfway up the pot. Heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit, checking with a clip on deep fry thermometer.

5. Frying to Perfection

Carefully drop the breaded chicken tenders into the 350 degree oil, a few at a time so you do not overcrowd the pot. Let the oil come back up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit between batches. You are going to fry your chicken tenders for 8 to 10 minutes per batch, and tenderloin sizes vary, so start checking around 6 to 8 minutes. Once they are golden brown, looking nice and crispy, and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part, remove them from the oil. Let them drain on a wire cooling rack and let us start working on your garlic parmesan sauce.

Want a no deep frying option? My Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders use a panko crust and the air fryer for a lighter, easier version.

6. The Bomb Garlic Parmesan Sauce

While the chicken cools slightly, grab a large clean bowl. Add your 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 3 to 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley. You are then going to add 1/4 cup of grated parmesan and mix that all together.

7. Toss and Serve

Drop your hot and crispy chicken tenders right in that sauce bowl, and toss until they are completely coated. Finish them off with some more fresh parsley and some extra grated parmesan. That chicken tender is so crispy and juicy. Use the sauce right away, and refrigerate any leftovers promptly, this is a must try recipe! Enjoy!

What to Serve With This

• Fries or potatoes: pair these with fries, or my Crispy Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes for a crispy, garlicky plate
• A crunchy veggie side: try my Crispy Baked Panko Avocado Fries for something different
• Something fresh and cool: my Best Creamy Cucumber Salad cuts through the richness
• A simple salad or coleslaw for crunch
• Extra garlic parmesan sauce on the side as a dipping sauce

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate leftover tenders within 2 hours of cooking
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days
• Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes until hot all the way through (165°F) and crispy again
• Skip the microwave, since it makes the breading soggy
• Leftover frying oil should cool completely before you strain or throw it away

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FAQs

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Homemade Beef Stew from Scratch – Hearty Dutch Oven Dinner

Recipe by Sana Rei

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Main CourseCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

680

kcal

Chill Time (marinating)

60

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

25

minutes

Super crispy, juicy chicken tenders marinated in seasoned buttermilk, fried to perfection, and tossed in a bomb, creamy garlic parmesan butter sauce.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Deep skillet or Dutch oven

• Clip-on deep fry thermometer (oil)

• Instant-read meat thermometer (chicken)

• Wire cooling rack

• Mixing bowls

• Tongs

• Ingredients:

• 700g (1.5 lbs) chicken tenderloins

• 240ml (1 cup) buttermilk

• 2 large eggs

• 30ml (2 tbsp) hot sauce

• 3g (1 tsp) garlic powder (plus 1.5g / 1/2 tsp for sauce)

• 3g (1 tsp) onion powder

• 3g (1 tsp) paprika

• 3g (1 tsp) black pepper

• 6g (1 tsp) salt

• 180g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

• 60g (1/2 cup) cornstarch

• 3g (1 tsp) garlic powder (for flour)

• 3g (1 tsp) onion powder (for flour)

• 3g (1 tsp) paprika (for flour)

• 3g (1 tsp) black pepper (for flour)

• 6g (1 tsp) salt (for flour)

• Frying oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut), about 2 inches deep

• 56g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

• 3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• 30g (2 tbsp) mayonnaise

• 8g (2 tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped

• 25g (1/4 cup) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce, and the first portion of spices (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt).
• Add the chicken tenders, making sure they are fully submerged. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and the second portion of spices.
• Heat your frying oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven (about 2 inches deep, no more than half full) to 350°F (175°C), checking with a deep fry thermometer.
• Take one chicken tender at a time from the marinade, letting the excess liquid drip off, and toss it thoroughly in the flour mixture. Press to coat well. Discard the leftover marinade and any flour that touched the raw chicken.
• Fry the coated chicken in batches for 8 to 10 minutes per batch until golden, crispy, and cooked to 165°F (74°C) internally. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches. Remove to a wire rack.
• In a large clean bowl, mix the melted butter, minced garlic, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, mayonnaise, fresh parsley, and grated Parmesan.
• Toss the warm, fried chicken tenders in the garlic parmesan sauce until fully coated.
• Garnish with additional fresh parsley and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

• The Secret to the Crunch: Don’t skip the cornstarch! That’s what gives the flour mixture its super crispy texture that holds up to the sauce.
• Why Mayonnaise? Adding mayo to the garlic butter sauce emulsifies it, making it creamier so it actually clings to the crispy chicken instead of just soaking into the breading and making it soggy.
• Deep Frying Safety: Never fill the pot more than halfway, never leave hot oil unattended, keep a lid nearby, and never use water on a grease fire.
• Raw Chicken Handling: Wash your hands after handling raw chicken and egg. Discard the marinade and any flour that touched the raw chicken, and use clean tools for the cooked chicken.
• Storage and Reheating: Refrigerate within 2 hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Avoid the microwave. Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes until hot all the way through and crunchy.
• Sauce Note: Use the garlic butter sauce right away and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
• Allergen Note: Contains wheat (flour), egg, dairy (buttermilk, butter, Parmesan), and egg in the mayonnaise. Peanut oil, if used, is a peanut allergen.