Description
Crispy, golden saltine crusted chicken tenders seasoned with garlic and poultry spices, perfectly fried to juicy, tender perfection. This easy-to-make dish uses crushed saltine crackers for a flaky, flavorful coating that’s a delicious twist on classic fried chicken tenders.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins (tenders)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed (or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder)
Coating
- 2 sleeves saltine crackers (about 72 crackers)
- 2 large eggs, beaten until smooth
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
For Frying
- Vegetable or peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Seasoning and Marinate: In a small bowl, whisk together salt, black pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and crushed chicken bouillon. Place chicken tenders in a large bowl or zip-top bag, add the seasoning mix, and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for about 20 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Crush the Saltine Crackers: Finely crush the saltine crackers using a food processor, food chopper, or by placing them in a zip-top bag and crushing with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.
- Set Up Your Dredging Station: Arrange the flour, beaten eggs, and crushed crackers in three separate shallow dishes of similar size, ready for coating the chicken.
- Coat the Chicken Tenders: One at a time, toss each marinated chicken tender in flour to coat, then dip in the beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off. Finally, press both sides into the crushed crackers to ensure the crumbs stick well. Place coated tenders on a baking sheet.
- Heat the Oil and Fry: Pour 2 to 3 inches of vegetable or peanut oil into a deep Dutch oven and heat over medium until it reaches 365°F. Fry 3 to 4 tenders at a time for about 4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Drain cooked tenders on a cooling rack set over a pan. Maintain oil temperature at 365°F and fry remaining batches, keeping cooked tenders warm in the oven until serving.
Notes
- Use a thermometer to accurately maintain the oil temperature for perfectly crispy tenders without greasiness.
- If you don’t have a food processor, place saltines in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- The chicken bouillon adds a savory depth but can be omitted for a milder flavor.
- Keep cooked tenders warm in a low oven (around 200°F) while frying batches.
- Peanut oil is preferred for frying due to its high smoke point, but vegetable oil works well too.
- For a gluten-free alternative, substitute the all-purpose flour and saltine crackers with gluten-free versions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 466 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1070 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Cholesterol: 191 mg
