Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 2 lb Boneless chicken breast (Cut into strips and flattened)
• 3 cup Buttermilk
• Salt (To taste, for the marinade)
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder (For the marinade)
• 1 tsp Onion powder (For the marinade)
• 1 tsp Dry mustard (For the marinade)
• 1 tbsp Paprika (For the marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper (For the marinade)
• 1 tbsp White vinegar
• Oil for frying (Enough for deep-frying)
• 2 cup All-purpose flour (For the breading)
• 0.75 cup Cornstarch (For the breading)
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• Salt (To taste, for the breading)
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder (For the breading)
• 1 tsp Onion powder (For the breading)
• 1 tbsp Paprika (For the breading)
• 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper (For the breading)
• 4 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Fresh garlic (Finely chopped)
• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (Or 1 chopped red chili)
• 1 tbsp Parsley (Chopped; also used for garnish)
• 0.333 cup Parmesan cheese (Freshly grated; reserve some for garnish)
• 0.5 cup Mayonnaise (For the glaze)
• 1 tsp Garlic powder (For the glaze)
• 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper (For the glaze)
• Salt (To taste, for the glaze)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 0.333 cup Mayonnaise (For the spicy dip)
• 0.25 cup Garlic Parmesan glaze (For the spicy dip)
• 2 tbsp Hot sauce

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, mix the buttermilk with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, paprika, ground black pepper, and vinegar until combined.

2. 2

   Add the chicken strips to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

3. 3

   In another bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ground black pepper.

4. 4

   Let the excess marinade drip off the chicken, then dredge it in the flour mixture, pressing firmly so the breading adheres.

5. 5

   For a rougher coating, rub 2 to 3 tablespoons of marinade into the flour mixture until small clumps form.

6. 6

   For extra crispiness, dip the chicken in the marinade again, then dredge it once more in the flour mixture.

7. 7

   Heat the frying oil to 350 °F (175 °C).

8. 8

   Fry the strips in batches for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked; make sure they reach 165 °F (74 °C) internally. Transfer them to a wire rack.

9. 9

   For the glaze, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

10. 10

    Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds.

11. 11

    Add the red pepper flakes (or chopped red chili) and cook briefly.

12. 12

    Remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped parsley and Parmesan, and let the mixture cool slightly.

13. 13

    Whisk the garlic powder, ground black pepper, lemon juice, and salt into the mayonnaise for the glaze until creamy.

14. 14

    Mix the mayonnaise designated for the dip with 1/4 cup of the glaze and the hot sauce to prepare the dip.

15. 15

    While the strips are still hot, toss them with enough glaze to coat them.

16. 16

    Garnish with Parmesan and parsley, and serve immediately with the spicy garlic Parmesan dip.

Notes

The recipe does not specify how much oil is needed for frying or the exact amount of glaze reserved for coating the strips; use enough oil for frying and only as much glaze as needed to coat them. The double-breading step and forming clumps in the flour are presented as options for a crispier coating.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• chicken
• fried
• crispy
• with dairy
• with egg
• with gluten
• spicy