Chili Crunch Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken breast (Sliced into strips about 1 inch thick and 3–4 inches long, or use chicken tenderloins)
• 2 Large eggs (Whisked)
• 2 cup All-purpose flour (,)
• 0.5 cup Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 2 tsp Garlic powder (For seasoning the chicken)
• 2 tsp Onion powder (For seasoning the chicken)
• 2 tsp Salt (For seasoning the chicken)
• 2 tsp Paprika (For seasoning the chicken)
• 1 tsp Five-spice powder (Optional; for seasoning the chicken)
• Neutral oil (For frying; use about 2–3 inches of oil in the pot or deep skillet)
• 1 cup Mayonnaise (For the chili crunch mayo)
• 0.25 cup Chili crunch (Momofuku Chili Crunch; for the mayo)
• Green onions (Sliced thinly, for garnish)
• Chili crunch (For drizzling over the chicken)
• 1 tsp Flaky salt (For finishing the fried chicken)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the chicken breasts into strips about 1 inch thick and 3–4 inches long, roughly the size of chicken tenders. Season the chicken generously on all sides with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, and optional five-spice powder.

2. 2

   Set up two bowls. In one bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs.

3. 3

   Heat the neutral oil in a large pot or deep skillet to 350°F / 175°C. Use approximately 2–3 inches of oil, taking care not to overfill the vessel.

4. 4

   Drizzle a spoonful of the whisked egg into the flour mixture. Toss the mixture with your fingers to create small crispy bits in the coating.

5. 5

   Dip each seasoned chicken tender into the whisked egg, allowing excess egg to drip off. Place it in the flour mixture and coat thoroughly, pressing the coating onto the chicken. Shake off any excess coating.

6. 6

   Carefully place the coated chicken into the hot oil, working in batches so the pot is not overcrowded. Leave the chicken undisturbed for the first 1–2 minutes.

7. 7

   Fry the chicken for 7–10 minutes, until the coating is deeply golden and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the tenders to a paper towel-lined rack and finish them with the flaky salt.

8. 8

   In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and 1/4 cup chili crunch. Mix until smooth, adjusting the ratio to taste.

9. 9

   Pile the fried chicken onto a plate. Serve with fries or rice, drizzle generously with additional chili crunch, and scatter the sliced green onions over the top.

10. 10

    Serve the chicken with the chili crunch mayonnaise for dipping.

Notes

The source does not specify an exact batch size, finished internal temperature, or amount of oil beyond 2–3 inches. Adjust the chili crunch-to-mayonnaise ratio to taste.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• fried
• chicken
• crispy
• spicy
• American
• high-protein