These Buffalo chicken tenders are juicy and full of flavor, boasting the perfect amount of spice. The chicken gets its kick of vinegary heat from Louisiana-style hot sauce that’s been seasoned with butter, garlic powder, oregano, and Worcestershire sauce. Once that rich, spicy, savory sauce is slathered over breaded chicken, you have one easy (and crowd-pleasing!) party appetizer or speedy dinner.
In this recipe, we don’t use a deep-fryer (like traditional fried chicken tenders). Instead, we pan-fry the chicken tenderloins in butter. They still achieve a golden-brown, crispy exterior, but with a lighter, less-greasy feel. As a bonus, you don’t have to wait for a deep fryer to heat up to start cooking. These Buffalo chicken tenders cook up in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Chicken tenderloins: Chicken tenderloins are ideal for this recipe because they’re already perfectly shaped. No cutting or prep work required! If you need a shortcut, start with pre-breaded frozen chicken tenders. Cook them according to the package directions, then toss them in our easy Buffalo sauce.
- All-purpose flour: The breading is simple for these tenders. It’s just a little flour tossed with pepper. You can swap in bread crumbs, but it requires a few extra steps. Check out the variation section below for more details on how to pull it off.
- Louisiana-style hot sauce: There are many different types of hot sauce, but we like Louisiana-style for Buffalo sauce. It’s thin, so it coats the chicken nicely. Plus, it’s usually not overly spicy, and it has a fantastic tang from the vinegar.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is an umami-rich fermented condiment. We add it to hot sauce to create depth in our Buffalo sauce.
- Blue cheese salad dressing: This is optional, but blue cheese is classic for dipping Buffalo chicken. If you’re averse to blue cheese’s funky character, swap in ranch dressing.
Directions
Step 1: Bread the chicken tenderloins
Toss together the chicken with the all-purpose flour and pepper.
Editor’s Tip: Be sure to pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before combining it with the flour. Otherwise, the flour will not adhere, and the breading can fall off. For easy cleanup, toss together the chicken, flour and pepper into a large resealable bag. Seal the bag, and give the whole thing a light shake to help the flour stick.
Step 2: Cook the chicken
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the chicken. Cook until no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, four to six minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Editor’s Tip: To prevent overcrowding, you may need to cook the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the skillet is a common cooking mistake, and it will cause the chicken to steam instead of brown and crisp up. So, leave at least an inch of space in between each chicken piece.
Step 3: Prepare the Buffalo sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and garlic powder.
Step 4: Coat the chicken with Buffalo sauce
Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet you used for the chicken. Stir in the Buffalo sauce mixture. Add the chicken, and heat through, turning to coat each piece. If desired, serve the Buffalo chicken tenders with blue cheese dressing.
Recipe Variations
- Add bread crumbs: After dipping the chicken in the flour, dip it in buttermilk or a beaten egg (like in this buttermilk chicken tenders recipe). Then, transfer it to a bowl of seasoned bread crumbs. Press down firmly so the breading adheres. For an extra-crunchy spin, use panko bread crumbs. Panko bread crumbs are ground into coarser flakes than regular bread crumbs, giving food an extra-crispy exterior.
- Change the sauce: Buffalo sauce isn’t the only option here. Use any chicken wing sauce recipe to change up the flavor profile. Honey mustard and spicy Thai sauces are always good picks!
- Use the air fryer: Cook these Buffalo chicken tenders in a 400° air fryer to make air-fryer chicken tenders. Give the breaded chicken a quick spritz of cooking spray after adding them to the air-fryer basket to help them brown up.
How to Store Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Buffalo chicken tenders taste best fresh the day you make them, but you can store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Cooked chicken lasts in the fridge for three to four days. You can reheat fried chicken in the oven, air fryer or toaster oven. The microwave also works, but it can make the fried chicken a little soggy.
For extended storage, you can freeze cooked chicken in freezer-safe bags for up to 4 months.
Buffalo Chicken Tenders Tips
How do you know when the chicken tenders are done?
Chicken tenders are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°. The best way to gauge the temperature of cooked chicken is to use an instant-read meat thermometer.
What do you serve with Buffalo chicken tenders?
To serve Buffalo chicken tenders as an appetizer, place them on a platter with celery stalks, carrot sticks and a creamy dipping sauce. To transform the tenders into a filling dinner, serve them as a buffalo chicken salad, stuff them into a bun for buffalo chicken sliders, or mix them into mac and cheese. Check out our best buffalo chicken recipes for more inspiration.
What part of the chicken is best for chicken tenders?
The tenderloins are the best cut of chicken for chicken tenders. There is a subtle flavor and texture difference between chicken tenderloin vs. breast. The tenderloins cook quickly and are a little juicier than the chicken breasts. You can substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe if you can’t find tenderloins. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips so they cook quickly and evenly.
