Gluten-Free Crispy Chicken Tenders

Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free Adaptable, Nut-Free Adaptable

I can’t think of a single person I know who doesn’t appreciate some form of crunchy, crispy breaded chicken (minus the vegans and vegetarians in my life, and even then, they love a breaded crunch as much as anyone). Processed nuggets may be the domain of children, but tenders appeal to all ages. I’ve recently been making these several times a week and tossing them with cold, crunchy homemade slaw for an easy, anytime meal.

I don’t tend to use storebought GF flour blends often, but they’re convenient, generally affordable, and sometimes they’re perfect for the recipe at hand. Using two separate starches to supplement the breading may seem like overkill, but each type of starch has a different molecular structure, size, and expansion, maximizing the breading’s crispness and crunch.

Just like marinating the chicken locks in moisture and flavor, letting the flour and starches hydrate on the tenders before frying ensures a cohesive breading that adheres well and fries evenly without any starchy, undercooked areas. Once you finish breading the tenders, you’ll notice that the ones you started with have already started to hydrate, going from dusty white to a darker, moist pinkish-orange.

I grew up in an era largely before ubiquitous peanut allergies and the rise of canola oil, and remember how delicious it was to fry most things in peanut oil. So that’s still my go-to for deep-frying. It’s more expensive than canola or vegetable oils, but I think the flavor boost and lightness of the fry outweigh the cost increase. If you have a peanut allergy or don’t react well to legumes, then opt for whatever light, high-heat oil works best for you. Some good alternates are safflower, sunflower, canola or vegetable.

A note on the 3-step breading process: Dry-wet-dry is the classic 3-step process that helps the breading adhere to the underlying food and creates craggy layers of shaggy crunch nodules. The most efficient and least messy way to do this is to work left-to-right with your breading bowl on the left, and your egg wash bowl on the right. Place your marinated chicken strips at the apex between your breading and egg wash bowls to form a triangle, and arrange the wire rack-lined tray to the left of your breading bowl or just below both bowls (honestly whatever is most comfortable). Your left hand is for all dry parts of the process and your right will be for the wet. Grab the chicken with your right hand and drop it into the breading bowl. Toss with flour and pick up the dusted chicken with your left to drop it into the egg wash bowl. Coat and pick up the wet-washed tender with your right and drop it back into the breading bowl. Use your cupped left hand to gently squeeze and press the breading firmly onto the tender until you don’t feel any cold, wet spots, then transfer the tender to the wire rack with your left hand. Yes, your hands are both covered separately in food, but you’re not creating an unusable slurry while needing to constantly scrape seasoned poster paste off both hands.

Gluten-Free Crispy Chicken Tenders

Makes: approx. 20 tenders | 4-6 servings
Active Time: 45 minutes | Marinating/Hydrating Time: 2-12 hours
Special Equipment: A 5- to 6-Qt. Dutch oven or deep fryer; high-heat thermometer; 2 rimmed baking sheets equipped with wire racks; a wire spider / skimmer, or tongs

Chicken Marinade:
1 lb. (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) hot sauce (I prefer Crystal, but use whatever you want)

Egg Wash:
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) hot sauce
2 tsp. salt

Breading Mix:
1 1/2 cups (260 g) all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (I use King Arthur 1:1)
1 cup (165 g) cornstarch (or arrowroot if you have issues with corn)
1/2 cup (105 g) potato starch (or tapioca if you can’t do nightshades)
1 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne

For Frying:
3 quarts (2.84 L) peanut oil (or sub a light, high-heat oil of your choice)

1. For the Chicken Marinade: Cut the chicken breasts into strips approximately 4- to 6-inches long and 1/2- to 1-inch thick. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken strips with the salt through the cayenne. Pour in the buttermilk and hot sauce and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2-6 hours.

2. For the Egg Wash: Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. For the Breading: Whisk the breading ingredients in a large bowl. Remove a chicken strip from the marinade and transfer to the breading mix. Dust it lightly in the breading and transfer to the egg wash. Coat the strip in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off, then return to the breading mix. Cover it completely in the breading, and using your cupped fist, gently press the breading mixture on and around the strip until you can no longer feel any cold, wet areas. Transfer the coated tender to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining tenders. At this point you can go straight to frying, or you can store your tray of tenders in the fridge, uncovered, until ready to fry, up to 12 hours.

4. For Frying: Heat the oil (approximately 3-inches deep) uncovered in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or high-sided heavy pot over medium-low heat until a thermometer registers 310°-315°F. Fry the strips in batches of 3-4 at a time (starting with the tenders breaded first if frying immediately), until deep golden and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per batch (the tenders will float and the foaming oil bubbles will dissipate once they’re ready). Using a wire spider or tongs, transfer the finished tenders to a second wire rack-lined baking sheet to drain. Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches and repeat with the remaining tenders. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat in an oven or toaster oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.