The BEST Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips

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These Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips are simply irresistable! Coated in zesty lemon pepper seasoning, lightly breaded for an extra crunch, fried and then glazed with a delicious sweet honey lemon butter sauce.

Crispy baked lemon pepper chicken strips with honey glaze.

I cannot express how much my family loves this chicken strips recipe. They are so easy to make serves as the perfect appetizer for a crowd, a satisfying snack, or a delicious main course.

If you like lemon pepper recipes, also try my Lemon Pepper Honey Wings or Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders recipe.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients needed for lemon pepper chicken strips.

Here is what you will need to make this recipe. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.

Chicken tenderloins: You can buy these or cut your own from chicken breasts.
Buttermilk marinade: Combining buttermilk, lemon pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and hot sauce makes a citrusy marinade to create juicy chicken.
Flour mixture: When the marinade combines with the flour mixture it creates a yummy buttermilk batter featuring garlic powder, paprika, flour, cornstarch, and baking soda.
Honey sauce: For tossing.
Oil for frying: Use an oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil or canola oil.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Marinating the lemon pepper chicken strip in buttermilk. — **Step 1: Dry the chicken.** Pat dry the chicken tenders with a kitchen towel and set them aside.
**Step 2: Make the lemon sauce.** In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and hot sauce. Mix well.

Breading station for chicken strips. — **Step 3: Marinate the chicken. A**dd the chicken tenders to the buttermilk mixture, ensuring they are completely coated. Allow the chicken to marinate in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes.
**Step 4: Mix the breading** In another bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, baking soda, and paprika. Mix well and set aside.

Rest the breaded chicken fingers on a baking rack. — **Step 5: Dredge the tenders.** Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and immediately dredge them in the flour mixture, ensuring they are well coated. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
**Step 6: Heat the frying oil.** Heat a wok with oil for deep frying the chicken tenders.

Cooked chicken strips in a bowl. — **Step 7: Fry the chicken.** Once the oil is heated, carefully add the chicken tenders and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, crispy, and golden brown.
**Step 8: Repeat in batches.** Drain the oil and transfer the chicken tenders to a bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken tenders.

Lemon pepper honey sauce. — **Step 9: Prep the honey sauce.** Meanwhile, prepare the honey sauce: In a skillet, melt butter. Once melted, add garlic and fry for a minute. Stir in honey, lemon juice, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Lemon pepper chicken glazed with honey sauce — **Step 10: Toss the chicken.** Pour the prepared honey sauce over the fried chicken tenders and toss them well to coat.

Recipe Tips

Pat dry the chicken before seasoning.
Marinate: Don’t skip the butter milk marination.
Use fresh lemon zest.
Oil temperature: Fry at medium heat or around 375 F.
Don’t overcrowd the frying pan.

Serving Ideas

With Sidedish: Air Fryer French Fries, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Easy Mixed Vegetables, Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

With Salad: Simple House Salad, Easy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, Easy Greek White Bean Salad.

Storing and Reheating

Storing: Let the fingers cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

To reheat: To revitalize the crispy outside, reheat the fingers in the oven or the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5-10 minutes, until warmed through and crispy again.

Freezing: To freeze, allow the fingers to cool completely after frying (without the honey glaze) and then flash freeze on a baking sheet until frozen through. Store in a zip top bag or other airtight container for 2-3 months. Reheat per instructions above except at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and coat with the honey glaze when ready to serve.

Alternative Cooking Methods

Bake: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet then follow steps 1 to 5 of the original recipe. Arrange the chicken in a single layer, on the baking sheet and make sure they don’t touch. Spritz the top of the chicken tenders lightly with cooking spray as this will help them get crispy in the oven. Bake the chicken tenders for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Flip them halfway through to brown evenly. Proceed per the original recipe.

Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat the basket of your air fryer with oil so the chicken doesn’t stick, then follow steps 1 to 5 of the original recipe. Arrange the tenders spread out in a single layer to allow for proper air flow. Depending on the capacity of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches. To get crispy chicken, lightly coat the top of the tenders with oil. The chicken will be cooked through when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and is golden brown, about 12-15 minutes depending on the size of your tenders. Continue with the original recipe.

Dip lemon pepper chicken in a honey sauce.

FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken tenderloins?

Yes, to use chicken breast, slice the chicken into long, thinner portions.

Is there a substitute for buttermilk?

To substitute for buttermilk, you can add 1 tablespoon of vinegar OR lemon juice (not both) to 1 cup of milk. Mix it together and let it sit for 5 minutes. This is the closest method for a substitution.

Crispy baked lemon pepper chicken strips with glaze.

More Chicken Tender Recipes

With it’s easy preparation and irresistible flavor, this Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips recipe is the perfect dish to satisfy your cravings.

If you try this recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a star rating in the comment section below. Also follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on Facebook |Instagram |Pinterest for all of my latest social posts and recipes.