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A plate of Nashville hot chicken tenders with pickles and dipping sauce.
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3.50 from 2 votes

KFC Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

Addictively spicy, these Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders are going to make you sweat, in a good way! These golden-brown fried chicken tenders are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, coated with a spicy but sweet sauce your family will love.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 Tenders
Author: Mariam Ezzeddine

Ingredients

To marinate the chicken

  • 1 lb chicken tenders
  • 1 cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup pickle brine
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

To make coating

  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

To make Nashville sauce

  • ½ cup hot oil use the chicken fried oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Other

  • Vegetable oil to deep fry
  • Crumbled feta cheese to serve (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the marinade; buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. Add in the chicken tenders, cover and marinate for at least 2 hours.
  • In a shallow bowl combine the ingredients to make the coating; flour, corn starch, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.
  • Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade and dredge each piece in the flour mixture and coat them evenly. Repeat the same with all the chicken pieces and set aside.
  • In a large deep pot heat oil on a medium flame to fry the chicken pieces. Once the oil is hot enough, slowly add the chicken pieces and fry for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the outer is crispy and golden.
  • Prepare the Nashville sauce by combining the mentioned ingredients; In a small bowl whisk hot oil (remaining oil from the chicken fried), brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and salt.
  • Brush the prepared Nashville hot sauce over the fried chicken pieces or pour the sauce over the chicken and toss it until evenly coated.
  • Serve the Nashville chicken tenders with a touch of feta cheese on top and ranch as a dipping sauce.

Notes

    • A cast-iron Dutch oven retains heat well, so it’s perfect for frying. Try to make sure to use a pot that has high edges to prevent oil splatter. 
    • Do not add too many pieces of chicken to the oil at once as it’ll lower the temperature of the oil.
    • As the chicken is being fried in batches, place the cooked chicken into a 250 degrees F oven to keep the tenders warm and crispy.
    • Don’t skip the buttermilk! Buttermilk is great for tenderizing chicken so the chicken tenders will melt in your mouth.
    • Be sure the temperature of the oil reaches at least 350F. If the chicken is added to the oil too early on, the chicken will be greasy as it absorbs a lot more oil.
    • This dish is best eaten immediately as the chicken does lose its crispiness over time due to the sauce. Leftovers are still just as delicious, just not as crispy!

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 825mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1475IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg