Crispy French Onion Chicken Tenders Recipe

What part of the chicken is the tender? This isn't something you're going to find on any galline anatomy chart, as this word simply refers to chicken breasts that have been sliced thin. In fact, according to recipe developer Deniz Vergara, one of the secrets to cooking the perfect chicken tenders is to make sure that they are sliced and/or pounded to be very thin indeed. As she points out, "Thick chicken tenders will not cook through all the way" as well as their thin counterparts, and medium-rare chicken is a food safety no-no.

"Chicken tenders are always a hit," Vergara says, but in this French onion-inspired recipe, she's upping the ante by using an ingredient that is guaranteed to add some extra pungency: These tenders "are perfectly crispy and salty thanks to crispy fried onions," she says. You might like to dunk them in your go-to chicken tender dip, whether it be homemade honey mustard or our own copycat Raising Cane's sauce recipe, but you can also enjoy the crunchy, oniony goodness all by itself.

You can make this recipe using either pre-cut tenders or boneless, skinless breasts that you slice into tenders yourself. You'll also need onion powder, salt, flour, eggs, crispy fried onions, panko breadcrumbs, and cooking oil.

If you've ever crumb-coated and fried anything before, you'll know the drill: Measure your flour into one shallow dish, beat the eggs in another, then combine the crushed fried onions with the breadcrumbs and ½ teaspoon salt in a third. Arrange them in a 1-2-3 order on your countertop and you'll be all set to start breading (or crumbing).

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the rest of the salt and the onion powder. Coat each piece with flour, shaking off the excess, then dip it in the egg. Finish up with an outer layer of crumbs, pressing these into the chicken to help them stick. As Vergara explains, "This helps keep the tenders crispy."

Pour the oil into a pan and heat it to 350 F. Fry the chicken tenders on one side for a few minutes, then turn them over and fry the other side. Vergara suggests lowering the heat once you've put the chicken into the pan, explaining that this way, "The outside doesn't burn before the chicken is fully cooked." Once the tenders appear golden, they should be done cooking, although you might want to cut one open to be sure you can't see any pink inside. 

When the tenders are fully cooked, drain them on paper towels to help soak up any grease. Vergara advises that they are best eaten warm (she likes to garnish hers with lemon slices and parsley), but says that leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen.