Homemade Fried Sourdough Chicken Tenders Recipe
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My Homemade Fried Sourdough Chicken Tenders Recipe is the ultimate chicken recipe for anyone craving crispy chicken with a ton of flavor. Juicy chicken tenders are dipped in a sourdough batter and fried in hot oil until golden brown with a crispy crust that the whole family will love.
This is a great way to use up sourdough starter discard in a savory comfort food that is ready in just 15-20 minutes. Dunk them into your favorite dipping sauce for a meal that rivals any restaurant. If you love fried sourdough discard recipes, try my Homemade Sourdough Mini Corn Dogs or my Sourdough Fried Pickles for more fried favorites.
Quick Look: Sourdough Chicken Tenders
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 12 tenders
- Calories: ~427 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Deep fried
- Flavor Profile: Juicy, tender chicken wrapped in a crispy, golden sourdough discard batter seasoned with garlic, onion, and a hint of cayenne. Perfect with your favorite dipping sauce!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple batter, quick to fry, and ready in just 25 minutes!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe
- Incredibly flavorful sourdough batter: The sourdough batter gives these chicken tenders a ton of flavor that you will not get from a traditional breading. Fried until golden brown in a Dutch Oven with vegetable oil, these chicken strips come out with a crispy crust that is flavorful and crunchy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like honey mustard or ranch.
- Quick and easy one-bowl method: The batter is mixed and the chicken is dipped all in one large bowl. Forget pulling out a shallow bowl for dredging and a pie plate for dipping. I am talking 15-20 minutes from start to finish until you have crispy chicken tenders ready for the whole family. I love serving them alongside my Sourdough Onion Rings.
- An excellent way to use sourdough discard: This is an excellent way to put your sourdough discard to good use in a savory recipe. The discard adds tang and helps create a light, crispy coating without any panko breadcrumbs or complicated dredging steps. For more savory discard ideas, try my Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds.
Ingredients & Substitution
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Chicken – Chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts cut into 1/2-1-inch chicken strips work perfectly for this recipe. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and fry them as popcorn chicken, as well!
- Sourdough Starter – Though this isn’t a long-fermentation recipe, using sourdough discard will still give you some benefits from the fermentation. I used discard that was only 48 hours old. For a more robust sourdough tang flavor, you can use older discard.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Milk
- Seasonings – Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Parsley, Cayenne, Salt, Black Pepper
- Oil: You’ll want to use a neutral-tasting oil to fry with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Refrain from using olive oil because it has a lower heating temperature that isn’t suitable for frying.
How to Make Sourdough Chicken Tenders:
- Prep the Chicken: About 30 minutes before frying, remove the chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature. This helps the chicken to cook evenly when fried. Add 2 cups of neutral oil into a cast iron pan or Dutch Oven. Canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil are all good choices. Bring to medium-high heat. You want to fry your sourdough chicken tenders around 315 – 350 degrees f. Pro-tip: Check to see if the oil is ready by placing the bottom of a wooden spoon in the hot oil. If you see tiny bubbles around the spoon, it is ready to fry!
- In a large bowl, add the flour, milk, sourdough discard, and seasonings and whisk together until smooth. Set to the side.
- If you are using chicken breast instead of chicken tenders, slice into 1/2 – 1 inch thick pieces. Cut the chicken pieces too thick, the chicken won’t cook through and the batter will burn. Cut the chicken pieces too thin, the chicken will dry out. Pro Tip – When using chicken breasts, cut your slices against the grain. This will tear easier when you take a bite and make for a more juicy chicken tender.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. This helps the batter to stick to the chicken. With kitchen tongs, dip the chicken into the batter. Shake off any excess batter and place into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken. It is best to not overcrowd the pan, so you will need to cook the sourdough chicken tenders in small batches.
- Cook the chicken on the first side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes) and flip to the other side. Continue to cook the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the batter is golden brown. Using kitchen tongs, remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- About 30 minutes before frying, remove the chicken tenders from the fridge and bring them to room temperature. This helps the chicken pieces cook evenly in the hot oil without the batter burning before the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. I follow the same approach for my Homemade Sourdough Corndogs.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the oil stays at medium-high heat around 315-350 degrees. Pour canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil into a Dutch Oven and avoid olive oil because of its lower high smoke point. These are all good choices for frying. I use the same oils for my Sourdough Funnel Cakes.
- Pat each piece of chicken completely dry with a paper towel before dipping into the batter. This is the key to getting the sourdough batter to stick to the chicken pieces and prevents the breading from peeling off in the Dutch Oven. I follow the same rule when making my Sourdough Discard Donuts.
- If you are using chicken breasts instead of chicken tenderloins, slice them into 1/2 to 1 inch thick chicken strips and cut against the grain for a more tender bite. You can also cut them into bite-sized pieces for popcorn chicken. For another fun finger food, try my Sourdough Churros.
- Cook the remaining chicken in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry on the first side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes), then flip and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Place finished tenders on a wire rack over a large baking sheet to stay crispy. I love pairing these with my Sourdough Waffles for chicken and waffles.
How to Store
Once the sourdough chicken tenders have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When reheating, our main concern is how to get that crispy chicken. Reheating the chicken tenders in the microwave can lead to soggy breading.
Instead, place the chicken tenders on a wire rack that has been placed on top of a large baking sheet. This will help the high temperature to crisp up the crust evenly on all sides. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until completely reheated.
Sourdough Chicken Tenders FAQs
This usually happens when the oil is not hot enough. If the hot oil temperature is too low, the batter will absorb too much oil, making the chicken tenders heavy and causing them to stick to the bottom of your Dutch Oven. Make sure your oil is at medium-high heat (315-350 degrees) before adding the chicken. Also, pat each piece dry with a paper towel before dipping so the batter adheres properly. My Sourdough Mini Corn Dogs use the same oil temperature for best results.
Unfortunately, no. Since the sourdough batter is runny, it will not stick to the chicken tenders long enough to cook in an air fryer. The batter needs to be submerged in hot oil to set quickly and form that crispy crust. If you want a baked option, you would need to use panko breadcrumbs instead, but that is a different recipe entirely.
Absolutely! This sourdough batter works well on cube steak, pork chops, or any protein you want to fry. Just make sure to pat the meat dry with a paper towel, adjust your frying time based on thickness, and use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. For another savory recipe using sourdough, try my Sourdough Crispy Chicken Wraps.
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil are all good choices. Stay away from olive oil because its smoke temperature is lower, which will cause it to break down at the high temperature needed for frying. Pour the oil into a cold Dutch Oven and bring to medium-high heat on the stovetop. I use the same oils for my Sourdough Fried Cheese Curds.
If you tried this Fried Sourdough Chicken Tenders recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Fried Sourdough Chicken Tenders Recipe
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Equipment
- kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 140 grams all-purpose flour 1/2 cup
- 120 grams milk 1/2 cup
- 120 grams sourdough starter discard 1/2 cup
- 2 grams baking powder 1/2 teaspoon
- 3 grams garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon
- 3 grams onion powder 1/2 teaspoon
- .5 grams dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon
- 2 grams cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon
- 6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
- .5 grams black pepper 1/4 teaspoon
- 440 grams neutral cooking oil 2 cups
Instructions
Prep
- About 30 minutes before frying, remove the chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature. This helps the chicken to cook evenly when fried.1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch strips
- Add the neutral oil into a cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven. Bring to 350 degrees F using a frying thermometer.Canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil are all good choices for frying oils.440 grams neutral cooking oil
- Pro-tip: Check to see if the oil is ready by placing the bottom of a wooden spoon in the hot oil. If you see tiny bubbles around the spoon, it is ready to fry!
Make the Batter:
- In a large bowl, add the flour, milk, sourdough discard, and seasonings and whisk together until smooth. Set to the side.140 grams all-purpose flour, 120 grams milk, 120 grams sourdough starter discard, 2 grams baking powder, 3 grams garlic powder, 3 grams onion powder, .5 grams dried parsley, 2 grams cayenne pepper, 6 grams salt, .5 grams black pepper
Dip the Chicken:
- If you are using chicken breast instead of chicken tenders, slice into 1/2 – 1 inch thick pieces.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- With kitchen tongs, dip the chicken into the batter.
- Shake off any excess batter and place into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken. It is best to not overcrowd the pan, so you will need to cook the sourdough chicken tenders in small batches.
Fry and Serve:
- Cook the chicken on the first side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes) and flip to the other side.
- Continue to cook the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the batter is golden brown.
- Using kitchen tongs, remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Once the sourdough chicken tenders have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- When reheating, our main concern is how to get that crispy chicken. Reheating the chicken tenders in the microwave can lead to a soggy crust. Instead, place the chicken tenders on a wire rack that has been placed on top of a large baking sheet. This will help the high temperature to crisp up the crust evenly on all sides. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until completely reheated.
- In order for the batter to stick to the chicken you need to make sure the chicken slices are nice and dry. Pat each chicken piece with a paper towel before dipping them into the batter.
can you freeze these?
Yes! I recommend letting the chicken tenders cool completely, then freezing them in an airtight container or freezer bag. For the best crispy texture, reheat them from frozen in the oven or air fryer rather than the microwave.
This feels like a lot of batter for 1 lb of chicken. Is there left over batter in this recipe or does 1 lb really use it all?
There may be a some left over depending on the size and how generously you coat the chicken tenders. If you do end up with extra batter, you can always fry up a few extra pieces of chicken or even use it for onion rings or vegetables! Hope you love this recipe!
This recipie sounds delicious! But please consider avocado oil for frying. It has a high smoke point and is high in omega 3s. Canola oil is high in omega 6 and is rancid to begin with.
Thanks so much—I’m so glad the recipe caught your eye! And I really appreciate you sharing your oil preference and insight. Avocado oil is a great option for frying and definitely a good choice for those looking to use oils with a higher smoke point and different fat profile. I love that this recipe is versatile enough to work with whichever oil you prefer. Thanks again for the thoughtful comment!
They were delicious, but I’m not sure why the chicken stuck to my Dutch oven. I had plenty of oil, but the batter totally peeled off of my chicken…
Hi Kaitlyn! Sorry to hear that the batter was peeling off. My guess is that the oil wasn’t hot enough. This will cause the batter to absorb too much oil, making the chicken tenders to heavy and sticking to the bottom of your Dutch oven. I hope this helps and you give this recipe another go!
Could you use this on cube steak?
I don’t see why not!
This was delicious and super easy. I used chicken tenders with just about an inch of avocado oil and flipped halfway through cooking. The batter was nice and thick and stuck to the chicken flawlessly. Loved it – thank you!
Aren’t they amazing?! My little one loves these chicken tenders. Glad they were a hit!
This batter was delicious. My kid scarfed it down! 🙌🏼❤️
So thrilled to hear that! Thank you for sharing.
Has anyone made these in the air fryer rather than frying in oil?
Unfortunately, since the batter is runny, it won’t stick to the chicken long enough to cook in the air fryer.
Yum! I used buttermilk instead of regular milk and really, I’m curious if it might be even better without the buttermilk. Who even says that? It’s not often that I get really excited about blog recipes, but these are great and even my picky kids are all on board.
Amazing! So thrilled to hear that everyone loved it!
My picker eaters LOVED this meal, thank you! It was so easy to make and delicious, definitely will be making this a lot!
Hi Stephanie! I am so excited to hear it was a hit for the whole family! We sure love it around here. Enjoy 🙂
These would be perfect for my toddler!
They would love these!
Omgoodness, those chicken tenders looks delicious. I am definitely giving this try!
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy them as much as my family did 🙂
Such a tasty looking recipe! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure 🙂
This looks like a great recipe and an even better addition to my sourdough repertoire! Definitely saving this one!
Wonderful! It is such a simple, but delicious recipe. Enjoy!
I have no idea why it never occurred to me to make nuggies with sourdough! You just changed my life (lol well… my toddlers lives). These look AMAZING!
Thank you so much! My nieces and nephews have been loving them, as well 🙂