
Difficulty: Beginner
Poultry
Crunchy Fritos Chicken Tenders

Chef Curtis
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Difficulty: Beginner
These ultra-crispy chicken tenders are marinated in tangy buttermilk and pickle juice, double-dredged with a seasoned Fritos crust, and fried on the recteq until golden and juicy.
Instructions
- Step 1: To make the marinade, add 1.5 cups buttermilk, pickle juice and 3 tablespoons of Ron's Screamin Pig Rub in a large bowl and mix well. Place the tenders in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours (we prefer 12 to 14 hours).
- Step 2: Turn on the recteq and set it to 375ºF with the matador pan inserted. Fill the pan with enough oil to cover your chicken tenders. Let the oil come up to 325-375ºF.
- Step 3: In a shallow baking dish, combine the flour, corn starch, crushed Fritos, baking powder, 3 tablespoons of Ron's Screamin Pig Rub, and mix together well. Break the 4 eggs into a separate large bowl and add 1/2 cup buttermilk and mix well.
- Step 4: Pull the chicken tenders out of the fridge, removing a few at a time. Let the excess buttermilk drip off and place in the flour, apply presure to all sides of the tender to ensure an even coating. Place the tender in the egg mixture and let it drip dry and place back in the flour and toss to coat. Place the dredged tender onto a cooling rack on a cookie sheet, repeat this process until all of the tenders are coated.
- Step 5: Place the tenders into the oil in small batches, they should take 5-8 minutes to hit an internal temperature of 165ºF. They should be a golden brown color. When temp and color are reached, place on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet and hit with a light dusting of Ron's Screamin Pig Rub. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Serving Sizes
- 3 pound(s) Chicken Tenders
- 2 cup(s) Buttermilk
- 1/4 cup(s) Pickle Juice
- 3/4 cup(s) All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup(s) Cornstarch
- 3/4 cup(s) Crushed Fritos
- 1 tablespoon(s) Baking Powder
- 5 tablespoon(s) Ron's Screamin' Pig Rub
- 4 Eggs
- 8 cup(s) Oil
Tools Needed
- Matador Pan
- Bowl
- Baking Sheet (x2)
- Baking Rack (x2)
- Step 1: To make the marinade, add 1.5 cups buttermilk, pickle juice and 3 tablespoons of Ron's Screamin Pig Rub in a large bowl and mix well. Place the tenders in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours (we prefer 12 to 14 hours).
- Step 2: Turn on the recteq and set it to 375ºF with the matador pan inserted. Fill the pan with enough oil to cover your chicken tenders. Let the oil come up to 325-375ºF.
- Step 3: In a shallow baking dish, combine the flour, corn starch, crushed Fritos, baking powder, 3 tablespoons of Ron's Screamin Pig Rub, and mix together well. Break the 4 eggs into a separate large bowl and add 1/2 cup buttermilk and mix well.
- Step 4: Pull the chicken tenders out of the fridge, removing a few at a time. Let the excess buttermilk drip off and place in the flour, apply presure to all sides of the tender to ensure an even coating. Place the tender in the egg mixture and let it drip dry and place back in the flour and toss to coat. Place the dredged tender onto a cooling rack on a cookie sheet, repeat this process until all of the tenders are coated.
- Step 5: Place the tenders into the oil in small batches, they should take 5-8 minutes to hit an internal temperature of 165ºF. They should be a golden brown color. When temp and color are reached, place on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet and hit with a light dusting of Ron's Screamin Pig Rub. Enjoy!
Chef Pairings
Serve hot with ranch or honey mustard, pickles on the side, and a fresh slaw or fries for a crowd-pleasing meal.