Description
Copycat Popeye’s Blackened Chicken Tenders are flavorful, spicy, and crisp on the outside with juicy, tender chicken inside—perfect for dipping and satisfying cravings at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl; soak chicken tenders for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and salt.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- Dredge each tender in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly to coat.
- Fry tenders in batches for 4–5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165 °F/74 °C).
- Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, like ranch or spicy mayo.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, double-dredge: dip in buttermilk again and dredge again before frying.
- If you prefer baking, bake tenders at 425 °F (220 °C) on a wire rack for 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Adjust cayenne/cayenne amount to control spice level.
- Let tenders rest 5 minutes on a rack before serving to stay crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tenders
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: blackened chicken tenders, Popeye’s copycat, spicy fried chicken, homemade tenders