Crispy Homemade Chicken Tenders from Chicken Breast
Easy & Delicious Chicken Tender Recipe Using Frozen Chicken Breast
I decided to make some chicken tenders with chicken breast that I had in the freezer for dieting. They turned out incredibly delicious! I really hope everyone else tries this recipe.
Main Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 500g tempura flour (fritter mix)
- Curry powder
- 900ml cooking oil
- ½ Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 bottle soju (for removing gamey smell and marinating)
- Pinch of black pepper (approx. 1 pinch)
- 2 pinches of coarse salt
Chicken Breast Marinade Ingredients
- ½ Tbsp minced garlic
- ½ Tbsp curry powder
- 2 grinds of whole black pepper
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 glass (standard paper cup) soju
- ½ Tbsp minced garlic
- ½ Tbsp curry powder
- 2 grinds of whole black pepper
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 glass (standard paper cup) soju
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Cut the thawed frozen chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Place the cut chicken in a bowl and add water and soju in a 1:1 ratio, enough to submerge the chicken. After 10 minutes, discard the water. This step helps to remove any gamey odor and tenderize the chicken.
Step 2
Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken breast and gently mix by hand. Combine minced garlic, curry powder, ground black pepper, salt, and soju. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. Curry powder adds a wonderful flavor to the chicken, and soju is excellent for eliminating any unwanted smells.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the tempura batter. In a bowl, add the tempura flour and gradually mix in water. You want a thick consistency that will coat the chicken well, not too runny or too stiff. It should drip slowly from a chopstick.
Step 4
Spread a generous amount of dry tempura flour onto a wide plate or tray. We’ll use this for a double coating later.
Step 5
Pour about 900ml of cooking oil into a deep pot (like a wok) and heat it up. Start heating the oil over high heat (level 7) and once you add the battered chicken, reduce the heat to medium (level 5). Frying over medium heat ensures the chicken cooks through evenly without burning.
Step 6
Prepare a tray with a wire rack or strainer on top. This will be used to drain the fried chicken tenders, keeping them crispy.
Step 7
Once the oil is hot enough (test by dropping a bit of batter; it should sizzle and float immediately), dip the marinated chicken pieces into the tempura batter, ensuring they are fully coated. Immediately place the battered chicken into the hot oil.
Step 8
Before the battered chicken is fully submerged in oil, remove it from the batter and place it onto the plate of dry tempura flour. Gently coat both sides with the dry flour. This double coating technique creates an extra crispy texture.
Step 9
Carefully place the double-coated chicken tenders into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot, as this can lower the oil temperature. Fry until golden brown on one side, then flip and fry the other side until evenly cooked. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes, ensuring the inside is cooked through.
Step 10
Once perfectly golden and crispy, remove the chicken tenders from the oil and place them on the prepared draining tray. Let them cool slightly. While delicious hot, they become even crispier as they cool. Enjoy your homemade chicken tenders!
