Nashville Chicken Tenders (KFC Copycat)

Name: Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken tenderloins (frozen and thawed; to use chicken breasts, see notes below); 2½ cups canola oil or vegetable cooking oil; 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon garlic salt; 1 teaspoon ground pepper; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 2 teaspoons hot sauce (I prefer Frank's Red Hot or Louisiana Hot Sauce); 3 tablespoons butter (melted); 2 teaspoons ground paprika; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground red pepper

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Looking for a spicy, crispy, and crave-worthy chicken recipe? These Nashville hot chicken tenders bring the heat and flavor of your favorite Southern classic—right to your kitchen! Perfectly seasoned and pan-fried in a cast iron skillet, these tenders are golden brown, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. If you love bold flavor and a bit of a kick, this is the recipe for you.

A white serving platter of fried chicken with a basting brush and spicy hot butter sauce in the background.

If you’re a fan of KFC’s Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders, you’re going to love this homemade version. This spicy, crunchy, crispy chicken tenders recipes for dinner is ready in about 25 minutes, making it great for busy weeknights or casual weekend dinners. The fiery seasoning blend and spicy oil coating give that signature Nashville heat. Oven fried chicken has been a southern staple for generations. And while there are many ways to fry it, we think the best way is in a cast iron skillet.

Using a cast iron skillet not only gives this Nashville hot chicken tenders recipe that irresistible crust but also helps distribute heat evenly for consistent cooking. Serve these hot tenders over a slice of white bread, with pickles on top, and a side of coleslaw for a classic presentation. And don’t forget the dipping sauces! Try honey hot mustard, ranch, BBQ sauce, or even our easy Asian dipping sauce. This recipe satisfies all your cravings—it’s spicy, crunchy, juicy, and bursting with flavor with each bite.

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Why We Love These Nashville Chicken Tenders

Restaurant-quality flavor at home
You get that spicy, deep-fried flavor without needing a deep fryer.
Quick and easy
Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a perfect meal even on busy nights.
Perfectly crispy
Thanks to the cast iron skillet, these tenders have a perfectly golden, crispy coating with tender meat inside.

Nashville chicken tenders dipped in a blue cheese dressing.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Chicken: You can use tenderloins or breasts (sliced) fresh or thawed from frozen. Chicken tenders are the best cut since they cook quickly and evenly.
Oil: Use any cooking oil, like canola, peanut oil, or vegetable oil.
Flour: All-purpose flour gives them a crispy and crunchy exterior. You can also use almond flour if you want.
Spicy butter sauce: We used butter, cayenne, ground paprika, and salt, but you can adjust the spices to your taste.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk and Frank’s Red Hot or Louisiana Hot Sauce combine for amazing flavor! But you can use the hot sauce of your choice or even Sriracha for more heat.

You might notice that the ingredients do not include brown sugar. Well, I designed this Nashville Chicken Tenders copycat recipe without sugar. But, for a sweeter spicy sauce, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the butter-basting sauce at the end.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

Here’s a quick guide for slicing breasts into strips:
1. Take the breast, find the piece hanging off the side, and detach it. That’s your first tenderloin strip.
2. Next, slice the rest of the breast from top to bottom with a sharp knife into 2-inch strips. If the breasts are very large, slice them in half by placing your hand flat against the top of the meat and carefully slicing horizontally through it, away from you.

Labeled ingredient image for nashville chicken recipe.

Recipe Variations

If you want a spicy and no-breading option, you can try our Cajun chicken tenderloins.
If you’re busy and looking for a quick tender recipe, then chicken tenders in Instant Pot are for you.
You can also enjoy this recipe with our fresh kale salad and dressing and Tex Mex salad bowl recipe for sides.
To make it extra crispy, you can double-dip it in the flour and buttermilk mixture.
Add more spices like garlic powder, black pepper, or chili powder.

You may also want to check out our other poultry recipes, like shake n’ bake chicken and recipe for caprese chicken.

Equipment Used For This Recipe

11″ – 12″ cast iron skillet (or heavy skillet)
Shallow bowls or dipping trays
Instant-read thermometer
Small saucepan
Basting brush

How to Make Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders Recipe

Use a shallow bowl or dipping tray to mix flour, garlic salt, and pepper with a whisk. Then, in another shallow bowl or dipping tray, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together with a whisk.

Preparing the tenders, from left going clockwise: the dipping tray of dry batter and a tray of wet batter and a tray of chicken, dipping the strips into the dry batter, dipping the tenders into the wet buttermilk batter, then dipping the chicken tenderloins into the dry flour batter before frying chicken tenders.

Dredge best breaded chicken tenders in the seasoned flour, then the buttermilk mixture, and back in the flour. Shake off excess buttermilk and flour.

Chicken tenders that are coated in flour and buttermilk mixture on a white serving platter along with flour mixture and buttermilk mixture on separate trays.

Add the cooking oil to a large skillet, and heat oil over medium-high heat until hot (350°F).
Then, when the oil is ready fry the tenders in hot oil in batches of 4 – 5 tenders for about 6 minutes on each side.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

For the crispiest coating, let your breaded meat rest for 10–15 minutes before frying. This helps the coating stick better and results in crispy chicken tenders that stay crunchy even after cooking. Also, make sure your oil is hot enough (about 350°F) before adding them—this seals in moisture and gives that golden-brown crust.

Frying chicken in the oil on a cast iron skillet.

The chicken should be a deep golden brown before turning.

Frying the Nashville chicken tenders in the oil on a cast iron skillet.

Be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken tenderloins (at least 165°F in the center) before removing them from the skillet.

Frying the chicken strips in a cast iron skillet with a instant read thermometer showing the temperature of 166 degree Fahrenheit.

Place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to soak up the excess oil.

Fried hot chicken on a baking rack tray with paper towels at the bottom to catch the grease and oil.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in paprika, salt, and red pepper with a whisk.
Use a basting brush to brush the fried chicken tenders with the spicy butter sauce.

Basting spicy butter sauce on the Nashville hot chicken tenders.

This Nashville hot chicken tenders recipe is also best served with our brown rice in an Instant Pot and brown basmati rice in Instant Pot.

Cooking in the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Place coated tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point.
Brush with butter mixture and serve immediately with your dipping sauce of choice.

Cooking in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place tenders on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Then, brush with butter mixture and serve with the dipping sauce of your choice.

Spicy tenderloins dipped in blue cheese dressing.

Serving Suggestions

These Nashville hot chicken tenders are best served fresh and hot with side dishes like coleslaw, mac and cheese, or seasoned fries. Lay them over a slice of white bread, add pickles on top, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. You can also pair them with a light salad or roasted veggies to balance out the spice.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make Nashville Chicken tenders without buttermilk?

Yes, you can make it without buttermilk. To do this, simply substitute the buttermilk for milk and lemon juice. Get substitutes for buttermilk here.

Can I make Nashville Chicken tenders with breasts?

Yes, you can make this recipe with chicken breasts. To do this, simply cut the breasts into strips or tenders – see above for how to cut chicken breasts into tenders.

What goes well with Nashville hot chicken?

This is often served with a side of bread and pickles. Because this allows you to enjoy the crispy, juicy chicken. Also, other sides that go well include tater tots, coleslaw, and green beans.

How do I store leftovers?

Store any leftover Nashville hot chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. To keep them crispy, reheat in the oven at 375°F for about 10–12 minutes, or in an air fryer for 5–6 minutes until heated through and crispy again. Avoid microwaving if you want to maintain that crunchy coating. If freezing, wrap each tender individually and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months—just reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer for best results.

Fried chicken strips on a white serving platter.

More Easy Weeknight Recipes To Love…

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Why We Love These Nashville Chicken Tenders