Nashville Chicken Tenders (KFC Copycat)

Name: Nashville Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken tenderloins (or 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

Looking for a delicious and spicy chicken tenders recipe? Well, look no further than this Nashville Hot & Spicy Chicken Tenders recipe! We’ll show you how to make them at home, using just a few simple ingredients. Also, this recipe is perfect for pan frying in a cast iron skillet. So, get ready to enjoy some of the best cast iron chicken tenders you’ve ever had!

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

If you love KFC’s Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders, you’ll love this copycat recipe that you can make right at home.

Also, one of the best things about this recipe is that it’s perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Plus, this crispy, crunchy, and spicy chicken tenders recipe can be made in just 25 minutes!

Perfect Fried Chicken

Fried chicken has been a southern staple for generations. And while there are many ways to fry chicken, we think the best way is in a cast iron skillet.

Cast iron skillets help create a crispy exterior on the chicken while keeping the meat moist and juicy on the inside.

When it comes to Nashville Chicken Tenders, we think the best way to enjoy them is with a dipping sauce.

Our personal favorite is a mixture of honey and mustard sauce, but you can also try ranch or blue cheese dressing, BBQ sauce, or even sweet mango sauce.

Nashville chicken tenders dipped in a blue cheese dressing

Also, this delicious, crispy, golden brown Nashville spicy chicken tenders recipe is the perfect pair for a slice of bread and pickles.

So what are you waiting for? Give this cast iron chicken tenders recipe a try today!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Chicken – You can use chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts (sliced) fresh or thawed from frozen. Chicken tenders are the best cut of chicken to use since they cook quickly and evenly.
Oil – You can canola oil or vegetable oil for this recipe.
Flour Batter – We used all-purpose flour to help give the chicken a crispy and crunchy exterior. You can also use almond flour if you want. We also added garlic salt and ground pepper to the batter for flavor.
Spicy Butter Sauce – We used butter, cayenne, ground paprika, and salt, but you can adjust the spices to your taste.
Buttermilk batter – We used buttermilk and Frank’s Red Hot or Louisiana Hot Sauce for this recipe. But you can also 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, if you prefer a sweeter spicy sauce add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the butter basting sauce at the end.

a collage of Nashville Chicken Tenders ingredients.

Cut chicken breast into tenders

Take the chicken breast and find the piece that hangs off the side and pull it from the breast. That’s your first tenderloin strip.
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 chicken and carefully slicing horizontally through the chicken away from you.

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

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Cooking to Nashville Spicy Chicken Tenders

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 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.

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 recipe is also best served with our Instant Pot brown rice, and Basmati rice.

Other Cooking Methods

Cooking in the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Place coated chicken 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.

fried chicken strips on a white serving platter

Cooking in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place chicken 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.

Recipe Variations

If you want a spicy, and no breading option, you can try our Blackened Chicken Tenders.
If you’re busy and looking for a quick chicken tender recipe, then Instant Pot Chicken Tenders are for you.
You can also enjoy this recipe with our Kale Salad, and Cowboy Salad for sides.
To make extra crispy chicken, you can double dip it in the flour and buttermilk mixture.

You may also want to check out our other chicken recipes like Shake and Bake chicken tenders, Caprese chicken, and chicken and asparagus bake.

Best Sauces for Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

3 Ingredient BBQ Sauce – gives the chicken a sweet and smoky flavor.
Mango Sweet Chili Sauce – this adds a tangy and sweet kick.
Spicy Honey Mustard – gives a creamy, tangy, sweet, and spicy flavor.

spicy tenderloins dipped in blue cheese dressing

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Nashville Chicken tenders without buttermilk?

Yes, you can make Nashville Chicken tenders 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 chicken breasts?

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

What goes well with Nashville hot chicken?

Nashville hot chicken 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 mashed potatoes, tater tots, coleslaw, and green beans.

Get the Full Nashville Chicken Tenders Recipe Here