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.

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.

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.

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.

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

- 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.

- The chicken should be a deep golden brown before turning.

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

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

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.

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

More Easy Weeknight Recipes To Love…
- Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casseroles Recipe
- Smoked Pork Tenderloin Recipes
- Penne Pomodoro Pasta
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven Pot Roast
If you tried this Nashville chicken tender recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- skillet
- shallow glass dish
- instant-read thermometer
- saucepan
- basting brush
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds raw chicken tenderloins frozen and thawed; to use chicken breasts, see notes below
- 2½ cups canola oil or vegetable cooking oil
Seasoned flour batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
Buttermilk batter
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce I prefer Frank's Red Hot or Louisiana Hot Sauce
Spicy butter sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground red pepper
Instructions
Prepare the batter and dip chicken
- In a shallow bowl or dipping tray, mix flour, garlic salt, and pepper with whisk. In another shallow bowl or dipping tray, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together with a whisk.
- Dredge chicken tenders in the seasoned flour, then the buttermilk mixture, and back in the flour. Shake off excess buttermilk and flour.
Fry the chicken tenders
- Add the cooking oil to a large skillet, and heat oil over medium-high heat until hot (350°F).
- Fry the tenders in hot oil in batches of 4 – 5 tenders for about 6 minutes on each side. The chicken should be a deep golden brown before turning. Check the internal temperature of the chicken tenderloins (at least 165°F in the center) before removing them from the skillet. Place strips on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to soak upthe excess oil.
Brush on the spicy butter sauce
- 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.
Video

Notes
- Take the chicken breast and find the piece that hangs off the side and pull it from the breast. That’s your first chicken tenderloin strip.
- Next, slice 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.
- You might notice that the ingredients do not include brown sugar. I designed this Nashville Chicken Tenders copycat recipe without sugar. However, if you prefer a sweeter spicy sauce, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the butter basting sauce at the end.
- 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 chicken 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 extra crispy chicken, you can double-dip it in the flour and buttermilk mixture.
- Add more spices like garlic powder, black pepper, or chili powder.
- For the crispiest coating, let your breaded chicken 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 the chicken—this seals in moisture and gives that golden-brown crust.
- 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.
Tom B. says
can you use a deep fryer instead of a cast iron skillet??
Gianne - TFN Team Member says
I think it will still work.