Copycat Cane’s Chicken Tenders

5 from 5 votes

Copycat Cane’s Chicken Tenders

These crispy, golden chicken tenders are coated in a seasoned batter and fried until perfectly crunchy. Serve them with crinkle fries, Texas toast, and a creamy Cane’s-style dipping sauce for the ultimate comfort meal.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken strips

Servings: tenders

Ingredients

Chicken

1-2 pounds chicken tenderloins

Wet Batter

1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tbsp pickle juice
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder

Dry Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cornstarch
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp white pepper

For Frying

4-6 cups neutral oil (peanut, canola, or vegetable)

Cane’s-Style Dipping Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, pickle juice, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth. Add the chicken and coat well. Let rest for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and white pepper.
Dredge each tender in the wet batter, coat in the dry mixture, dip back into the wet batter, and finish with another coating of the dry mixture.
Place coated tenders on a wire rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
Heat oil to 350°F and fry the chicken in batches for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serve hot with the dipping sauce, crinkle fries, and Texas toast.

Nutrition