Cracker Barrel Fried Hen Tenders

18 de October de 2023

2

Expertise true Southern consolation with Cracker Barrel Fried Hen Tenders! Hand-breaded with love, every hen tenderloin is coated in wealthy buttermilk batter after which fried to crispy perfection. Crunchy on the skin and juicy inside, each chew transports you to a homestyle haven. Dip into dill pickle ranch or your favourite sauce for an additional layer of deliciousness.

Copycat Cracker Barrel fried chicken tenders on two plates.

This put up incorporates affiliate hyperlinks. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What Makes Cracker Barrel’s Deep Fried Hen Tenders So Good?

Do you assume you’re too previous for fried hen fingers? Suppose once more. These authentic-tasting Southern fried hen tenders aren’t some child’s meal. They’re actual meals and actually scrumptious as well.

The buttermilk and seasoned flour coating is significantly crunchy and lets the hen completely prepare dinner whereas remaining splendidly tender inside. It’s the perfect Southern fried hen recipe particularly for many who favor hen strips over bone-in fried hen.

Make a bunch for dinner or your subsequent get-together!

Why You Ought to Attempt This Cracker Barrel Fried Hen Tender Recipe

That is the form of recipe that’s simple to scale up and feed lots of people, and that could be a good factor as a result of these tenders are an actual crowd-pleaser. Cracker Barrel hand breaded hen tenders will not be solely excellent for serving buffet-style with quite a lot of dipping, however you need to use them in lots of different methods.

Examine the “What to Serve With Fried Hen Tenders” part beneath for extra concepts.

Hen Tender Components

For a copycat model of the Fried Hen Tenders from Cracker Barrel, you’ll want:

All-purpose flour
Salt
Freshly floor black pepper
Buttermilk
Water
Hen tenderloins
Impartial oil akin to vegetable oil or peanut oil

If you wish to add extra spices to the breading, you possibly can sprinkle in some onion powder, garlic powder, or cayenne pepper. Some dried herbs akin to oregano and thyme may also work.

Copycat Cracker Barrel fried chicken tenders ingredients.

Tips on how to Make This Cracker Barrel Fried Hen Tenders Recipe

To arrange for breading the hen tenders:

Create a breading station by putting two broad shallow containers (pie tins work properly) aspect by aspect. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper or set a wire rack on high and place it subsequent to the containers.
Fill the primary container with the flour, salt, and freshly floor pepper. Whisk to mix the flour with the spices.
Fill the opposite container with the buttermilk and water. Stir.

To bread the hen tenders:

Use one hand to coat a hen tender within the seasoned flour combination and shake off the surplus.
Drop the floured hen into the buttermilk combination.
Use your different to take away the hen tender and drop it again within the seasoned flour. Together with your dry hand, switch the breaded hen tender to the baking tray.
Repeat with the remaining hen tenders. Let the hen tenders relaxation on the wire rack for at the very least 20 minutes earlier than frying.

Collage of breading chicken tenderloins to make Cracker Barrel fried chicken tenders.

To fry the hen tenders:

Pour the oil right into a heavy-bottom pot. In case you have a deep-fryer, now could be the right time to make use of it.
Warmth the oil over medium-high warmth to 350 levels F. Use an attachable deep-fry thermometer to make sure you are on the correct temp.
To stop the oil from decreasing an excessive amount of, deep fry the hen in batches for 4 to 6 minutes, relying on the dimensions of your tenders. Flip the tenders after about three minutes.
Drain the surplus oil from fried hen by putting the fried tenders on a clear wire rack over a baking sheet. Use an instant-read thermometer to examine if the hen is at the very least 165 levels F.

Copycat Cracker Barrel fried chicken tenders over mashed potatoes and topped with gravy.

What to Dunk Your Fried Hen Tenders Into

Cracker Barrel hand breaded hen tenders are good on their very own however higher when dipped. Use your favourite sauce or attempt certainly one of these tasty opinions:

Brown Gravy. This wealthy sauce produced from pan-dripping and roasted veggies provides a brand new degree of taste to the hen. Don’t need to make it from scratch? Use a combination!
White Gravy. Don’t have the components available for Brown Gravy? You may make white gravy with on a regular basis staples.
Honey Mustard Sauce. Candy and tangy is a good way to explain honey mustard sauce, a basic complement to deep-fried hen.
BBQ Sauce. Whether or not you like Kansas Metropolis BBQ sauce or Alabama’s well-known white BBQ sauce, it’s going to be nice with these tenders.

What to Serve With Fried Hen Tenders

French fries are the commonest aspect dish for hen tenders, however there are various extra choices.

Tips on how to Retailer Southern Fried Hen Tenders

You may maintain extras within the fridge for as much as three days. As soon as the tenders are cool, layer them on paper towels and put them in a food-safe bag or wrap them with a number of layers of plastic wrap and retailer them within the fridge.

For longer storage, lay the cooled hen tender in a single layer on a flippantly greased baking tray and freeze. As soon as the hen is frozen, switch the tenders to a freezer bag and retailer them for as much as a month. Thaw the tenders in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.

What Is the Finest Option to Reheat Them

An air fryer is right for reheating deep fried hen tenders. Should you don’t have an air fryer, you need to use your common oven:

Preheat the air fryer or oven to 350°F.
Place the hen tenders into the air fryer. Should you use an oven, lay the hen on a wire rack over a baking tray earlier than reheating.
Warmth the hen for about 7 minutes (quarter-hour if utilizing a daily oven). Flip the hen tenders midway by the cooking time.
Serve scorching.

Copycat Cracker Barrel fried chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, and gravy on two plates.

Love Cracker Barrel? Attempt these copycat recipes!

Favourite Hen Recipes

Try extra of my simple hen dinner recipes and the perfect copycat Cracker Barrel recipes on CopyKat!