Flour cornstarch chicken tenders use breast strips with a seasoned dry coating and a simple egg-and-water dip. Cornstarch joins the flour for a crisp surface, while paprika, onion, garlic salt, cayenne, and brown sugar season the crust. This is a shallow-fried recipe rather than an oven breading.
Use four small boneless breasts totaling about a pound and a half. Cut them into roughly twenty-four similar strips so the batch timing and serving count make sense. Very large modern chicken breasts need to be weighed rather than treated as interchangeable with four small ones.
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Why This Recipe Works
A light egg wash helps the dry mixture attach without a thick layer of liquid batter. Flour cornstarch chicken tenders brown on the outside as the thin strips cook through. Keeping pieces similar in thickness reduces the chance of a dark crust around an undercooked middle.
Oil temperature matters between batches as well as at the start. Adding too many cold strips lowers it and makes the coating heavier. Brown sugar encourages color, so the crust can brown before the chicken reaches its required internal temperature.
Ingredients for Flour Cornstarch Chicken Tenders
Measure a cup each of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. These are separate ingredients with different functions; do not double one and omit the other. Garlic salt already contains salt, and the additional teaspoon in this formula belongs in the full large coating batch rather than on each serving.
For flour cornstarch chicken tenders, whisk two eggs with three-quarter cup water in a shallow bowl. The listed two and two-thirds cups frying oil suits roughly half an inch in an approximately ten-inch deep skillet, but actual depth depends on the pan. Keep oil well below one-third of the vessel’s height and leave ample headroom for food.
Chicken and Coating
- 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4 small breasts; cut into roughly 24 strips, ½ inch thick)
- 2 2/3 cups soybean oil for frying (about ½-inch depth in a 10-inch deep skillet; never above one-third of vessel height)
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp garlic salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 pieces eggs (Whisked together)
How to Make Flour Cornstarch Chicken Tenders
Cut chicken across broad pieces into strips about half an inch thick and three to four inches long. Pat the surface dry. Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, baking powder, cayenne, brown sugar, and salt until evenly dispersed. Whisk eggs and water separately.
Dip each strip into the egg mixture, let excess drip away, and coat in the seasoned flour. Shake off loose powder. Heat oil to about 350°F and lower a small batch into the pan without crowding. Cook flour cornstarch chicken tenders for roughly six to ten minutes, turning halfway, until the thickest center reaches 165°F.
Move cooked pieces onto a rack above a tray and allow a few minutes to drain. Let the oil return toward 350°F before the next batch. About four batches of six strips fit the estimate, but pan space determines the actual number. Discard coating and egg mixture that contacted raw chicken.
How to Serve
Serve flour cornstarch chicken tenders soon after their short rack rest, dividing approximately four strips per person. Keep them in a single layer as much as possible. A pile traps steam between the pieces and softens the crust you have just fried.
Offer dips in separate dishes so the coating remains dry until eaten. A corn salad, green salad, or vegetables can accompany the chicken. Do not reuse a plate or tongs that held raw strips for the finished food without washing them first.
Storage
Refrigerate flour cornstarch chicken tenders within two hours in shallow covered containers. Keep at 40°F or colder and use within three to four days. Let surface steam escape briefly during portioning, but do not leave a full tray on the counter for an extended cooling period.
Reheat in an oven or air fryer until the centers reach 165°F. The coating may regain some crispness but will not be identical to freshly fried chicken. Freeze cooked cooled portions for up to two months for quality and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
The FDA safe food handling guidance explains prompt refrigeration and temperature checks for perishable foods.
Tips and Variations
For flour cornstarch chicken tenders, monitor both oil and chicken temperatures rather than judging by color alone. If the exterior darkens rapidly, the oil may be too hot or the strips too thick. Lower the heat slightly and check the next pieces carefully.
A rack drains more effectively than stacking pieces on absorbent paper, where steam can collect underneath. Use separate utensils for the wet and dry coating bowls to reduce clumps. Loose flour left in the oil can darken over successive batches, so remove obvious crumbs carefully between batches when practical.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes flour cornstarch chicken tenders different?
The dry coating combines equal volumes of flour and cornstarch rather than breadcrumbs.
How large should the strips be?
Aim for roughly half an inch thick and three to four inches long, with similar sizes throughout.
Is a brown crust proof the chicken is cooked?
No. Check the thickest part for 165°F; brown sugar in the coating can deepen color early.
Can I fry all the strips together?
Use small uncrowded batches so the oil temperature can recover and the strips cook evenly.
Can I save leftover egg dip?
Discard any dip or dry coating that contacted raw chicken.
More Recipes to Try
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries without Breadcrumbs
- Charred Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Pistachios and Fresh Herbs
Crispy Chicken Tenders with Flour and Cornstarch Coating
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts about 4 small breasts; cut into roughly 24 strips, ½ inch thick
- 2 2/3 cups soybean oil for frying about ½-inch depth in a 10-inch deep skillet; never above one-third of vessel height
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp garlic salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 pieces eggs Whisked together
Instructions
- Slice 1½ pounds boneless chicken breast into about 24 strips, roughly ½ inch thick and 3–4 inches long. Pat dry.
- In a shallow dish combine the flour and cornstarch with brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic salt. Whisk eggs and water separately.
- Heat the oil in a deep approximately 10-inch skillet to about 350°F, with roughly ½-inch depth and oil below one-third of pan height. Dip strips in egg wash, drain excess, then coat and shake off surplus flour.
- Fry uncrowded batches, approximately 6 strips each, for 6–10 minutes, turning midway. Confirm 165°F at the center of the thickest strips and restore oil temperature between batches.
- Drain on a rack over a tray for about 5 minutes and serve. Discard raw-contact egg dip and coating.
