Pickle Brine Chicken Tenders (Printable View)

Pickle-brine soaked chicken tenders with a crunchy double coating—fry or bake for a golden, tender finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1 ½ lbs (680 g) chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
02 - 1 cup (240 ml) dill pickle brine from a jar of pickles
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

→ Breading

04 - 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
05 - ½ cup (65 g) cornstarch
06 - 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ To Fry

12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 2 tablespoons buttermilk or non-dairy milk for DF option
14 - Vegetable oil, for frying

# How To Make It:

01 - In a bowl, combine chicken tenders, pickle brine, and hot sauce if using. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to 4 hours.
02 - Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne if using.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk together.
05 - Dredge each chicken tender in flour mixture, then dip into egg mixture, then back into flour mixture pressing firmly for a thick, crispy coating.
06 - Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C).
07 - Fry tenders in batches 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel–lined plate.
08 - Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The secret pickle brine makes the chicken shockingly juicy and impossible to stop nibbling.
  • Crispy breading clings to every bite so you never get a soggy or bland piece.
02 -
  • Skipping the final pat-dry after marinating will make the breading slide right off—don’t rush this step.
  • Swapping half the flour for cornstarch makes all the difference in crispiness—never skip it.
03 -
  • If you crowd the pan, the tenders steam instead of crisp, so fry in small batches.
  • Pressing the breading on firmly creates those crackly bits everyone loves.
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