You’re going to love these spicy chicken strips. It’s not only the breading that has kick, it’s also the meat. The chicken tenders are marinated in buttermilk and Tabasco hot sauce. Then, things get extra spicy with a breading featuring both paprika and cayenne pepper. It’s a delicious duo of spice that really hits the spot for heat lovers.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Garlicky and oregano-heavy breading over chicken that has been sitting in buttermilk and Tabasco |
| Primary heat source | A quarter cup of Tabasco in the marinade, plus a teaspoon of cayenne in the breading |
| Heat level | Medium, and it is in the meat as much as in the crust |
| Texture | Craggy and crisp from the double dredge, tender inside from the buttermilk |
| Best uses | Dipping, a sandwich, or a plate with fries |
| Customization ideas | More cayenne in the flour, more Tabasco in the marinade, or a different hot sauce entirely |
Flavor notes
Step five is the one that matters. Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour, dip it back into the buttermilk, then coat it again. That second pass is what gives you a craggy, uneven crust instead of a thin even shell, and it is where most of the crunch comes from.
Spicy chicken strips aren’t just about the heat, though. There’s a lot to love in just the way they’re spiced. Both oregano and garlic powder feature predominantly among the spices. They provide a delicious earthy pungency to the chicken tenders, along with the heat. Feel free to adjust the spiciness, too, to your preferred level to get the balance just right for your taste buds.
365°F is the number to hit, and the batches of four or five are the reason. Crowd the pan and the oil temperature drops, and the breading soaks up oil rather than crisping. Let it come back up between batches.
Adaptation ideas
- More cayenne in the flour: A teaspoon across two cups of flour is modest. Double it before you touch anything else.
- More Tabasco in the marinade: This is the one that puts heat into the meat rather than onto it. A quarter cup is the starting point, not a limit.
- Use a different hot sauce: Any Louisiana-style sauce works in the buttermilk. Something thicker or sweeter will change the coating, so keep it thin and vinegary.
- Add chili powder: A teaspoon in the flour brings cumin and garlic notes along with a little more heat. Here is what is actually in it.
- No buttermilk? A cup and a half of milk with a tablespoon and a half of lemon juice or vinegar, left to sit ten minutes, does the job.
- Marinate longer: Two to three hours is the minimum in the recipe. Overnight in the fridge is better.
Serving ideas
Now onto pairing spicy chicken strips with the perfect dipping sauce. We like it quite a bit with our homemade Yum Yum sauce. It’s a nice creamy, spicy combo that’s pretty addictive together. Or try them with a spicy barbecue sauce, like this maple chipotle BBQ sauce. It brings a nice sweet and smoky flavor to the table. Or, if you prefer a tangy-sweet mustard sauce, our chipotle honey mustard is an excellent option with these tenders.
- As a sandwich: Two strips on a soft bun with pickles and slaw. The crust holds up to sauce better than a plain fillet would.
- With fries and something cold: The whole point of a basket of tenders.
- Sliced over a salad: Warm strips, cold leaves, and a creamy dressing to sit against the cayenne.
- Alongside jalapeño hushpuppies: Two fried things on one plate, both of them spicy.
- Without breading at all: Our spicy herb chicken strips take the same idea somewhere lighter.
Storage notes
Fried chicken and the fridge are not natural friends. The crust softens overnight no matter what you do, so eat these the day you make them if you can. Leftovers keep three or four days in a sealed container.
Reheat them in a hot oven or an air fryer, 375 to 400°F for eight or ten minutes. The microwave will get them hot and leave the breading limp. A wire rack rather than a flat tray keeps the underside from steaming.
They freeze better than they refrigerate, oddly enough. Cool them completely, freeze them in a single layer, then bag them. Straight from frozen into a hot oven for fifteen minutes or so and the crust comes back closer than you would expect.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Spicy Herb Chicken Strips: No breading and packed with herbs for a delicious flavor.
- Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce: Fun to eat with a bold, exotic flavor.
- Jalapeño Hushpuppies: It’s hard to eat only one.
50 easy ways to put jalapeños to work — appetizers, meals, salsas and dips, snacks, even fiery drinks. Perfect for a garden glut or a fridge full of extras.
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Spicy Chicken Strips
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken tenders or breasts boneless, skinless, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup Tabasco sauce
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- vegetable oil
Instructions
- If using chicken breasts, slice the breasts lengthwise into thin strips.
- In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, Tabasco, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Place the chicken strips in the bowl, coating them with the buttermilk mix. Allow them to sit in the buttermilk for at least 2 to 3 hours for best flavor.
- In a separate bowl, add the paprika, cayenne pepper powder, flour, oregano, black pepper, salt, and the remaining garlic powder. Stir the seasoning mix until fully combined.
- One by one, coat the chicken with the seasoning mix and place to the side. Once all coated, coat each piece once again in the buttermilk and dip in the seasoning mix once again.
- Place enough vegetable oil in a high-sided sauce pan to deep fry. Heat the oil to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken in the oil in batches of 4 to 5 pieces. Fry the chicken until the breading is a golden brown and the chicken is cooked through (typically 3 to 5 minutes).
- Remove the chicken from the oil and place the pieces on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Repeat the frying process in batches for the rest of the chicken. Drain off excess oil, then serve.
can these be cooked in an air frier?