Zesty Pepperoncini Fried Chicken Tenders
Happy 4th of July! I absolutely love this holiday – I love the pomp and circumstance, the fireworks, the Americana nostalgia of it, and of course… eating delicious cookout food outside while drinking a yard beer. And what goes better with all of that than fried chicken? Earlier this week, I shared my Classic Creamy Pasta Salad with Peas recipe - And this chicken pairs so well with that for the perfect picnic or cookout meal!
For my Zesty Pepperoncini Fried Chicken, I start by marinating chicken tenders in a seasoned buttermilk and pepperoncini brine. This brine not only tenderizes the chicken, but it also makes the chicken so juicy and flavorful. After I brine the chicken, I dredge it in a seasoned flour and cornstarch mixture, let it sit to “dry” for 15 minutes, and then flash fry it for a crispy and juicy result. And to make things even better – I dip sliced pepperoncini peppers in the same brine and flour mixture and fry those up too. These little fried pepper morsels are fantastic – crisp, salty, and tangy.
This recipe is the perfect twist on the classic buttermilk fried chicken and a delightful treat for any summertime cookout!
Something to note about this recipe – It’s written a little different from my other ones. Frying chicken isn’t difficult but it can be a bit overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. There are some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way to make the process easy, smooth, and with as little mess as possible. I’ve included a lot of details in this recipe, and I’ve put the instructions in steps to make it easy to follow and have successful results. That being said, I recommend reading through this entire post before starting! And as always, my messages and comments are always open if you have any questions!
Eat well and enjoy!
Brining the Chicken
Don’t skip this step! Brining the chicken adds a noticeable difference. It creates a flavorful, tender, and juicy piece of chicken that just can’t be achieved without brining. If you are short on time, you can get away with brining for 30 minutes. However, I recommend brining for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Why do I Air Dry the Chicken before Frying?
Don’t skip this step! Placing the dredged chicken on a wire rack creates air flow around the chicken and dries it slightly. This creates an almost glue-like breading, helping it adhere to the chicken. This method also makes for a crispier breading once the chicken is fried because it gives the flour to absorb excess moisture.
Paper Towels vs Wire Rack for the Finished Chicken
You always want to place your fried chicken on a clean wire rack immediately after removing it from the oil. Placing chicken on paper towels can create condensation, making the breading soggy. The wire rack, however, aids in air flow so the breading remains crispy while the excess oil drips off.
Ingredient Details and Abby's Tips
- The Chicken – I like to use chicken tenders because they are easy to prepare and they cook evenly. They’re also great for parties because they’re easy to eat with little clean up! You’ll want to pat the chicken dry with paper towels before brining – removing the excess moisture will help the brine adhere to the chicken.
- The Pepperoncini Peppers – I use sliced pepperoncini peppers for this recipe (the are SO good breaded and fried!) because whole peppers can create air pockets in the frying oil and explode – I learned this the hard way. NOTE: You CAN use hole peppers if you cut off the tops or slice a hole in them for air to escape. Also, you’ll want to make sure you dry the peppers well with paper towels – This helps the breading adhere.
- The Oil – Any high-heat/high smoke point oil will work for this recipe. I like to use Lard, Avocado, or peanut oil for healthier options. However, canola, soybean, or vegetable oil will also work! You’ll want to make sure your oil is at temperature (check using a heat-proof food thermometer). If the oil is too hot, your chicken will burn before it’s cooked through. If the oil is not hot enough, the breading will absorb excess oil, making for greasy and soggy chicken. I recommend doing a quick temperature check in between batches. In addition, you’ll want to make sure you are using enough oil so that the pieces of chicken are fully submerged. Depending on the size of my pan, I usually use an entire 40 to 48 oz bottle of oil, or about 4 to 6 cups of lard.
- The Buttermilk – I use a buttermilk-based brined because not only does it add flavor, the acids help tenderize the chicken and make it extra juicy.
- The Eggs – Eggs in a brine act as a binder. They help thicken the brine and create a sort of “glue” to help coat the chicken.
- The Pepperoncini Brine – Adding pickle brine to fried chicken recipes is fairly common, so why not add pepperoncini brine! Its sour tanginess adds so much delicious flavor while the acids and salt help tenderize the chicken and hold in all of the moisture.
- The Cornstarch – Adding a touch of cornstarch to the flour mixture helps to create a lighter and crispier breading.
- The Sugar – I add just a touch of sugar to this recipe to help balance out all of the savory herbs and spices. It’s not enough to make the breading sweet, rather just enough to bring out flavor.
So flavorful and juicy, this twist on the classic buttermilk fried chicken is perfect for the 4th of July or any summertime cookout!
- 1 1/2 lb chicken tenders (patted dry with paper towels)
- 20 pepperoncini peppers (sliced, core removed, and dried well with paper towels)
- 48 oz oil for frying (such as lard, peanut oil, avocado oil, canola oil, or soybean oil)
- 1 1/2 c buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 c pepperoncini brine (from a jar of pepperoncini peppers)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (regular, hot, or sweet paprika will also work)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c cornstarch
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (regular, hot, or sweet paprika will also work)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
- 2 tsp dried dill
- 2 tsp ground mustard powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp sugar
Whisk the buttermilk (1 ½ cups) and eggs (2) together in a large, non-reactive bowl, until fully combined. Add the pepperoncini brine (3/4 cup) and whisk.
Next, add the garlic powder (1 tsp.), onion powder (1 tsp.), cayenne (1/2 tsp.), smoked paprika (2 tsp.), salt (2 tsp.), and black pepper (1/2 tsp.). Whisk until everything is fully combined.
Add the chicken tenders to the brine, making sure all pieces are fully coated and submerged. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
In a large shallow bowl, rimmed plate, or baking dish; whisk together the all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups), cornstarch (1/4 cup), salt (2 tsp.), black pepper (1/2 tsp.), garlic powder (1 tsp.), onion powder (1 tsp.), smoked paprika (2 tsp.), cayenne (1/4 tsp.), dried dill (2 tsp.), ground mustard powder (2 tsp.), turmeric (2 tsp.), cumin (3/4 tsp.), dried oregano (2 tsp.), and sugar (2 tsp.). Set aside.
I like to be all set up and ready to go before I start dredging the chicken. This helps the process run smoothly and helps to prevent a lot of mess.
For my method, I set the bowl of marinated chicken right next to the dish of breading. And either next to or in front of those, I place a wire cooling rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. The wire rack provides a spot to place the dredged chicken. It is important to use a wire rack for this to let the dredged chicken “dry out” before frying. I talk about this more in the Frying Step (6) of the instructions and in the “Ingredient Details and Abby’s Tips” section.
I find it easiest and less messy to use tongs when removing the chicken from and dipping into the brine. Trying to handle the liquid portion and the dry flour portion with both hands just ends up so messy and you tend to quickly have your hand covered in a goopy flour glue. So… having a utensil dedicated to the liquid portion helps prevent this.
Using tongs in one hand, pick up one chicken tender and gently shake excess brine off into the bowl. Transfer the tender to the flour dish. Repeat with 3 to 4 tenders (or however many can fit in your flour dish without touching). Using your other hand (you can wear rubber gloves to make thing less messy), flip each tender around in the flour mixture a few times until they are fully coated. Using the tongs again, pick up each tender, one at a time, and dip in the marinade again until fully coated. Place back into the flour mixture. Repeat with the other tenders. After each tender has been dredged a second time in the brine and placed back in the flour mixture, flip each tender a few times until fully coated, making sure to press the flour mixture onto the chicken. Place the finished chicken tenders onto the wire rack. Repeat this process will all of the tenders in the bowl of brine.
Once all of the breaded tenders have been placed on the wire rack, let them sit to “dry out” for about 15 minutes. This technique helps the breading adhere to the chicken and helps create a crispier breading when fried.
Set the brine and breading aside for the pepperoncini.
While your chicken is drying out on the wire rack, place your cooking oil into a tall-sided, heavy bottomed skillet or stockpot. I use a chicken fryer like this one: https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/cookware/skillets-fry-pan/ci45-30bg/. Any similar skillet, stockpot or Dutch oven will work.
Heat the oil over medium/high heat. You’ll want to check the temperature using a heat-proof food thermometer. The oil will be ready for frying once it has reached a temperature of 375 degrees F. Once the oil has reached this temperature, it’s time to lower the heat to medium and fry your chicken!
Place a clean wire rack on your counter. You can place it on a baking sheet or on a layer of aluminum foil or paper towels for easy clean up. You will use this rack to place the finished chicken tenders. At this point, you’ll also want to set aside two pairs of tongs – One for the raw chicken and one for the cooked chicken. I also use two separate “transfer” plates for raw and cooked chicken – These are to place under the tenders as I’m moving them to and from the wire racks to prevent anything dripping on the floor.
When the oil has reached 375 degrees F, lower the heat to medium and gently lower the chicken tenders into the oil, one at a time, using the “raw chicken” heat-proof tongs. When placing the tenders into the oil, always lower them into the oil moving away from you to prevent splattering yourself. Repeat with the next 2 to 4 tenders, depending on the size of your pan. You’ll want to make sure each tender has enough room to move around as they fry. Let the tenders fry for about three to four minutes, or until golden brown. Ideally, the tenders should be fully submerged in the oil to be deep fried. However, if they are not, you can flip them about halfway through cooking.
When the tenders are done, carefully remove them, one at a time, using your clean “cooked chicken” heat-proof tongs and place onto the clean wire rack. Repeat this process with the remaining tenders. NOTE: You will want to check the oil temperature in between each batch of chicken to make sure it is still at 375 degrees F and adjust as necessary.
NOTE: You can fry the pepperoncini while you are frying the chicken or after the chicken is done as they only take about one minute to fry. Before starting, you’ll want to make sure to have two slotted spoons – One for the pepperoncini in the brine and one for the cooked pepperoncini.
Check to make sure your oil is still around 375 degrees F and adjust as necessary. Place your paper towel-dried pepperoncini rings into the brine and stir until they are all coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pepperoncini to the breading and gently mix with a fork or spoon. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the breaded pepperoncini rings to the hot oil and let fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are golden brown. When the pepperoncini are done, carefully remove from the hot oil using a clean, heat-proof slotted spoon and transfer to the clean wire rack.
Serve the chicken and pepperoncini immediately.