Probably The Best Chicken Tenders in the World

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Chicken Thighs (bone‑in, skin‑on, trimmed into individual thigh pieces)
• 500 ml Water (for brine)
• 30 g Salt (kosher or sea salt)
• 100 ml Sriracha (any brand, e.g., Flying Goose)
• 2 Tbsp Hot Sauce (optional, for extra acidity)
• 100 g Potato Starch (gives ultra‑crisp texture)
• 150 g All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
• 5 g White Pepper (ground)
• 5 g Baking Powder (double‑acting)
• 2 g Cayenne Pepper (½ tsp, optional heat)
• 2 g MSG (½ tsp, flavor enhancer)
• 3 g Garlic Powder (1 tsp)
• 3 g Black Pepper (½ tsp, freshly ground)
• 50 g Corn Flour (for wet dredge, helps coating adhere)
• 200 ml Buttermilk (for wet dredge)
• 2 L Rapeseed Oil (high smoke point, for deep frying)
• 120 ml Honey (high‑quality London honey)
• 30 ml Rice Vinegar (mild acidity)
• 5 g Chili Flakes (whole flakes)
• 3 g Sichuan Peppercorns (whole)
• 3 g Fennel Seeds (whole)
• 2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 100 g Blue Cheese (crumbled)
• 50 ml Japanese Mayo (e.g., Kewpie)
• 15 ml Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 2 g Onion Powder (½ tsp)
• 10 ml White Wine Vinegar
• 10 g Chives (finely diced)

Instructions

1. Score and Brine the Chicken

   Using a sharp knife, lightly score the skin side of each thigh in a crosshatch pattern to create surface texture. In a large bowl combine water, salt, and sriracha; stir until dissolved. Submerge the scored chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

   Time: PT15M

2. Prepare Hot Honey Glaze

   In a saucepan combine honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel seeds, a pinch of salt, MSG, and minced garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 2‑3 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool. The glaze will thicken slightly as it chills.

   Time: PT10M

3. Mix Dry Dredge

   In a mixing bowl whisk together potato starch, all‑purpose flour, white pepper, salt, baking powder, cayenne, MSG, garlic powder, and black pepper until evenly combined.

   Time: PT5M

4. Prepare Wet Dredge

   In a separate bowl whisk buttermilk with corn flour until smooth; this will act as a sticky binder for the final coating.

   Time: PT3M

5. Heat Oil

   Fill a deep pot with rapeseed oil to a depth of about 5 cm. Heat over medium‑high until the thermometer reads 185‑190 °C.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 185-190°C

6. First Dry Coat

   Remove a handful of brined chicken pieces, shake off excess brine, and toss them in a small amount of dry dredge. Lightly pat the coating onto the surface; this creates the initial “crag” layer.

   Time: PT5M

7. Wet‑Dry‑Wet Tumble

   Place the lightly coated pieces into a large bowl, dip them into the wet dredge, then return them to the dry dredge. Using a spoon or your hands, tumble the chicken roughly 60 turns so that moisture spots attract more dry coating. Repeat until a uniform, crack‑filled crust forms.

   Time: PT10M

8. Fry the Chicken

   Working in batches of 5‑6 pieces, gently lower the coated chicken into the hot oil. Fry for about 4½ minutes, turning once, until the exterior is deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 95 °C.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 185-190°C

9. Drain and Rest

   Lift the fried chicken onto a wire rack set over paper towels. Let rest for 5 minutes to allow excess oil to drip off and the crust to set.

   Time: PT5M

10. Make Blue Cheese Ranch Dip

    In a small bowl combine crumbled blue cheese, buttermilk, Japanese mayo, lemon juice, onion powder, white wine vinegar, a drizzle of honey, black pepper, and diced chives. Stir until smooth.

    Time: PT5M

11. Plate and Serve

    Arrange the fried chicken on a serving platter. Drizzle hot honey over each piece, sprinkle flaky sea salt, and serve alongside the blue cheese ranch dip.

    Time: PT2M

12. Cleanup

    Allow the oil to cool completely, then strain and store for future use or discard safely. Wash all bowls, utensils, and the fryer pot with hot, soapy water.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

15 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

0 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chicken Thighs: Chicken breast tenders (less juicy)
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Sriracha: Other hot sauce
• Instead of Hot Sauce: Chili garlic sauce
• Instead of Potato Starch: Tapioca starch
• Instead of All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour
• Instead of White Pepper: Black pepper
• Instead of Baking Powder: Baking soda + cream of tartar
• Instead of Cayenne Pepper: Chili powder
• Instead of MSG: Soy sauce
• Instead of Garlic Powder: Fresh minced garlic
• Instead of Black Pepper: White pepper
• Instead of Corn Flour: Cornstarch
• Instead of Buttermilk: Milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Instead of Rapeseed Oil: Peanut oil
• Instead of Honey: Agave syrup (flavor changes)
• Instead of Rice Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Chili Flakes: Crushed red pepper
• Instead of Sichuan Peppercorns: Regular peppercorns
• Instead of Fennel Seeds: Anise seeds
• Instead of Garlic Cloves: Garlic powder
• Instead of Blue Cheese: Gorgonzola
• Instead of Japanese Mayo: Regular mayo
• Instead of Lemon Juice: Lime juice
• Instead of Onion Powder: Dried onion flakes
• Instead of White Wine Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Chives: Green onion

Equipment Needed

• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• Large Bowl
• Zip‑Top Bag
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Whisk
• Saucepan
• Mixing Bowls
• Deep Pot or Fryer
• Candy/Deep‑Fry Thermometer
• Tongs
• Wire Rack
• Paper Towels

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Scoring the chicken thighs creates texture for the crust.
• 24‑hour sriracha brine both seasons and tenderises the meat.
• Maintaining oil temperature at 185‑190 °C is essential for a light, non‑greasy crust.
• The dry‑wet‑dry tumble (≈60 turns) builds the signature “crag” coating.
• Do not overcrowd the fryer; this drops oil temperature and ruins crispness.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Score the thigh skin in a crosshatch pattern; the tiny ridges hold more coating.
• Potato starch gives a lighter crunch than rice flour or plain wheat flour.
• A pinch of baking powder in the dry mix creates tiny air pockets for extra lift.
• Use rapeseed oil for a neutral flavor and high smoke point.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven to restore crispness.

Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a zip‑top bag; lasts up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a 190 °C oven.

Room temperature: Not recommended; the coating will become soggy.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Brine the chicken up to 24 hours in advance; keep refrigerated.
• Hot honey glaze can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
• Blue cheese ranch dip improves after chilling for at least 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions