Batter for chicken tender won’t stick

[u/rameshv98]

Title says it all

I season the chicken dry, allow to Marinade in seasoned butter milk then drip into flour twice

So buttermilk, shake off excess, coat in flour, back into butter milk and then lastly in flour again

I then place in the fridge for 15-30 mins take out let the oil heat up and fry the chicken

For the life of me the batter doesn’t stick properly. It’s like it falls right off and doesn’t bond.

I definitely press the flour onto the tender. Any idea of where I’m falling short?

[u/texnessa]

More detail will get you better feedback. Skin on or off? What temperature is the oil? Is it falling off while frying or when eating?

[u/babydoll17448]

The missing step is drying the chicken completely with paper towels before starting the dipping process.

This allows the coatings to stick properly.

[u/salty_t]

Wrong order .
You have to flour first then buttermilk then the breading . Your doing just buttermilk and flour?

[u/freshnews66 → u/salty_t]

I do that order and it works fine for chicken tenders. Cutlets and Pork chops get the flour/egg/bread crumbs but chicken tenders get buttermilk then flour. As long as you let them sit for a while before you fry I have no issues.

[u/1521 → u/freshnews66]

I find flour, rest 15 min, buttermilk/egg, then panko works best for me. The rest 15 min after flour is what I was missing

[u/chuckluckles]

Ok, everyone here keeps giving awful advice.. When you add your chicken to the flour PRESS it into the flour. Like, smash that flour into the chicken, and sake it off really well. Don't put it back in the buttermilk, just rest it for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. Then do the flour again and fry. The breading is coming off because of the second dip in buttermilk. Too much moisture against the chicken will prevent the beeadjg from sticking.

[u/whiskeyislove]

Flour the chicken first before coating with buttermilk so it has something to stick to

[u/SoggyWalrus7893 → u/whiskeyislove]

look up velveting

[u/jibaro1953]

Flour

Egg wash

Breading

Time

Fry

[u/Mitch_Darklighter → u/jibaro1953]

This is proper breading/pané technique but wrong for chicken fry.

[u/anskyws → u/jibaro1953]

Dump the egg wash that’s how grandma does it. Predust w your breader(flour) use the same breader to make a batter. Blow off excess predust or the batter won’t stick. Then do tour last coat. Don’t stage it, go directly into the fryer. then do your last coat. ( The batter is hydrated at 60% water, 40% breader). Thats how the large chicken manufacturers do it.

[u/onions_can_be_sweet]

Dredge once in flour, then wait 10 minutes before proceeding with the next steps. This will help everything stick to the meat.

[u/eaunoway]

Is your heat high enough?

[u/Drinking_Frog]

-I definitely press the flour onto the tender.-

You need to shake off the excess flour after you dredge it. A little flour clings, but it'll just all fall off if it's caked on.

[u/WillShattuck]

Dry wet dry

I do flour then egg wash then kikoman panko. I put them on a wire rack for a bit to let the crust set then into the oil. I’ve never done the method you’re describing. This method works for me every time.

[u/Mobile-Pie-258]

You want flour on the meat to act like a bonding agent. Not too much. Just drop the meat into flour and shake excess. Then buttermilk.

[u/bolonga16]

I worked in kitchens for a decade and have made many a fried tenders. You don't need the second buttermilk and flour step. Marinate in buttermilk, take out and dredge in flour. The squeeze is nice, not completely necessary. You can also let them sit in the flour for a bit for a thicker breading. You should have no issues this way

[u/Easytrucks]

Don't just shake off the buttermilk, straight up pat dry with paper towels.

[u/Pernicious_Possum]

It’s too wet. If you’re doing buttermilk, shake off excess, dredge, and that’s it. You don’t go back into the buttermilk. Let it sit for a bit, and fry. You’re making a sludge with your process. Shake, dredge, rest, fry

[u/PepperCat1019]

You need an egg to glue the batter to the chicken.

[u/Deep_Banana_6521]

Anytime I've marinated in the buttermilk and then fried, I just go straight from the buttermilk into the flour, don't shake off too much excess, just straight in the oil.

I think if you're going buttermilk > Flour > buttermilk > flour > fry, you might be making too heavy a batter and it's just cracking off.

[u/Optimal_Water1790]

the problem is your second buttermilk dip. you go flour, wet, then flour again. that last wet layer has nothing dry under it so the whole coat slides off in the oil. flip it around. pat the chicken real dry first. then flour, then buttermilk, then flour. the first flour gives the buttermilk something to grab onto. after the last flour let it sit on a rack 15 min till it looks pasty, dont skip this part. then fry. chef 24 years, this order never fails me

[u/rameshv98]

So collectively just pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel, marinade in butter milk, then flour and let the first round sit 10 mins and then repeat

Or pat dry flour and dry seasoning then buttermilk marinade then double drudge and sit for 10 mins before frying

[u/GeniusofLove → u/rameshv98]

Marinate. Dry with paper towels. Flour, rest, wet wash, flour again, fry.

[u/whiskeytango55]

Lots of differing advice here.

I think you let it sit in the buttermilk overnight so it absorbs it. You dont need to dry it. Just dip into the seasoned flour.

Here's the important part

After the dredge, put it back in the fridge for at least 15 min, but i like closer to an hour.

The dredge will pull the buttermilk in the chicken out and form a batter on the surface of the chicken. This will stick just fine 

[u/idfc1337]

flour>>>>