Chicken Tenders with Apple Cider Dipping Sauce Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Fry

by: Ashley Rodriguez

October1,2015

4.5

2 Ratings

  • Serves 6 to 8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Three seemingly simple additions—a fragrant blend of dried herbs and spices in the dry brine; a boost of powerful umami flavor in the dredging; and a dipping sauce that is seasonal by way of apple cider—take a classic recipe and turn it into something that extends beyond the realm of kid food and into something the whole family will be requesting. —Ashley Rodriguez

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • For the apple cider sweet and sour sauce:
  • 1 cupapple cider
  • 1/3 cupapple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cupbrown sugar
  • 2 tablespoonstomato paste
  • 1 tablespoonsoy sauce
  • 1 tablespooncornstarch
  • For the chicken tenders:
  • 2 poundsboneless chicken tenders
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonskosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoondried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoondried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoonsmoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoongarlic powder
  • 1 pinchcayenne
  • 1/2 cupflour
  • 1/2 teaspoonsalt
  • 1 cupbuttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 10 dashesWorcestershire sauce
  • 1 cuppanko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cupfinely grated Parmesan
  • Flaky salt
  • Oil, for frying
Directions
  1. For the apple cider sweet and sour sauce:
  2. In a small saucepan combine the apple cider, cider vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced.
  3. Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce. Whisk until smooth. Add this slurry to the sauce and whisk to combine. Bring the sauce back to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until slightly thickened.
  4. Strain the sauce through a sieve and let cool slightly.
  5. This sauce can be made up to three days in advance. Gently rewarm before serving.
  1. For the chicken tenders:
  2. Combine the chicken, salt, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Toss well to be sure all the spices are evenly distributed. Cover, refrigerate, and let marinate for at least 1 hour or ideally overnight.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and Worcestershire. Finally in another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
  4. Dredge a chicken tender in the flour, then dip it into the buttermilk mixture. Then add it to the bowl with the breadcrumbs, pressing them into the chicken to get a good even coat. Transfer each chicken piece to a plate until they are all properly coated.
  5. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large pot. Be sure to leave plenty of room for the oil to bubble up. When the oil reaches 350° F, carefully add 3 to 4 chicken tenders. Fry until the exterior is deep in color and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
  6. Transfer the chicken to another platter and sprinkle with flaky salt while they are still hot. Serve the chicken with the Apple Cider Sweet and Sour Sauce.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Melissa Case

  • Aura

  • Cindy Bailey

  • LULULAND

Recipe by: Ashley Rodriguez

Author of Date Night In (2015) and creator of the blog, Not Without Salt.

Popular on Food52

12 Reviews

LULULAND August 24, 2021

The flavor of the chicken was good. Made this tonight. But the sauce had way too much vinegar in it, and not sweet enough. I had to doctor it up. I would make this again, but remember that I added more brown sugar, alot less vinegar, and more tomato product. The addition of 1 cup of vinegar and then another 1/3 should not have been there, a mistake I am guessing.

Pizza S. March 15, 2022

The cup you mentioned is for apple cider, the drink. Not cider vinegar. The ⅓ cup is the vinegar. So I agree 1 + ⅓ cup of vinegar would be too much. Next time use some cider.

Dave February 25, 2016

what do you do with the leftover oil? What's the best way to discard it?

Rebekah January 16, 2016

These were so good! Didn't do the sauce, but will next time. Thanks!

Melissa C. January 10, 2016

Hey Ashley ... I'm actually making these right now. The ingredients for the sauce call for soy sauce, but you reference hot sauce in the instructions. Which is it? :) I ask this, already having used soy, but I imagine either would be delicious.

Melissa C. January 10, 2016

Just a note to say that these are AMAZING. SO good. Definitely worth the effort. Thank you!

Aura October 4, 2015

I wonder how these would turn out if you baked them. I'm new to the world of chicken fingers.

Cindy B. January 10, 2016

I'm curious about baking them too. Has anyone tried?

Aura January 10, 2016

I tried. They were pretty blah that way. Also, as another commenter mentioned, they are indeed plenty of work when you have kids. I like to just through some chicken pieces in the crockpot, whip up some barbecue sauce, drench the chicken, and let it cook a few hours. Not elegant, but brainless and delicious.

dickensthedog October 11, 2020

That makes me think of putting this sauce and the tenders together in the crock pot. How long and at what setting do usually use for tenders in the crockpot?

Tom October 4, 2015

Sounds great. Seems rather time consuming, not exactly something that people have when dealing with kids

hmgbrd7 October 2, 2015

Great recipe Ashley! Do you think these would freeze& reheat well? Thanks!

Chicken Tenders with Apple Cider Dipping Sauce Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why add apple cider vinegar to sauce? ›

ACV is less sharp, with a fruity complexity and a richer depth of flavor that add more dimension to a sauce. All you need to do is smell them side by side and you'll quickly grasp the differences. When it comes to barbecue sauce, ACV brings the tanginess with an added touch of sweetness.

What does vinegar do for chicken? ›

ACV is effective against bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella, meaning that ACV in chicken drinking water can protect against the spread of pathogens and may also help to prevent infection in the gut by improving immune responses. ACV in drinking water can prevent coccidiosis.

What happens if you add too much apple cider vinegar? ›

Apple cider vinegar may have some health benefits, but consuming too much vinegar can cause unwanted effects, such as tooth decay and indigestion. Apple cider vinegar is a common ingredient in food dressings, flavorings, and preservatives.

What does apple cider vinegar do in cooking? ›

If you make a sauce, soup, or gravy that is particularly salty, you can add a little apple cider vinegar to help balance out the dish. Just a splash of apple cider vinegar while the sauce simmers will cut the saltiness and add a hint of sweetness. You can even use it to cut the saltiness of cheese sauces.

Which vinegar is best for chicken? ›

When it comes to natural hen health remedies, apple cider vinegar is one of the best tonics you can give your chickens. The adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” isn't just relevant to humans you know!

How long to leave vinegar on chicken? ›

How Long Do You Need to Marinate the Chicken? For the chicken I like to keep things really simple and do a blend of apple cider vinegar, Italian seasoning, olive oil, salt and pepper. I let the chicken marinate for at least an hour or even up to 12 hours, but if you're in a rush 30 minutes will do the trick.

How much apple cider vinegar do you put in chicken water? ›

To use it for healthy chickens, chicken owners can simply add about one tablespoon per gallon in a coop's waterer. Adding ACV is an easy addition to a flock's diet for good health and boosted immune systems. By adding ACV just once a week, chicken owners can support healthy chickens without breaking the bank.

What does vinegar do to sauces? ›

The acidity or sourness of vinegar brightens the flavor of food and adds balance to a rich dish. It is found in popular kitchen staples like salad dressings, marinades, sauces, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Vinegar can change the texture of foods.

Is vinegar necessary for sauce? ›

It is possible to have sauces that don't use vinegar, but still have the correct target pH. These sauces aren't as common, but we are seeing more become available. In lieu of vinegar, these sauces are using acids such as citric acid from limes and lemons, and acetic acid.

What does apple cider vinegar do to hot sauce? ›

What is the best vinegar for hot sauce? Vinegar adds a tangy flavor, and it also adds acidity to the hot sauce—making it have a much longer shelf life. You can use either white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar here. I prefer the slight fruity flavor of apple cider!

Should I add vinegar to pasta sauce? ›

Period. Vinegar can add a depth of flavor and a bit of acidity to a spaghetti sauce. It can help to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes and other ingredients, as well as give the sauce a more complex flavor.

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