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Raising Canes Tenders

Raising Cane's Chicken Tenders

This is a copycat of Raising Cane's chicken tenders and their signature sauce. The secret to that shatter-proof, craggy crust isn't just a single dredge; it's a specific buttermilk marinade, a coating loaded with both cornstarch and potato starch for lightness, and a double-dredge process with a crucial resting period in between.
Prep Time30 minutes
Active Time45 minutes
Marination Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
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Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade

  • 2 pounds chicken tenders
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1.5 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 2.5 cups buttermilk

For the Coating

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup potato starch
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons celery salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons table salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder

For the Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Peanut oil for frying

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken tenders dry with the paper towels.
  • In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, pepper, and flour until lightly coated.
  • Add the egg and buttermilk to the bowl, stir to submerge all tenders. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  • Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
  • In a large shallow dish, whisk together all the coating ingredients for 1 minute until uniform.
  • Remove a tender from the marinade, letting excess drip off.
  • Dredge thoroughly in the coating mixture, pressing firmly for complete coverage.
  • Quickly dip back in the buttermilk marinade, then immediately dredge again in the flour mixture, pressing to create a thick crust.
  • Place on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining tenders.
  • Let the coated tenders rest for 15 minutes until coating becomes paste-like.
  • Heat 3 inches of peanut oil to 360°F in a large heavy pot.
  • Fry in batches of 4-5 tenders for 7-9 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to drain and immediately sprinkle with salt.
  • Let rest 2-3 minutes before serving with the chilled sauce.

Notes

Do not drain on paper towels as this will make the coating soggy.
Do not overcrowd the pot while frying as this will lower oil temperature.