Instructions

• Trim any fat from 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut each breast into strips about 1 inch wide (chicken tenders). Place the strips in a large zip-top bag with 1 cup dill pickle juice, seal, and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.
• Remove the bag from the refrigerator, discard the pickle juice, and transfer the chicken strips to a medium bowl. Add 1 cup buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce to the bowl, stir to coat the chicken evenly, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• While the chicken marinates, combine the breading: in a shallow bowl or pie plate stir together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix until uniform.
• When the buttermilk step is done, remove the chicken from the bowl allowing excess buttermilk to drip off (you can gently shake or pat lightly with paper towels). Do not rinse.
• Working one piece at a time, dredge each chicken strip in the flour mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres. Shake off excess and place the coated strips on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper in a single layer.
• Let the coated chicken rest on the baking sheet for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature. This helps the coating set.
• Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F on a deep-fry or candy thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of the flour mixture into the oil — it should sizzle steadily and rise to the surface.
• Fry the chicken in batches of about 4 to 5 tenders, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Use tongs to gently add the strips to the hot oil.
• Fry the tenders about 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Total frying time per batch should be about 6 to 8 minutes; check one piece for doneness (internal temperature should reach 165°F or cut into the thickest piece to ensure juices run clear).
• Transfer cooked tenders to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken, letting the oil return to 350°F between batches.
• Let tenders rest a few minutes before serving. Discard any leftover marinade and dispose of used oil safely when cool.