Name: Zesty Spicy Thai Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken tenders (or cut chicken breasts into strips—whatever’s cheaper); 1 cup buttermilk (makes them super tender and juicy); 1/4 cup soy sauce (use the good stuff, not the packets from takeout); 3 tablespoons fish sauce (I know it smells funky, but trust the process); 2 tablespoons brown sugar (adds that sweet balance); 2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh is best, but bottled works in a pinch); 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (white vinegar works too); 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you’re like me and have no self-control with garlic); 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger); 2-3 Thai chilies or 1-2 jalapeños, minced (adjust based on your heat tolerance); 1 tablespoon sriracha or sambal oelek (for extra kick); 1 teaspoon sesame oil (a little goes a long way); 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup cornstarch (this is the secret to extra crispiness!); 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs (optional, but adds nice texture); 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat); Vegetable oil for frying (about 4-6 cups, depending on your pot); 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (the Thai kind from the Asian grocery store); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste); 1 clove garlic, minced super fine; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

Description

Okay, so remember when you first tried Thai food and your mouth was like, “WHOA, what just happened?” That’s exactly what these chicken tenders are going for. I got tired of the same old boring chicken tenders and thought, “What if I gave them a serious flavor makeover?” These bad boys are crispy, juicy, and packed with that perfect sweet-spicy-tangy combo that makes Thai food so addictive. Plus, they’re way easier to make than you’d think, and your kitchen will smell like a Thai restaurant (in the best way possible).

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

2 lbs chicken tenders (or cut chicken breasts into strips—whatever’s cheaper)
1 cup buttermilk (makes them super tender and juicy)

For the Thai Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce (use the good stuff, not the packets from takeout)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (I know it smells funky, but trust the process)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (adds that sweet balance)
2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh is best, but bottled works in a pinch)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (white vinegar works too)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you’re like me and have no self-control with garlic)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
2–3 Thai chilies or 1-2 jalapeños, minced (adjust based on your heat tolerance)
1 tablespoon sriracha or sambal oelek (for extra kick)
1 teaspoon sesame oil (a little goes a long way)

For the Coating:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch (this is the secret to extra crispiness!)
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs (optional, but adds nice texture)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)

For Frying:

Vegetable oil for frying (about 4-6 cups, depending on your pot)

For the Zesty Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (the Thai kind from the Asian grocery store)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced super fine
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Chopped fresh cilantro and green onions for garnish