Description
Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenderloins delight taste buds with crispy, golden perfection straight from the air fryer. Southern comfort meets modern cooking, delivering restaurant-quality goodness you can easily recreate at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 lb (454 grams) chicken tenderloins
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) buttermilk
Dry Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Cooking Preparation:
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Submerge chicken tenderloins in buttermilk, allowing them to soak and tenderize for minimum 30 minutes in refrigerator.
- Create a seasoned coating by combining flour with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow dish.
- Lift each tenderloin from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then thoroughly dredge in seasoned flour mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Prepare air fryer by heating to 400F (200C) for precise cooking temperature.
- Coat air fryer basket with light cooking spray to prevent sticking and potential burning.
- Arrange tenderloins in a single layer inside basket, avoiding overcrowding to ensure crispy exterior.
- Air fry for 9-11 minutes, carefully turning pieces midway through cooking process to guarantee uniform golden-brown coloration and thorough internal doneness.
- Verify chicken reaches internal temperature of 165F using meat thermometer for food safety.
- Remove tenderloins from air fryer, letting them rest for 2-3 minutes to retain moisture and allow juices to redistribute.
- Plate immediately and serve while crispy and warm.
Notes
- Buttermilk works magic for tenderizing chicken, creating incredibly juicy and flavorful meat that melts in your mouth.
- Maximize crispiness by patting chicken completely dry before dredging to ensure the flour coating sticks perfectly and creates a crunchy exterior.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour or almond flour for a low-carb alternative that still delivers a satisfying crunch for those with dietary restrictions.
- Space chicken pieces slightly apart in the air fryer basket to promote even browning and prevent steaming, guaranteeing that signature golden-brown crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 311 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 1057 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg