Crispy Turmeric Chicken Tenders (Printable)

Golden chicken tenders with turmeric, cumin, and paprika. Crispy perfection in 35 minutes for any occasion.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders or chicken breast, cut into strips

→ Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons plain yogurt or dairy-free alternative
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 0.75 teaspoon salt

→ Breading

10 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
11 - 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 1 teaspoon turmeric
13 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
14 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cooking

15 - Olive oil spray or 3 tablespoons neutral oil for baking or shallow frying

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, turmeric, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
02 - Add chicken strips to marinade and toss to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor development.
03 - Preheat oven to 425°F or heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat if frying.
04 - In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, flour, turmeric, salt, and pepper.
05 - Dredge each marinated chicken strip in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres properly.
06 - Place coated chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spray lightly with oil. Bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
07 - Alternatively, fry chicken strips in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
08 - Transfer to serving platter and serve hot with your preferred dipping sauce.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The turmeric gives them a gorgeous golden color that makes even picky eaters curious enough to try one.
  • They stay crispy whether you bake or fry, so you can choose based on your mood and how much oil you want to use.
  • The spice blend is warm and interesting without being spicy, so kids and adults both reach for seconds.
02 -
  • Do not skip the wire rack when baking, or the bottoms will steam and turn soggy instead of staying crispy all around.
  • Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken with your fingers, otherwise they'll fall off in patches and leave you with bald spots on your tenders.
  • If you want an even thicker crust, dip the marinated chicken in beaten egg before the breadcrumb step, it creates a restaurant-quality double coat.
03 -
  • Let the marinated chicken sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before breading so it cooks more evenly and the crust adheres better.
  • Use one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry when breading to avoid clumpy fingers and wasted breadcrumbs.
  • If baking, flip the tenders gently with tongs instead of a spatula to keep the crust intact and perfectly crispy on both sides.
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