#Recipe #asmr #cooking Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders 🌶️🍗 Prep & Cook Time * Prep Time: 20 mins * Resting Time: 15 mins * Cook Time: 8 mins (Double-Fry) * Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1. Chicken & Marinade * 1.5 lbs chicken tenderloins * 1 cup buttermilk * 1 egg (creates the egg-protein glue layer) * 1 tsp salt & ½ tsp black pepper * 2 tsp Paprika * 2 tsp Garlic Powder 2. Extra-Crunch Dredge * 1.5 cups all-purpose flour * ¾ cup cornstarch or potato starch * 1 tsp baking powder * 1 tbsp garlic powder * 1 tbsp onion powder * 1 tbsp smoked paprika 3. Frying Oil * 4–6 cups Peanut Oil (or Beef Tallow) 4. Spicy Red Glaze Extract * ½ cup hot peanut oil (scooped straight from your frying pot) * 2 tbsp Cayenne pepper (for heat & red color) * 2 tbsp Sweet Smoked Paprika (for bright, vibrant crimson dye) * 2 tbsp Brown sugar (adds stickiness and sheen) * 1 tsp Garlic powder * 1 tsp Lemon Juice Step 1: Prep & Wet Marinade 1. Pat chicken tenders completely dry with paper towels. 2. In a bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, salt, and pepper together. 3. Submerge tenders in the buttermilk mixture while preparing the flour. Step 2: Build the Flaked Dredge 1. In a wide dish, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika together. 2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the liquid buttermilk mixture into your flour bowl. Work it with your fingers to form tiny, shaggy flour clusters (crags). Step 3: Dredge 1. Lift a tender from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off. 2. Press firmly into the flaked flour mixture to coat every crag. 3. Rest: Place breaded tenders on a wire rack and let them rest for 15 minutes at room temperature. Step 4: Double-Fry 1. First Fry (Cook & Dehydrate): Heat peanut oil in a pot to 325°F (160°C). Fry tenders in batches for 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and rest for 5 minutes. 2. Second Fry: Crank oil heat to 375°F (190°C). Flash-fry tenders for 60–90 seconds until deeply crisp. Drain back on the wire rack. Step 5: Mix the Bright Red Clear Oil Glaze 1. In a heatproof bowl, combine cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and citric acid. 2. Carefully ladle ½ cup of the 375F hot peanut oil from your fry pot directly over the spices. 3. Whisk immediately for 30 seconds. The hot oil activates the spices, dissolving the sugar into a translucent, glowing ruby-red oil glaze with zero cloudy solids. Step 6: Finish & Serve 1. While tenders are piping hot on the wire rack, use a silicone pastry brush to lightly stroke the bright red oil across the crust, or drizzle it over top. 2. Serve immediately open-air (never cover!). - @thezachchoi