Spicy Garlic Chicken Tender Salad

Fast and Fun Meals
by Fast and Fun Meals
2 servings
35 min

Crispy chicken served with sliced tomatoes, queso fresco crumbled cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and ranch dressing, what could be simpler and tastier than this chicken tender salad? This dish will be a perfect weeknight meal especially if you are looking for an easy chicken recipe.

There’s nothing better than a delicious meal without a lot of fuss. We love to cook at home, and crispy chicken is one of my favorite dinner entrees. Over time, however, we get tired of the same old chicken recipes. We recently started using cornstarch to make the crispiest chicken ever, and you’re going to love it too!

If you want to surprise your family with a deliciously airy chicken dish, don’t think twice about giving this spicy garlic chicken tender salad a try today! These chicken tenders are not only amazingly crispy but they also have a little kick of spiciness and garlicky flavor.

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Pin showing Spicy Garlic Chicken Tender Salad
How do you make chicken tenders crispy?


For an easy dinner idea, we wanted to make fried chicken tenders at home. We love stopping at restaurants and grabbing some to go, but it’s so much more fun to cook at home (plus, it saves money too).

When it comes to making fried chicken tenders, I always make sure that they’re not only delicious but crispy as well. Hence, I’m always using a secret ingredient to make all of my fried dishes crispier: cornstarch.

Adding this one ingredient to your batter will do the magic! With cornstarch, you can effortlessly make these flavorful and crispy chicken tenders in a flash!

Spicy Garlic Chicken Tender Salad Featured Image
What is Corn Starch?


Corn starch is a versatile ingredient that can be used for all kinds of dishes. It’s usually used as a thickening agent for sauces and soups, and in Asian dishes like stir fry.

Plus, corn starch is also naturally gluten-free and is often the binding agent in baked goods. However, aside from these uses, corn starch can also be added for fried recipes.

When you use cornstarch in your batter for fried chicken, it offers a crunchy and beautiful browned exterior while sealing in the juices of your chicken. In other words, you will be able to whip up a super crispy and delicious chicken that everyone will love!

Spicy Garlic Chicken Tender Salad Kitchen Supplies and Ingredients


Before you start preparing the ingredients, you might want to take note of the kitchen essentials you will be using to whip up this tasty chicken tender salad recipe. Make sure you have a durable mixing bowl, whisk, large pot, and gorgeous salad plates as well to make your meal more fun and appealing.

As for the ingredients of these delicious and crispy chicken tenders, you will need to get some all-purpose flour, corn starch, ground black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, baking powder, cayenne pepper, cold water, canola oil, and of course, chicken tenderloins.

For the salad, you can make it how you want. If you want to try this recipe, you can use spinach leaves, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, queso fresco cheese, and ranch dressing.

You can find the full amounts of these ingredients on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. So make sure to check that out.

How to make this Spicy Garlic Chicken Tender Salad


In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika and mix with a whisk. Slowly add in the water and continue whisking until smooth. Let the batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Make sure you get out all the lumps.

Heat oil in a large pot. Transfer chicken into the batter and carefully add to the heated up oil. Fry the chicken and make sure to keep watch over the heat.

You may have to adjust the burner as necessary. Since these are chicken tenders, cook time may be less than you’re used to for fried chicken pieces.

Wait at least five to seven minutes and check for doneness. When cooked, remove from the oil and let dry/drain on paper towels.

Looking for more chicken recipes?


Chicken is one of the easiest proteins to prepare that the whole family loves. If you love chicken but are stuck in a rut thinking of new recipe ideas, worry no more! Here are some of the best collections of chicken recipes you can check out!


  • 25 Stir Fry Chicken Recipes
  • 30 Recipes with Ground Chicken
  • 25 Best Chicken Recipes
  • 25 Recipes with Rotisserie Chicken
  • 30 Weight Watchers Chicken Slow Cooker Recipes
  • 25 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Recipes
  • 30 Recipes With Leftover Chicken


Pin this deliciously easy chicken recipe:

Spicy Garlic Chicken Tender Salad
Recipe details
  • 2  servings
  • Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 15 Minutes Total time: 35 min
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Corn Starch
  • 4 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Argo® Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 3/4 cup cold water
  • 10 cups canola oil
  • 1 package of chicken tenderloins
  • If making a salad, use 1 package of spinach leaves, hard-boiled eggs, 2 tomatoes, and a cup of queso fresca cheese crumbled.
Instructions

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika until combined with a whisk. Slowly add in the water and whisk until smooth. Let the batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Make sure you get out all the lumps.
Heat oil in a large pot. Transfer chicken into the batter and carefully add to the heated up oil. Fry the chicken and make sure to keep watch over the heat. You may have to adjust the burner as necessary. Since these are chicken tenders, cook time may be less than you're used to for fried chicken pieces. Wait at least five to seven minutes and check for doneness.
When cooked, let dry on paper towels.
If you want to create a salad, top spinach with cooked chicken tenders. Add your favorite toppings, but I suggest sliced tomatoes, queso fresca cheese crumbled, and a hard-boiled egg. Add your favorite dressing (ranch is great!), and enjoy.
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