Brined & Fried Chicken Tenders | Guy Fieri

For the brine, in a large pot, combine the lemon, cold water, salt, sugar, bay leaf, garlic and black pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes while stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. 

Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the brine, reserving the liquid and discard the lemon, bay leaf and garlic. Stir in the ice water to dissolve. 

Once brine cools, stir in the buttermilk and pickle juice. Add the chicken tenders and brine for no more than 2 hours. 

For the Fry Seasoning, in a mixing bowl, whisk ingredients until evenly combined. 

For the breading, whisk together in a shallow plate the panko, ½ cup flour, the cornstarch, spices, and 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. 

Prepare the rest of the breading station by placing the remaining 2 cups flour in a separate shallow plate and the eggs in another shallow plate. 

Remove the chicken from the brine, pat dry, then season with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the panko mixture and place on a baking sheet. 

If deep-frying the chicken, fill a large pot with enough oil to reach a depth of about 1 inch and heat over medium-high until a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when dropped in. If air-frying, set the temperature to 400˚F and lightly coat the chicken tenders with cooking spray. 

Deep- or air-fry the chicken tenders until golden brown, about 6 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165˚F for deep-frying, or 10 to 12 minutes for air-frying. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with 2 teaspoons Fry Seasoning.