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two halves of a piece of potato flake chicken on a silver fork
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5 from 1 vote

Crispy Potato Flake Chicken

Crispy potato flake chicken tenders are the ultimate in shortcuts! Also affectionately called mashed po'tenders, this kid favorite features crunchy chicken tenders coated in mashed potato flakes and fried to perfection.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, Southern
Servings: 4
Calories: 181kcal
Author: Meaghan - The Quicker Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 6-8 frozen chicken breast tenderloins thawed
  • 1 4 oz pkg mashed potato flakes
  • 5 eggs + 1/4 cup water
  • canola oil for frying
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add oil to a heavy bottomed skillet, roughly 1/2 inch high, and heat to 350°.
    canola oil
  • While the oil's heating, add the potato flakes to a paper plate. Set aside. Crack the eggs in a shallow bowl, add the water, and whisk together until smooth. Set aside.
    1 4 oz pkg mashed potato flakes, 5 eggs
  • Pat the chicken dry on both sides using paper towels. Then, working with one piece at a time, add the chicken to the egg wash- turning to evenly coat.
    6-8 frozen chicken breast tenderloins
  • Let excess egg wash drip off the chicken, then transfer it to the potato flakes, turning to evenly coat and pressing in gently to ensure it sticks- if necessary.
  • Repeat for a second coating of both egg wash and potato flakes, the transfer the prepared chicken to a waiting plate and continue, one piece at a time, until all the chicken's been double coated.
  • Using tongs carefully transfer the chicken to the hot oil, working in batches of 3-4 to avoid overcrowding, and fry for 4-5 minutes- flipping as needed.
  • Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess grease and cool, repeating until all the chicken's been fried.
  • Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

  • I highly recommend using peanut oil to fry these if there is no peanut allergy in your house. It yeilds the tastiest results.
  • While you don't absolutely have to double coat these to get crispy chicken, a double coat will create the absolute crispiest, crunchiest results.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan while frying or the chicken won't cook evenly.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 206mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg