Fried Chicken Salad is the best of both worlds! Fresh, crisp greens with your favorite salad fixins, topped with crunchy and tender bites of fried chicken breast!
You can have a restaurant-quality fried chicken salad entree in your own home for a very affordable price–no need to go to Applebee’s®–make your own and put a few bucks in your pocket! White meat chicken tenders cook quickly and this salad is ready is less than 15 minutes!
Can I Use Chicken Breasts for Fried Chicken Salad?
Whole chicken breasts work great in this salad! If the chicken breast is really thick, slice it in half lengthwise, then pound it down until it’s 1/4″ thick. The thinner white meat will cook as quickly as chicken tenderloins.
- Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat
- Dredge tenderloins in egg
- Dredge tenderloins in seasoned flour
- Place meat in skillet; cook for 5 minutes on one side; then flip
- Clean and cut lettuce and other salad ingredients
- Plate lettuce and salad ingredients, including salad dressing
- Remove chicken and drain on paper towel; slice into bite-sized pieces
- Place chicken bites on top of salad and serve
What Type of Oil Should I Use to Fry Chicken?
Use a high-heat oil:
- Corn or vegetable oil
- Canola oil
- Peanut oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Walnut oil
Do not use olive oil or butter; both have low-smoke points and cannot tolerate the high heat required for frying chicken
What Temperature Do I Cook the Chicken Tenders?
Restaurant frying oil is generally at 350ºF, but this is too hot for a home kitchen. Heat the oil to 312-325ºF; test to see if the oil is hot enough to place the egg and flour-coated chicken in the pan.
How Do I Know if the Oil is Hot Enough?
A meat thermometer is the best way to determine the heat of oil; however, if you do not have a reliable meat thermometer, sprinkle a little flour in the hot oil;if the flour sizzles, then the oil is hot enough to fry the chicken.If it doesn’t sizzle, wait a few minutes and try again. If it’s still not hot enough, turn the heat up on the stove a little.
Craving More? You might like:
Chicken Stew, Chicken Fried Steak or Sweet and Sour Shrimp!
Fried Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed skillet, i.e. cast iron
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken tenders
- ¾ cup frying oil canola, vegetable, corn
- 1 cup flour
- 2 whole eggs beaten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- salad greens of your choice
- salad fixins of your choice
- salad dressing of your choice
Instructions
- Beat two eggs and pour into a shallow bowl
- Put flour, salt and pepper in a big bowl or plastic bag
- Heat oil in heavy bottomed skillet on medium high
- Dredge chicken tenders in egg; coat thoroughly
- Dredge chicken tenders in flour
- Place floured chicken tenders in oil for 5 minutes; flip tenders; cook until internal temperature reaches 165ºF; remove from skillet and place on paper towel to drain; repeat if working in batches
- While chicken is cooking, prepare, plate and dress salad
- Slice chicken into bite sized pieces and place on top of prepared salad
Notes
Can I Use Chicken Breasts for Fried Chicken Salad?
Whole chicken breasts work great in this salad! If the chicken breast is really thick, slice it in half lengthwise, then pound it down until it's 1/4" thick. The thinner white meat will cook as quickly as chicken tenderloins.- Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat
- Dredge tenderloins in egg
- Dredge tenderloins in seasoned flour
- Place meat in skillet; cook for 5 minutes on one side; then flip
- Clean and cut lettuce and other salad ingredients
- Plate lettuce and salad ingredients, including salad dressing
- Remove chicken and drain on paper towel; slice into bite-sized pieces
- Place chicken bites on top of salad and serve
What Type of Oil Should I Fry Chicken In?
Use a high-heat oil:- Corn or vegetable oil
- Canola oil
- Peanut oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Walnut oil
What Temperature Do I Cook the Chicken Tenders?
Restaurant frying oil is generally at 350ºF, but this is too hot for a home kitchen. Heat the oil to 312-325ºF; test to see if the oil is hot enough to place the egg and flour-coated chicken in the pan.How Do I Know if the Oil is Hot Enough?
A meat thermometer is the best way to determine the heat of oil; however, if you do not have a reliable meat thermometer, sprinkle a little flour in the hot oil; if the flour sizzles, then the oil is hot enough to fry the chicken.If it doesn't sizzle, wait a few minutes and try again. If it's still not hot enough, turn the heat up on the stove a little.
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