Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves perfected his sauce recipe in 1996 using 13 precise ingredients—the exact ratios remain classified.
Crispy Chicken Tenders with Cane Sauce
Get ready to indulge in these mouthwatering crispy chicken tenders, perfectly marinated in rich buttermilk for that extra tenderness! Paired with a zesty homemade cane sauce that packs a flavorful punch, this dish is sure to elevate your weeknight dinner game. Dive in and savor every crispy bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- lemon pepperoptional
- a little bit of extra pepperoptional
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- chicken tenders
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- two cups of buttermilk (454 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- two cups of all-purpose flour (250 g)
- three tablespoons of cornstarch (45 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- a tablespoon of black pepper (15 ml)
- one teaspoon of black pepper (5 ml)
- two tablespoons of garlic powder (30 ml)
- one teaspoon of garlic powder (5 ml)
- garlic powderoptional
- some salt
- saltoptional
- a tablespoon of smoked paprika (15 ml)
- one teaspoon of smoked paprika (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- a fourth cup of ketchup (60 ml)
- one half cup of mayonnaise (120 ml)
- a half teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (2.5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
First, marinate the chicken tenders in buttermilk, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, and salt for about two hours in the fridge.
- 2
For the dry mix, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- 3
Dip the marinated chicken into the dry batter.
- 4
Fry the chicken in oil until golden brown.
- 5
For the cane sauce, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, lemon pepper, salt, and extra pepper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your frying oil to exactly 325-350°F because this temperature range creates the Maillard reaction for browning while preventing moisture from escaping too quickly, which would make the coating soggy.technique325-350°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of flour to cornstarch in your breading because cornstarch contains no gluten and creates a lighter, crispier crust by absorbing less oil during frying.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Marinate chicken tenders for exactly 2-4 hours because buttermilk's lactic acid breaks down proteins for tenderness, but beyond 4 hours the meat becomes mushy from over-tenderizing.timing2-4 hours
- ✓Double-dredge your tenders by dipping back into buttermilk then flour mixture again because this creates a thicker coating that stays crispier longer and reduces oil penetration by 30%.technique30% oil reduction
- ✓Fry tenders for 3-4 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F because chicken breast meat overcooks rapidly above this temperature, becoming dry and stringy.timing165°F internal temp
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