Fried Sourdough Chicken is a unique way to use up excess sourdough discard. Plus they are tender, juicy, and crispy.
They are full of flavor and are the perfect combination of tender juicy chicken and crispy fried batter that has just a bit of sourdough tang.
If you prefer baked chicken strips try my Baked Sourdough Chicken Strips.
Dipping the chicken in sourdough discard works much the same way as dipping it in buttermilk. The bacteria in sourdough discard and buttermilk help to tenderize the chicken.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This Fried Sourdough Chicken are a great way to use up extra sourdough discard.
- These crispy chicken strips taste amazing. Your whole family is sure to ask for seconds.
- They are quick to make. Most of the time listed in the recipe is for the chicken to brine in the refrigerator.
Need some more sourdough discard recipe? Try one of these recipes: Sourdough Discard Crackers, Sourdough Tortillas, Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies, Sourdough Pita Bread, Sourdough Cheese Scones, and Sourdough Oatmeal Pancakes.
Want to reduce your sourdough discard? I recommend trying this Scrapings Method for Sourdough Starter.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this juicy Fried Sourdough Chicken.
Skinless Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenderloins: If using chicken breasts you will need to first cut them into 1-inch thick strips.
Tip: For tender juicy chicken, it is important to cut chicken strips across the grain. This makes the chicken fibers shorter so that the chicken tears easier and seems more tender.
Tip: Freeze the chicken breasts for 15-20 minutes to make slicing easier.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Sourdough Discard: The sourdough discard coats the chicken strips helping the breadcrumbs to stick.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness and aids in browning.
Dried Herbs and Spices: Chili powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, celery salt, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, ground mustard, ground ginger, ground black pepper add extra flavor to these chicken strips.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
- How to Create Your Own Micro Sourdough Starter
- Scrapings Method for Sourdough Starter
- How to Dehydrate Sourdough Starter
- Storing Sourdough Starter in the Refrigerator
- Storing Sourdough Starter on the Counter
- Best Containers for Storing Sourdough Starter and Discard
- How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last?
- What is the Difference Between Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Discard?
- Best Gifts for Sourdough Bakers
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle the chicken evenly on both sides with about 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt.
Place the chicken on a wire rack placed inside of a large baking sheet and refrigerate the chicken uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before baking. This will allow the chicken to come to room temperature. The room-temperature chicken will cook more evenly.
Step 2: Pour the sourdough discard into a shallow dish. I like to use pie plates.
Step 3: In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, celery salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground mustard, ground ginger, and black pepper.
Step 4: Use your left hand to dip the chicken into the sourdough discard and then place it in the dish with the seasoned flour. Use your right hand to coat the chicken with flour and place it on a sheet pan while you bread the remaining chicken tenders.
Step 5: Allow the chicken to rest for fifteen minutes so that the flour absorbs the liquid and better adheres to the chicken.
Step 6: Pour the oil into a frying pan until it is about one inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer and reaches 350°F (177°C).
Step 7: Working in small batches, place the coated chicken strips in the hot oil without crowding them too closely together, you don't want the temperature of the oil to drop too low. I usually split my chicken into three batches. Cook until golden brown on both sides, flipping halfway through the cooking time. Approximately 2-4 minutes per side.
Serving Suggestions
I like cutting the chicken strips into bite-sized pieces and serving them on top of this Kale Apple Salad. They can also be served plain or with your favorite dipping sauce.
Sauce Ideas:
- Honey Mustard
- Apricot BBQ Sauce
- Buffalo Wing Sauce
- Marinara Sauce or Pizza Sauce
- Ketchup
- Aioli
- Ranch
- Spinach Pesto
- Chimichurri
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
Need some side dish suggestions? Try this Cacio e Pepe Hash Brown Casserole, these Crispy Twice-Baked Potato Cups, Baked Provel Macaroni and Cheese, Asiago Creamed Spinach, or this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Place the chicken tenders in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 15-20 minutes.
To Freeze: Cool the cooked chicken tenders to room temperature and then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer to a zip-top bag, label with the date and contents, and store for up to three months.
To reheat frozen chicken strips: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and bake on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Read this post How to Cook Frozen Chicken Tenders for more information.
Recipe FAQs
When selecting an oil for frying you want to choose an oil with a high smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and smoke.
Some of the best oils for frying are: Peanut Oil, Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil, Safflower Oil, Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Cottonseed Oil, and Sunflower Oil.
I typically use canola oil or vegetable oil because of their affordability and neutral flavor.
On average the chicken should fry on each side for 2-4 minutes. The chicken will be golden brown and crispy.
The most accurate way to ensure the chicken is fully cooked is to check it with an instant-read probe thermometer. This thermometer from Thermoworks is my favorite. Fully cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
After frying the chicken place it on an inverted cooling rack in a paper towel-lined baking sheet. The paper towels will help wick away excess oil while the inverted cooling rack keeps the chicken tenders elevated just enough to prevent them from becoming soggy.
Place the baking sheet in a 170°F (77°C) oven while you fry the remaining chicken. Do not cover the chicken. It will trap the steam which will make the chicken soggy.
Oil used for frying can generally be used 3-4 additional times before being discarded. Some of the flavor from what you fry will transfer to the oil. This is generally a good thing except for when you fry fish. Anything you fry after frying fish will taste a bit fishy.
Once the oil has cooled filter it using a fine-mesh strainer lined with coffee filters. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a month.
Straining used oil can take a few hours depending upon how quickly it flows through the strainer.
Expert Tips
- Dry the chicken with a paper towel before dipping it in the batter, to really help it adhere.
- If you like spicy chicken, try adding hot sauce to the sourdough batter.
- Don't overcrowd your pan when frying.
- Cover the pan with a splash guard to minimize the amount of oil splatter.
More Sourdough Recipes
Thanks for Reading!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below! You can also snap a picture and post it on Facebook or Instagram be sure to tag me @RaspberriesandKohlrabi.
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Fried Chicken
Equipment
- sheet pan
- 2 shallow dishes
- frying pan or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup sourdough discard
Breading
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooking
- Oil for frying - use a neutral oil like avocado canola, peanut, or safflower
Instructions
Dry Brine
- Pat the 2 pounds chicken tenderloins dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the chicken evenly on both sides with about 1½ teaspoons kosher salt.
- Place the chicken on a cooling rack placed inside a sheet pan and refrigerate the chicken uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before frying.
Batter
- Pour the 1 cup sourdough discard into a shallow dish. I like to use a pie plate.
- In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon celery salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Dip the chicken into the sourdough discard and then coated it with the seasoned flour. This method can be a bit messy. The best way to minimize the amount of coating that sticks to your fingers is to use one hand for the dry mixture and one hand for the wet mixture. Use your left hand to coat the chicken with the sourdough mixture and place it in the seasoned flour mixture. Use your right hand to coat the chicken in the seasoned flour mixture.
- Place the chicken on a foil-lined pan while you follow the same process to coat the remaining chicken.
- Allow the chicken to rest for fifteen minutes so that the flour absorbs the liquid and better adheres to the chicken.
Frying
- Pour the oil into a frying pan until it is about one inch deep.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer and reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Working in small batches, place the coated chicken strips in the hot oil without crowding them too closely together, you don't want the temperature of the oil to drop too low. I usually split my chicken into three batches. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Approximately 2-4 minutes per side.
Monique says
Hi,
I'm keen to try this but don't have time for the dry brining...will it still work if I don't do that step?
Erica Schramek says
You can skip the dry brining. The chicken may not be as moist. Before dipping the chicken in the sourdough I would pat it dry really well. The time in the refrigerator would normally also dry the outside of the chicken.
Cindy B. says
I prepared this recipe for my family and they all LOVED it even the grandchildren. They cleaned their plates! So, so delicious! This is a keeper and I will definitely make it again. Chicken was juicy and the coating was extra crispy.
Erica Schramek says
Yay! I am so happy your family and grandchildren loved them!
Jessica says
Do you really need to use the breading or can you just put all the spices in the discard batter and dip the chicken in that before frying?
Erica Schramek says
The additional breading on the outside of the chicken strips helps to create a crispy exterior.
Belen says
Hello! I want to try this recipe on my air fryer. Do you think it will work?
Erica says
I have never used an air fryer so I don't know. If you try it I think this sourdough chicken strip recipe that is meant to be baked rather than pan-fried may work better in an air fryer. https://www.raspberriesandkohlrabi.com/baked-sourdough-chicken-tenders/
Kate says
I made this and the breading worked great but while the recipe says 1.5 teaspoons of salt to dry brine, the dry brining section says 1.5 tablespoons. So I way over-salted my chicken because I was reading from that part. Oh well.
Erica says
I am sorry about the mix-up. I have corrected the instructions so that no one else ends up with salty chicken.
peg says
Well I tried to leave a reveiw but couldn't get it to post. I made this sourdough discard chicken last night and we loved it. I will make it again with a few alterations but its was terrific just the way it was. Thank you for sharing
Erica @ Raspberries and Kohlrabi says
Yay! I am so happy you liked it.