# Chicken Tenders Recipe



## tepper91

i've been trying to find a recipe for Houston's Restaurant chicken tenders for 30 years. There's nothing like them, light colored and tender crust. Does anyone who understands food chemistry know how to make these?


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## flipflopgirl

Firstly, welcome to Chef Talk!

Secondly I googled and was surprised to see only one left in Houston, Texas but they have a nice chain of places in other states.

Personally have never eaten there (sooo many places to choose from in that area) so had to search for a description (sadly lacking) and found one with a pix attached http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/houstons-restaurant-irvine-3?select=d_w37Q3-X8NvhFz-iYkUmw

Not on the regular menu (an odd thing for a special off the menu offering IMO) I suppose the BOH is using the salad tenders and breading before tossing into the fry basket with the FF's?

The crust is described as a tempura and panko breading.... what sort of flavor profile are you getting?

Salty, spicy, sweet?

One last thing....have you thought to ask?

Being a chain they are prolly using a seasoned batter packet (from another dish as these are off menu) and rehydrating...could be the tenders are coming in preseasoned as well altho for sure there will be a list of ingredients on the boxes.

If your waitstaff plays coy on this topic, get to know the bartender.

I did all sorts of special favors for my regular customers including cooking tips.

mimi


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## virgil

I think I'm starting to root for flipflopgirl! 

I was going to suggest the bartender, too!   lol!  ^5


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## flipflopgirl

Thanks @Virgil

I stared at my use of the phrase "special favors" for a good 10 min before I hit send.

Left myself open for some rude comments but whatcha gonna do.....

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/cool.gif

mimi


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## virgil

flipflopgirl said:


> Thanks @Virgil
> 
> I stared at my use of the phrase "special favors" for a good 10 min before I hit send.
> 
> Left myself open for some rude comments but whatcha gonna do.....
> 
> /img/vbsmilies/smilies/cool.gif
> 
> mimi


LMAO! I didn't put that together. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

Yep....I'm definitely rooting for you now! lol.

-V


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## tepper91

Thanks for the response! It's funny about getting to know the bartender. We actually eat at the bar every time and still no luck. I heard the chefs swear to secrecy. The only time they give a recipe is if they quit serving it. Here in KC they put the dish back on the menu. They try to keep the menu somewhat simple. The tenders aren't real seasoned but are very tender. The main attraction is the unique batter. Pretty sure there's no Panko and Tempura has more of a golden, crispness to it. I wonder how it's deep fried and remains such a light color.


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## Iceman

_Well ..._



flipflopgirl said:


> I stared at my use of the phrase "special favors" for a good 10 min before I hit send.
> Left myself open for some rude comments but whatcha gonna do.....


_... OK then._​
>


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## flipflopgirl

IceMan said:


> _Well ..._
> 
> 
> flipflopgirl said:
> 
> 
> 
> I stared at my use of the phrase "special favors" for a good 10 min before I hit send.
> Left myself open for some rude comments but whatcha gonna do.....
> 
> 
> 
> _... OK then._
> 
> << Insert comments Here. >>
Click to expand...

Remember back in the day when the attnys and judges would check out for lunch and never return to their offices?

Then along about 7 pm their assistants and secretaries would show up dressed for dinner and a club?

I tended bar at a "professional men's club" (no not that kind lol) from 11 am till they all left... was the only time in my life I only worked one job (maybe a few events but other than that...nada) and could go home and do the mom thing.

I did a LOT of favors for those guys....private parties at classy homes and fancy hotels.

Choosing gifts and having flowers delivered ... booking long weekends at out of the way B&Bs....

How does the song go...."those were the days my friend we thought they'd never end" damn now I am melancholy...

mimi

Funny thing..... a couple of the lawyers formed a petro chem support business.

My DH "the fisherman" works for them and thinks it odd that his wife is the only dependent who gets free health insurance ;-)

Those guys are still buying my silence.....

m.


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## dallasfoodie

Houstons Restaurant is the original name of a national restaurant chain that is owned by Hillstone Restaurants that is privately owned by one man. The restaurants don't go away,. On rare occasions change their name. They serve the finest food in America consistently. Always flawless. Excellent employees. 
The Flying Chicken Fingers are like everything else, the best. 
The batter is best described as a thin Tempura batter that is perfectly crunchy. I too want the recipe solely for home use. They guard their recipes well. Though a business executive, I have thought of getting a job there but I would have to start out washing dishes. If ANYONE knows the secret please let me know too.


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## maryb

Corn starch batter maybe... it would be very light colored. Tenderness tells me they are getting in bagged frozen tenders that are brined already. Thaw, dip, fry... season to taste in the batter and make sure to season the meat too with S&P.


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## tepper91

Thanks Mary. I was thinking the same gong to have the chicken cooked first. I haven't experimented yet but will try the corn starch with perhaps vodka as the liquid ingredient, etc.


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## der_kluge

I, too, was just thinking about this, and ended up here. Houstons has, maybe half a dozen locations. I lived in KC, and then moved to Phoenix - and Phoenix has two locations (or at least one). I've also eaten at the Dallas location.

The batter is almost like - crazy as it sounds, funnel cake. And it's definitely deep-fried. You wouldn't get the "crisps" (as they call them at Long John Silvers) that often accompany the strips. In fact, it's a similar batter to what Long John Silver's uses - as crazy as that sounds. But I suspect it's very runny. It could even be a perfectly normal batter, but with a lot more water or buttermilk.


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