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Fried Chicken with Sweet-Potato Wedges

A craggy coating, carefully controlled frying oil and a chilled smoky dip turn chicken tenders and sweet potatoes into a crisp, comforting dinner.

Golden chicken tenders and browned sweet-potato wedges sit beside a bowl of creamy barbecue mayonnaise.

Sweet-potato wedges roast while you build a ragged coating for the chicken tenders. The smoky barbecue mayonnaise can be mixed ahead, leaving the last stretch of cooking focused on frying small batches and checking the chicken's temperature.

Start with the wedges

The oven does the slowest work while you prepare the chicken. Cut the sweet potatoes evenly and give their flat sides room on the sheet pan; crowded wedges soften without developing much color.

Make ridges in the crust

A little buttermilk mixture rubbed into the seasoned flour creates small clumps that stick to the chicken. Press those clumps onto each tender and give the coating a short rest before frying, so it holds together in the oil.

Craggy flour-coated chicken tenders rest on a tray beside seasoned flour and buttermilk-egg coating. — Ragged flour clumps cling to breaded tenders before frying.

Watch the oil and the chicken

A thermometer makes the frying temperature visible instead of leaving it to guesswork. Let the oil return to 350 F between batches, and measure each piece at its thickest point for 165 F; a golden crust alone cannot confirm the chicken is cooked.

Keep the sauce beside the crust

Mayonnaise makes barbecue sauce creamy, while vinegar and smoked paprika sharpen its tang and aroma. Chill the dip ahead and serve it beside the chicken, letting each bite meet the sauce just before eating.

A split chicken tender shows cooked white meat and craggy golden crust beside barbecue mayonnaise and a sweet-potato wedge. — The craggy chicken crust stays crisp beside creamy barbecue mayonnaise.

Fried Chicken with Sweet-Potato Wedges

4 servings

55 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb chicken tenders
• 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 2 tsp smoked paprika, divided
• 1 tsp black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 4 cups canola oil, for frying

Method

Heat and cut
Heat the oven to 425 F. Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges; toss with olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika on a sheet pan. Spread in one layer with a cut face down.
Look for: Wedges have a light oil sheen and do not overlap.
Start roasting
Roast sweet-potato wedges for 35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes. Continue preparing the dip and chicken while they roast; the wedges should have browned edges and centers that yield easily to a fork.
Look for: Browned edges and fork-tender centers.
Mix the dip
Stir mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while cooking; for make-ahead, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Look for: Dip is creamy, evenly pink-brown and tangy.
Prepare the chicken
Pat chicken tenders dry and remove tough tendons. Toss with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk buttermilk and egg in a shallow bowl; keep raw chicken and its utensils away from the dip.
Look for: Chicken is dry before seasoning; egg is fully blended.
Build a craggy coating
Mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, remaining 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp black pepper in another bowl. Drizzle 2 tbsp of the buttermilk mixture into the flour and rub into small ragged clumps.
Look for: Loose pea-sized clumps form in the flour.
Bread the tenders
Dip each tender in the buttermilk mixture, let excess drip off, then press into the flour mixture, including the clumps. Set on a tray for 5 minutes while the oil heats; discard all leftover raw-chicken breading and wash hands.
Look for: Coating adheres in rough ridges rather than a smooth shell.
Heat frying oil
Pour canola oil to a depth of 1 inch in a heavy Dutch oven, using no more than one-third of its height. Heat over medium-high to 350 F with a frying thermometer. Keep a lid nearby; if oil smokes, turn off heat. Never add water to hot oil.
Look for: Oil reads 350 F and is not smoking.
Fry in batches
Lower 4 tenders gently into the oil away from you. Fry 5–7 minutes, turning halfway, keeping oil at 325–350 F; adjust heat as needed. Check the thickest part of each tender reaches 165 F with an instant-read thermometer; cook longer if needed.
Look for: Crust is deep golden and each tender measures at least 165 F.
Drain and repeat
Transfer cooked chicken with clean tongs to a wire rack over a tray. Return oil to 350 F before frying remaining chicken in 2 more batches (3 batches total), checking each piece for 165 F. Leave drained chicken uncovered so its crust stays crisp.
Look for: No pools of oil collect beneath the chicken; crust stays firm.
Serve the dinner
Check wedges are browned and tender; give them a few extra oven minutes if needed. Divide wedges and hot chicken among four plates and serve barbecue mayonnaise in separate bowls for dipping. Turn off heat and let frying oil cool fully before handling.
Look for: Chicken is crisp, wedges are tender and dip stays cool.