Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Fried Chicken

I made this Flamin' Hot Cheetos fried chicken one day, when I thought, I use Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to bread fried pickles and onion rings, so why not fried chicken? They lose a lot of heat during the process, so don't skip the cayenne pepper.

bright red fried chicken tenderloins coated with flamin' hot cheetos on white plate with dipping sauce
Prep Time:
8 mins
Cook Time:
12 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 6 cups cheese puffs, such as CHEETOS® Crunchy FLAMIN’ HOT® Cheese Flavored Snacks

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins (about 8 pieces)

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Place Cheetos in a blender and pulse until fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add cayenne and salt. Seal the bag and shake to combine.

  2. Place chicken tenders in a 1-quart resealable plastic bag. Add mayonnaise. Seal the bag and massage chicken in mayonnaise until evenly coated.

  3. Transfer 2 chicken tenders from their bag to the bag with Cheeto crumbs. Seal the bag and shake until evenly coated. Place tenders on a plate. Repeat with remaining tenders.

  4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add breaded chicken tenders in a single layer and cook for 6 minutes. Using a spatula, flip tenders over and cook until tenders are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 6 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

    From the Editor:

    Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of breading ingredients. The actual amount of breading consumed will vary.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

636 Calories
40g Fat
28g Carbs
38g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 636
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 40g 51%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 930mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 38g 77%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 398mg 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.