Craving Chili’s Chicken Crispers? Try this copycat recipe! Juicy, tender chicken strips are encased in a delightfully crunchy batter, offering a perfect balance of textures. Simple to make and just as delicious as the original chicken crispers, if not more! These crispy delights are perfect for family dinners or a comforting weekend meal that brings restaurant-quality flavor to your home kitchen.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
These crispers stand out because they represent a delightful international cross between tempura texture from Japan and fish and chips texture from Britain. The yummy batter is so smooth, light, and super crispy that you’ll find yourself sneaking morsels while still cooking. This Chili’s Chicken Crispers copycat recipe is a great way to enjoy the original restaurant favorite at home.
Why Chili’s Chicken Crispers are Different
These crispers stand out because they are a delightful international cross between a tempura texture (Japan) and a fish and chips texture (Britain). The yummy batter is so smooth, light, and super crispy that you’ll find yourself sneaking morsels of it while still cooking.
This Chili’s Chicken Crispers copycat recipe is a great way to enjoy the original Chili’s Chicken Crispers at home.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Chicken tenders – Naturally tender cuts that cook quickly and evenly while staying juicy inside the crispy coating
- All-purpose flour – Creates the structure for the batter and provides the foundation for crispiness
- Baking powder – An Essential leavening agent that creates the light, airy texture in the batter
- Salt – Enhances flavors and helps create the perfect seasoning balance
- Ground black pepper – Adds subtle warmth and complements the chicken’s natural flavors
- Egg – Binds the batter ingredients together and helps create structure
- Club soda – The secret ingredient that creates the incredibly light, crispy texture
- Honey Mustard Sauce:
- Mayonnaise – Provides the creamy base that balances the tangy mustard flavors
- Dijon mustard – Adds sophisticated, sharp flavor with subtle wine notes
- Cayenne pepper – Contributes gentle heat that enhances the honey’s sweetness
- Honey – Balances the tangy mustard with natural sweetness
- Vegetable oil – High smoke point oil that creates perfectly crispy results without burning
The Dipping Sauce
Two “honey” favorites at Chili’s are Chili’s Honey Chipotle Sauce and Chili’s Honey Mustard Sauce. These are also easy to make at home. My recipe includes the honey mustard sauce for the crispers.
How to Make Chili’s Chicken Crispers
- Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place club soda and egg in a bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Allow the batter to sit for a few minutes.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with a paper towel.
- Dredge the chicken tenders in flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Dip flourless chicken tenders into the batter.
- Fry a few chicken tenders at a time.
- Place fried tenders on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, cayenne, and honey in a small bowl.
- Serve chicken crispers with honey mustard sauce.
Recommended Equipment
I love my TFal deep fryer. It makes deep frying a snap.
What Goes with Chili’s Chicken Crispers?
Here are some suggestions for side dishes to serve these delicious crispers with:
Chili’s Chicken Crispers have a wonderfully delicious crispy crust. They’re easy to make at home, and the batter is also great for fish! Chili’s Chicken Crispers will be a favorite with you and your kids.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store leftover chicken crispers in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating Method: Reheat in a 375°F oven for 8-10 minutes to restore crispiness, or use an air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked crisps for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 400°F for 12-15 minutes.
Love Chili’s? Try these copycat recipes!
What is your favorite Chili’s menu item? What recipe do I need to tackle next? Let me know in the comments!
Favorite Fried Chicken Recipes
- Easy Oven-Fried Chicken
- Captain Crunch Chicken
- Fried Chicken Nuggets
- Homestyle Chicken
- KFC Fried Chicken
Check out more of my easy chicken tender recipes and the best copycat recipes for casual dining restaurants here on CopyKat!
Chili’s Chicken Crispers – Easy Crispy Copycat
Ingredients
Chicken Crispers
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 cup club soda plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
Honey Mustard
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 cup honey
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oil to 350 degrees F.
- Make the batter by first combining the club soda and the egg together. Whisk together until they form a uniform mixture.
- Then add in the dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, pepper. Stir together. Allow the batter to sit for a few minutes.
- Remove chicken from package and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Dredge the chicken in 1/2 cup flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Dip floured chicken into the batter and fry a few pieces at a time. If there is any additional batter left over, you could make some onion rings, but the excess batter should be discarded.
- Prepare honey mustard by combining mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, cayenne, and honey. Stir well. You can store the honey mustard for about a week in your refrigerator.
I actually asked for Chili’s Southwest Rolls and the Chicken Crisper recipe appeared. I will try it as I never knew you could use club soda. I would really like the recipe for Southwestern Egg Roll’s.
I made this last night and it was delicious. I added a little extra seasoning and used beer instead of club soda. I would say this comes out pretty thick and leaves a thick breading. I’d either use 1/4 less cup flour or add a little more beer to the batter. I had leftover batter and used it for onion rings. they come out great too.
I have kids (adults now) who have food sensitivities. You may not know what a gift it is to be able to make “normal”, special-occasion (restaurant) foods by using your thoughtful recipes. I switch out a few ingredients to make them work for our family, and *VOILA!* we can have the yummy foods that most other people take for granted.
Thank you!
I bet this recipe would be good with shrimp too..thats next time…loved it. Thanks stephanie.
I have made a lot of your recipes and love them. Thank you for keeping dinner interesting!
I just had a quick question: can you cook these in an air fryer? Or do they just get messy? I’m trying to avoid digging out the deep fryer in January because it will stink up the house.
Thank you for enjoying my recipes. I think this recipe would not work in the air fryer. Typically items are breaded are suited for the air fryer, food that is battered doesn’t work, because the batter slides off before the cooking is done.
The calories shown is 609 and the recipe serves 4. Are the calories 609 per serving or the entire recipe. Just seems like an awful lot if it is per serving. I love Chili Chicken Crispers, would love to make your recipe but not sure about those calories. Thanks for sharing.
Calories are per serving.
You mention chicken broth, when do you use it?
Thank you for all your recipes, my family loved this one.
I liked the old fashioned crispers the best, and these hit the mark, and made me run all the way to the finish line.
I can’t wait to try this recipe!! Thank you for sharing!
I am very happy with the content of your article it is very beneficial and I wait for the next article to update the information again.
Loved these, even more, when I made them at home. I served them with Buffalo sauce. You can get them like that at Chilis.
I have commented twice and my comments have been removed. You mentioned club soda so I was just wondering where in the recipe is it used?
I see the recipe has been revised but exactly how much club soda is needed
The club soda is listed in the ingredients, it is the 7th ingredient in the chicken crispers, and then it is in the first sentence in the instructions. So I believe I have this covered. If I have failed to explain this let me know.
Thank you for all your recipes Stephanie I’ve tried quite a few and have enjoyed them immensely.
thank very much
Could not find the chipotle sauce recipe with the Chicken Crispers but it had the honey mustard sauce recipe
These are for the original crispers, the honey chipotle ones are made differently. I haven’t worked on that recipe yet.
I made for dinner everybody loved it.
Sauce too.
Very easy on a busy day.
I am glad to hear you enjoyed the chicken crispers! I want to try these with some Chick Fil A Sauce sometime.
Club soda makes the batter fluffier .
Thank you for all your recipes Stephanie I’ve tried quite a few and have enjoyed them immensely. This recipe looks pretty good to me too. I thought I saw the recipe for Chili’s Jalapeno Aioli on your site a while back, but have been unable to find it again. You wouldn’t by chance have a copykat version for that on hand? I would really appreciate it. Have a great weekend, it’s almost upon us.
Sounds mouth watering good…..I am new on this site, and so far enjoy what I see.
Thank YOU for your work
Thank you Sherry! Much appreciated!