Long John Silvers Chicken Planks

Long John Silvers Chicken Planks are known for their crispness and golden brown batter if you are familiar with their fish batter. Why not try their famous chicken strips when you prepare this copycat Long John Silver’s chicken at home? When you make this copycat recipe at home, there is no need to rush out to your nearest Long John Silvers. 

a plate of homemade Long John Silver's chicken planks and onion rings


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Long John Silver’s Chicken

If you enjoy the iconic Long John Silver batter, you will love tender chicken tenderloins when dipped into the batter and fried.  The batter is crispy and light, and you will soon want to make a big batch of the Long John Silver chicken planks at home. I have a great copycat recipe for you to try. You will soon want to make a big batch of these copycat chicken strips for dinner. 

Long John Silvers Chicken Batter Recipe

If you’re looking for the recipe for Long John’s Silver’s chicken batter, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve perfected this copycat batter recipe so you can make these crispy, crunchy fried chicken tenders just like the restaurant. 

Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • Chicken tenderloins, also known as chicken tenders
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Onion salt
  • Paprika
  • Ground black pepper
  • Club soda
  • Vegetable oil for frying
Long John Silver's chicken planks ingredients

How to Make Long John Silvers Chicken

  1. In a deep-fryer or large, heavy pot, heat vegetable oil to 360°F.
  2. Place flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, onion salt, paprika, and ground black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir or whisk to combine thoroughly.
  3. Add club soda to dry ingredients and stir to combine..
Long John Silver's chicken batter and chicken tenders
  1. Drop chicken tenders into the batter.
  2. Place battered chicken tenders into the hot oil, a few at once.
  3. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the batter is golden brown and the chicken begins to float to the top of the oil.
  4. Drain fried chicken tenders on a wire rack.
  5. Serve immediately.
homemade Long John Silver's chicken planks and onion rings on a plate

Cooking Equipment and Tips

Use vegetable oil for frying. I think peanut oil would also work well, but it is more expensive.

I used my T-fal FR8000 Oil Filtration Ultimate EZ Clean Easy to Clean 3.5-Liter Fry Basket Stainless Steel Immersion Deep Fryer, 2.6-Pound, Silver. I like it because it regulates the heat very well, and it has a filter so you can reuse the oil.

Make sure the oil gets up to about 360 to 375°F. You must pat the chicken tenders with a paper towel, dunk them into the batter, and allow much of the batter to drip off.

Place the chicken into the frying oil gently and slowly. You want the batter to cook for a moment or two as the chicken is laid into the hot oil. This way, the batter won’t stick to the deep fryer basket.

The chicken is done when it begins to float, which takes about 5 to 6 minutes. You must flip the chicken over while cooking so both sides cook evenly.

I know you will enjoy these chicken planks.

closeup of homemade Long John Silver's Chicken Planks and onion rings on a plate

What to dunk your chicken strips into? 

I love the malt vinegar at the restaurant, but you could dip your chicken into some honey mustard or ranch dressing. 

How do you store the leftovers?

Here are a few tips to enjoy these for the next meal.

  • Allow them to cool to room temperature before you store them, this way the batter won’t become soggy.
  • Use an Airtight Container: Transfer the chicken planks into an airtight container. A sealable plastic or glass container with a lid is ideal.
  • Separate Layers: If you have multiple chicken planks, consider placing a layer of parchment paper or plastic wrap between them to prevent sticking. This makes it easier to reheat individual pieces later.
  • Store in the Refrigerator: Place the airtight container with the chicken planks in the refrigerator.
  • Consume Within a Few Days: Chicken planks are best when consumed within 3-4 days of refrigeration.

What is the best way to reheat the chicken planks?

When you’re ready to enjoy the chicken planks again, reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer for the best results. This will help maintain their crispy texture. Alternatively, you can use a microwave, but the batter may not be as crisp.

Love fried chicken? Try these recipes!

What to Serve with Fried Chicken

Be sure to check out more of my simple chicken recipes and the best fast food copycat recipes here on CopyKat.com!

a plate of homemade Long John Silver's chicken planks and onion rings

Long John Silvers Chicken Planks

Love fried chicken tenders? Make these copycat chicken planks at home. 
4.95 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Fried Chicken Tenders, Long John Silvers Chicken Planks
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 428kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken tenders
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 16 ounces club soda
  • vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • If you are not using a fryer, heat up 8 cups of vegetable oil in a heavy pot until the temperature reaches 360 degrees.
  • Make the batter by combining flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, onion salt, paprika, ground black pepper. Stir to combine all dry ingredients. Add club soda to dry ingredients. The batter will foam, continue to stir.
  • Drop pieces of chicken into the batter. Coat chicken with batter, drop into the hot oil. Fry chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the batter is golden and the chicken pieces begin to float to the top of the oil. Drain chicken on a wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1253mg | Potassium: 637mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2.5mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christina

    5 stars
    I made this recipe tonight. It did not disappoint. I kinda cheated though and used 1 cup of regular flour and 1 cup of Kentucky Kernel seasoned flour. I even made some extra crispier with some of the leftover batter. It was spot on. Seasoning and all. Thanks for getting me on the right path for making this amazing chicken!

  2. Bonnie H Sheppard

    Trying to find where to post about a recipe I have been looking for for years. Don’t know where to look. The recipe is for the A&W French fries the old way. They were made with a mashed potato type. I used to work at one and remember how good they were as a kid. Can anybody point me in that direction. Been looking and found a simular recipe but want it without cheese. Thank you .

  3. Pamela Sims

    recipe definitely has right texture but the taste is a bit not there. Definitely needs more salt imo..at least double what is stated especially if you use onion powder . I dont buy seasonings with salt so I can control salt. either way though a great batter

    • Jon Biedermann

      4 stars
      Previous review is spot on. Texture is definitely the same, but the flavor was not. We ended up experimenting and found that adding a full tablespoon of Cajun seasonings (buy pretty much any blend) really did the trick. Long John Silvers has a certain ‘pepper-spice’ about it, and this matched nearly exactly.

      Also, at least in our case the chicken ‘floated’ pretty quickly, so it was more of a timing event… about 5 minutes, and it took a 2nd/3rd batch (we only cooked two strips at a time), to get it perfect.

      Either way, chicken was moist, and my (very) picky teenagers declared that “Dad’s fried chicken” was now accectible to be served again…and again… so that’s pretty much a victory in my book.

  4. Nessa

    5 stars
    i DIDN’T READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE, BUT i DON’T SEEM TO SEE WHETHER THE “CHICKEN TENDERS” ARE RAW CHICKEN–OR ALREADY COOKED.

    (Just noticed my caps/visually impaired friend)

    Anyway, if someone could let me know, that’d be super! TIA!

    IMO, I am assuming it’s raw, but chicken “tenders” is a breaded think that comes in a freezer bag already cooked. That sounds gross to use! 🙁

    Raw chicken–6 min to fry done sounds kind of short to me. I guess as hot as the oil is and if the chicken piece is cut small enough, it would probably get done. Any answers for me? TY!

    • Stephanie

      I will try to answer your questions.

      1. The chicken is raw to start with.
      2. You need to buy chicken tenders they are a portion of the chicken breast, it is a specific cut of chicken that is naturally thin.

    • Kathy

      Stores do sell raw chicken tenders, but I prefer using boneless chicken breasts cut into strips. I hate taking the chance that the big tendon or vein wasn’t properly removed. I can’t stand chicken tenders that still have them because it’s horrible to bite into it.

      • Dani

        Omg. I just learned what that gross thing I sometimes bite into at some restaurants is. (I always get the chicken tenders). Thanks!

  5. jan

    Made a 1/2 recipe for tonight, substituted seltzer water for the club soda (was super fizzy), and will add in more salt for the next attempt. I started at 350 degrees with the oil, I think I’ll go a bit higher the next go around! I was concerned at first because I thought the batter may have been a bit runny?, but it wasn’t, I loosely mixed the ingredients, a bit lumpy, but not too much, dip and shake, drop in the oil and it fried beautifully! Stayed crispy until served and then they disappeared. Not entirely like the franchise, but close! Encore! Encore!

  6. Julianne

    Has anyone tried the freezing and then using the air fryer? I am new to the air fryer its still in the box but I would love to tJ this.

    • Unsorted138

      Next attempt I will try with frozen tenders in a deep fryer. Kinda was hoping someone had already done this and posted

    • Jonetta Adams

      I have used this batter for onion rings & absolutely loved it!! We have also used this batter for veggies!
      It is an extremely versatile batter.
      Next time I make this, I’m going to set some batter aside, & try deep fried Oreos

4.95 from 18 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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