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Kentucky-fried turkey tenders with cranberry hot sauce

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 19 Nov 24
Updated: 19 Nov 24

Kentucky-fried turkey tenders with cranberry hot sauce

One jolly, white-haired man (The Colonel) meets another (Santa) in this finger licking, bell-jingling crowd-pleaser. Serve as is for a TV snack or go the whole hog with chips and coleslaw. Bucket optional. If you need more convincing, fried chicken is a traditional Christmas option in Japan.

Loved this fun festive dish? Try our pigs-in-blankets carbonara, too!

Easy
November 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2-4
Hands-on time 35 min, plus overnight marinating

Loved this fun festive dish? Try our pigs-in-blankets carbonara, too!

Nutrition: Per serving (for 4)

Calories: 511kcals
Fat: 12g (2.4g saturated)
Protein: 40g
Carbohydrates: 58g (13g sugars)
Fibre: 2.8g
Salt: 1.9g

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Before you start

Dipping floured turkey in water before dredging it in flour again gives it that deliciously craggy texture. Deep-fry in small batches to make sure you don’t lower the temperature of the oil; it’s important it stays hot to avoid greasy tenders.

This recipe can easily be made dairy or gluten-free by using plant-based milk and/or all rice flour.

Before you start

This recipe can easily be made dairy or gluten-free by using plant-based milk and/or all rice flour.

Ingredients

1 medium egg
150ml whole milk (see Easy Swaps)
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
400g turkey breast fillet, cut into thick strips
Vegetable oil to deep-fry

For the seasoned flour

150g plain flour
100g rice flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp garlic granules
1½ tsp mustard powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp celery salt

For the sauce

50g tomato ketchup
4 tbsp cranberry sauce
2 tsp sriracha

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Method

Whisk together the egg, milk, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add the turkey strips, cover and leave to marinate overnight.
The next day, half-fill a deep pan with oil and heat to around 180ºC – if you don’t have a thermometer, it’s ready when a breadcrumb immediately sizzles and floats to the top. While you wait, whisk together the ketchup, cranberry sauce and sriracha until smooth, then decant into a small serving bowl.
Mix all the ingredients for the seasoned flour in a bowl. Fill a second large bowl with cold water.

Using tongs, lift a turkey strip out of the marinade and into the flour, turn to coat, then dip it in the water and back into the flour. Carefully lower into the hot oil, then repeat with the remaining turkey strips. Deep-fry for around 5-6 minutes until golden.
Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt while hot. Serve with the cranberry hot sauce for dipping.