Crispy Chicken Tender Subs

thetipsyhousewife
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The Perfect Sandwich Supper For Spring

A chicken tender fried and layered on a hoagie roll with curry mayo and a crunchy slaw with marinated cucumbers and displayed on a blue clay plate

These Crispy Chicken Tender Subs come with a twist: succulent chicken tenders, crispy from cooking up in an air fryer or oven, layered with tangy slaw, marinated cucumbers, and a zesty curry mayo, all hugged by a warm sub roll.

It’s a flavor explosion you won’t forget!

This is a perfect meal for that transitional time between spring and summer. I know that we are all in different climates with different weather but this is a delicious dinner for those of you in warm weather AND those of you still seeing cooler temperatures .

There is a full, printable recipe card at the end of this post. You can also hit the print button for the recipe to come up on one screen.

From there you can screenshot this to save it to your phone.

I also have added a Pinterest button that you can use to save this recipe to your Pinterest page. If you would like to follow me on Pinterest, you can find me there as The Tipsy Housewife.

A bottle of Garlic Expressions vinaigrette next to a bowl of sliced cucumbers

Quickly Pickle Your Cucumbers

I love a good crunchy cucumber on a sandwich, especially on these Crispy Chicken Tender Subs! I love using the Garlic Expressions dressing because it has such fresh flavor.

Feel free to use your favorite garlic vinaigrette . I know that Aldi has a good one too.

Try to look for one that has the chunks of garlic pieces in it. Another great recipe I use this same dressing for is my Best Ever Tomato Bruschetta.

The key to a good quick pickle is making sure to cut your cucumbers very thin. If you have good knife skills you can cut them with your knife.

If you do not have great knife skills, you can follow these steps:

  • Cut your cucumber in half
  • Stick a fork in the end of the cucumber
  • Use your vegetable peeler to peel of thin slices from the flat end

Even if you do have good knife skills, you can still use that technique. You’re welcome!

You can make these cucumbers while your chicken cooks. If you are a plan ahead person, make these a day in advance for even more flavor.

A reader of mine also shared a tip that when you are adding celery seed to any recipes, rub the seeds in between your fingers for second to bring out more flavor.

A bag of Little Salad Bar brand Sunflower Chopped Salad kit with green cabbage, kale, red cabbage, green leaf lettuce, and carrots

Save Time When Making Dinner

I use these bagged salads all the time when I cook. They are a quick and easy way to add freshness and vegetables into your diet.

I specifically use the Sunflower Kit for this recipe, but any bagged salad that has a sweet and salty component will do. You can also buy the Thai Crunch version or any variation of an Asian Bagged Salad kit.

One of the other recipes that I use a bagged salad kit for is my Korean Inspired Steak Tacos. This taco recipe is one of our most favorite summertime meals.

The finished chicken sun sandwich. A chicken tender topped with salad and cucumbers sits inside a split hoagie roll on a blue plate

Don’t Let The Curry Scare You

The curry mayo that you make for this recipe really elevates the flavors of this whole meal. You are just using a pinch of the curry.

You can always add more if you like the flavor of curry like we do. You can just buy a generic brand of curry powder from the spice aisle though you can use a more gourmet curry powder if you have it.

The addition of the brown sugar in the mayo mellows out the flavor of the curry. It also adds a great layer of flavor with the rest of the ingredients.

A chicken tender on an open faced hoagie roll. The other half of the roll is behind the tender and has mayo spread on it

Let’s Talk Tenders

I often use the brand Bell and Evans when I am cooking with tenders. They do not give a lot of tenders in the package, but they are typically large, wide tenders.

I find these at a lot of stores in the frozen section. Specifically I get them at Whole Foods when I am there.

These are pricey tenders but the quality is unsurpassed. You are welcome to use any tenders you like.

If you have smaller tenders, you may want to add two or three tenders to the roll when you assemble your sandwich. If you are wondering where to find the brand I like, there is a retail locator on their website that is linked.

The finished Chicken Tender Sub on a blue plate with a side salad seen from above

Make It A Salad

If anyone is looking for LOWER carb meals, you can make this exact meal and just omit the roll. This recipe makes a great salad with the tenders cut up.

You can also chop the whole thing up and make it in a wrap of your choice. Any way you assemble this, it is going to be delicious.

A chicken tender fried and layered on a hoagie roll with curry mayo and a crunchy slaw with marinated cucumbers and displayed on a blue clay plate

Feel free to add some extra spiciness if you like the heat.

Yield: Approximately 4 servings

Crispy Chicken Tender Subs

a chicken tender fried and layered on a hoagie roll with curry mayo and a crunchy slaw with marinated cucumbers and displayed on a blue clay plate

Crispy chicken tender sub with a twist: Succulent chicken tenders crispy from cooking up in an air fryer or oven, layered with tangy slaw, marinated cucumbers, and a zesty curry mayo, all hugged by a warm sub roll. A flavor explosion you won't forget!

Ingredients

  • *All unique ingredients are explained in detail in the post before this recipe card. Including links when applicable.
  • 4 to 6 Large Frozen Chicken Tenders, I use Bell and Evans Brand
  • 1/2 cup of your favorite mayo
  • 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 bagged salad kit, I use the Sunflower Chopped Salad Kit
  • 1 seedless English cucumber
  • 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed
  • 1 green onion
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of your favorite garlic vinaigrette, I use Garlic Expressions brand
  • 1 tablespoon of honey + a couple of shakes of black pepper
  • 4 to 6 hoagie rolls
  • 2 tablespoons of melted butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare your chicken tenders according to package directions just before you are ready to assemble your sandwiches. I like to air fry mine. You can also bake in the oven usually. Cook times will vary based on your brand and your oven or air fryer. In the last 5 minutes of cooking any tenders I use, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with black pepper.
  2. While your chicken cooks, thinly slice your cucumbers and finely slice both the white and green parts of your green onion. Add them to a bowl and sprinkle them with the celery seed and the celery salt. Add the garlic vinaigrette of your choice and toss to coat and then set aside. *for extra flavor you can make these a day in advance to use.
  3. Add your mayo to a bowl, I include measurements for this but typically i eyeball this. Add your curry powder and the brown sugar and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
  4. Prepare your bagged salad kit according to the directions. I use the sunflower kit and toss all the crunchy bits with the greens and the dressing.
  5. Brush your rolls after splitting them with the butter and toast them up on a hot skillet until they are toasty and golden brown.
  6. After they are toasted, spread your curry mayo on both sides and then add the crispy chicken tenders, then top with the salad and a few slices of your cucumbers. Cut in half and serve immediately.
  7. I serve the remainder of the salad and cucumbers on the side.
© thetipsyhousewife

Looking to up your sandwich game even further? Give my Pickle Fried Chicken Sandwiches a try.

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