Marinate the Chicken: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg. Add the chicken strips, ensuring they are all fully submerged. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for even more tender results.

Prepare the Seasoned Flour: In a separate shallow dish or large bowl, combine the plain flour, cornflour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk everything together until the spices are evenly distributed.

Set Up Your Dredging Station: Take the chicken out of the fridge. Place the bowl of marinated chicken next to your dish of seasoned flour. Have a clean plate or wire rack ready for the coated chicken. This little bit of organisation makes the process much smoother.

The First Dredge: Working with one chicken strip at a time, lift it from the buttermilk, allowing any excess to drip off. Place it in the flour mixture and toss to coat it completely. Gently shake off the excess flour and place it on your clean plate. Repeat for all the chicken strips.

The Second Dredge (The Crispy Secret): Once all the strips have their first coating, we do it again. Dip each floured strip back into the buttermilk mixture for just a second, and then return it to the seasoned flour for a final, thorough coating. Press the flour onto the chicken firmly to help it adhere. This second layer is what creates those wonderful, craggy, crispy bits.

Heat the Oil: Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet until it's about 2-3 cm deep. Heat it over a medium-high heat to 175°C (350°F). What works best for me is using a kitchen thermometer for accuracy, but you can test it by dropping a small bit of flour into the oil – if it sizzles vigorously, it's ready.

Fry the Tenders: Carefully place a few chicken tenders into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are a deep golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 74°C (165°F), which you can verify with a meat thermometer for food safety as recommended by the Food Standards Agency.

Drain and Serve: Remove the cooked tenders from the oil using tongs and place them on a wire rack to drain. This keeps them crispy all over. If you're cooking in batches, you can keep the cooked tenders warm in an oven set to a low temperature (around 100°C). Serve immediately with your favourite dips.