Marinate the Chicken: In a 9x13 pan, whisk together the buttermilk, salt, and pepper. Nestle the chicken tenders into the buttermilk, making sure they are fully submerged. Let them marinate for at least 2 hours. This step is essential for infusing the chicken with flavor and ensuring it stays tender.

Prepare for Frying: When ready to fry, place a large pot on the stove and pour in enough avocado oil to fill the pot about halfway. Turn the heat to medium to slowly bring the oil up to frying temperature.

Mix the Coating: In a separate large bowl, combine the all purpose gluten-free flour blend, tapioca flour, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk everything together until well combined.

Coat the Chicken: Once the oil is hot (you can test this by dropping a small bit of the flour mixture into the oil; it should sizzle immediately), take a piece of chicken from the buttermilk mixture, allowing the excess buttermilk to drip off, and coat it thoroughly in the flour mixture. Gently place it into the hot oil. Repeat with additional pieces of chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. You’ll likely need to fry in batches of about 5-6 tenders at a time.

Fry the Chicken: Fry the chicken pieces for about 4 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure even cooking. They should be golden brown and crispy on both sides. Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Drain the Chicken: Carefully remove the fried chicken from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil, or on a wire rack.