Copycat Raising Canes Chicken and Sauce: For those who love Raising Cane’s but don’t have one nearby, this homemade version brings the iconic flavors straight to your kitchen. Recreating the signature combo at home is simpler than you might think, and while making each component from scratch requires some time, the delicious results are well worth the effort.
This Copycat Combo Includes:
- Crispy, golden-brown chicken tenders with the perfect juicy interior
- The famous Cane’s sauce, with its signature tangy-creamy flavor
- Classic crinkle-cut fries, crispy on the outside and tender inside
- Buttery, toasted Texas toast with a soft center and crisp edges
With this recipe, you can enjoy the full Raising Cane’s experience—no restaurant required.
What’s Raising Canes?
Before we dive into this Copycat Raising Canes Chicken, let’s take a moment to appreciate the brand behind the crave-worthy flavors. Raising Cane’s is more than just a chicken finger chain—it’s a concept built on simplicity, quality, and a touch of charm.
A cute fun fact: The name “Raising Cane’s” pays homage to the founder’s yellow Labrador, Raising Cane
Raising Cane’s is an American fast-casual restaurant chain renowned for its crispy chicken fingers, golden fries, and signature Cane’s Sauce. Last year, its popularity surged across social media, with food enthusiasts and influencers traveling to the U.S. just to try their famous chicken combo.
Unfortunately, Raising Cane’s remains exclusive to the U.S., leaving many fans without a way to enjoy their crave-worthy meals. That’s where this recipe comes in—a carefully crafted homemade version that brings the iconic flavors of Raising Cane’s straight to your kitchen.
With our step-by-step guide, you can recreate their legendary chicken tenders, crispy fries, buttery Texas toast, and, of course, the famous Cane’s Sauce—no restaurant visit required.
HOMEMADE RAISING CANES CHICKEN COMBO
Copycat Raising Canes Chicken step by step video with detailed instructions on making fried chicken and sauce.
Grab These Ingredients:
- Texas toast: We will link the recipe here if you want to make it homemade, but you can also buy it in the grocery store and then toast it!
- Spices: For this recipe we will be using salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. We will use them in the sauce and on the chicken.
- Fries: You can make them homemade or buy them frozen. Click here if you want a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make them and the best tips for crispy restaurant fries.
- Chicken breast: We’re going to slice it into strips. You could use chicken thighs if preferred.
- Heavy cream and vinegar: This will be our buttermilk substitute – it will tenderize the chicken. You can use buttermilk instead.
- Cornstarch: This will make the chicken super crispy.
- Flour: To coat the chicken before frying.
- Mayonnaise: It will be the base of our sauce, mixed with different spices and ketchup.
- Vegetable oil: We will need it to fry our chicken strips and fries. We’re using sunflower oil but any other oil can work.
- Egg: Will bind our batter together for the chicken.
Special Tools:
For Preparation:
- Mixing bowls: You’ll need these for coating the chicken and mixing sauces.
- Whisk: Essential for blending the Cane’s sauce ingredients smoothly.
- Knife: To slice chicken breasts into even strips.
- Tray or plate: For setting up your coating station (flour, egg wash, breading).
For Cooking:
- Deep fryer or heavy pot: For frying chicken and fries to perfection.
- Slotted spoon: To safely remove food from hot oil.
- Wire rack: Lets chicken ‘crust’ dry before cooking and stay crispy.
- Paper towels: For absorbing excess oil from fried items.
- Skillet or griddle: To toast your Texas toast.
Optional:
- Baking sheet: If you prefer oven-baked fries.
- Thermometer: To maintain ideal oil temperature
Note: If making Texas toast from scratch, click here for our homemade recipe.
Raising Cane’s Bread ٠࣪⭑
To keep this guide focused, we won’t cover bread-making in detail. Whether using homemade or store-bought Texas toast, the preparation remains the same:
- Slice the bread to your preferred thickness
- Toast it generously with butter until golden, both sides
- Serve immediately while warm and crisp
This simple method delivers the perfect buttery, crispy texture that complements the chicken tenders best.
For the full step-by-step recipe with pro tips and ingredient details, visit our: Texas Raising Canes homemade Bread guide.
How To make Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders Copycat
Sauce
Let’s begin with the sauce – it’s incredibly simple to prepare and can be made in advance! We’ll use mayonnaise as our base, then add ketchup and our special spice blend: salt, black pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
Mix everything thoroughly until completely smooth. Be sure to cover it properly with plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately. This will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge – just remember to keep it chilled at all times.
chicken
Begin by slicing each chicken breast into 2-3 even strips and set them aside. You’ll need to prepare both a wet batter and dry coating mixture.
For the wet batter, combine heavy cream and vinegar in a bowl (or substitute with buttermilk) and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Then whisk in your spices and egg until fully blended.
Add the chicken strips to this mixture, ensuring they’re fully coated, and marinate for at least 1 hour – I recommend 3 hours in the refrigerator for maximum flavor absorption.
For the dry coating, mix flour, cornstarch, and spices on a large tray. After marinating, coat each chicken strip thoroughly in the dry mixture. For an extra-thick crust, you can double-coat by repeating the wet-dry process twice. Transfer the coated strips to a wire rack and let them rest for 10 minutes while you heat your oil.
Heat vegetable oil to 180°C (350°F) – you’ll know it’s ready when the oil bubbles vigorously around a test piece of chicken. Fry the strips in batches (about 10 minutes each) to maintain proper oil temperature. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this lowers the temperature and affects cooking time.
Once golden brown, transfer the cooked tenders to a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil before serving.
What to eat with Homemade Copycat Raising Canes Chicken
- The Famous Cane’s Sauce
- Buttery Texas Toast
- Crinkle-Cut Fries
Tips for the Best Copycat Raising Cane’s Chicken ٠࣪⭑
- Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour—this ensures maximum flavor. For even better results, marinate longer (3–4 hours or overnight).
- Drain excess oil properly after frying. Place the chicken and fries on a tray with paper towels underneath to keep them crisp.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan when frying. Too many pieces at once will lower the oil temperature, making the chicken greasy instead of crispy.
- Check doneness carefully. Use tongs to remove the largest piece and cut it open at the thickest part—the inside should be juicy, fully white (no pink).
- Keep the Cane’s sauce refrigerated at all times to maintain freshness and food safety.
If you have any questions about this recipe, please leave them in the comments section below – I’ll respond as soon as possible. If you try making this copycat Raising Cane’s meal, I’d truly appreciate your review sharing how it turned out.
Print
Copycat Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders Combo – Just Like the Original!
- Prep Time: 1h
- Resting: 1h 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min – chicken
- Total Time: 2h 10 min
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
- Category: copycat
- Method: frying
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is the best recipe for homemade Raising Canes chicken tenders combo. The chicken is flavorful, crunchy and very juicy. Enjoyed with a nice tangy sauce and fries with toasted Texas bread.
Ingredients
Chicken
wet batter
- 600 grams chicken breast (4 chicken breasts)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 200 grams heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
dry mixture
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 100 grams cornstarch
- 100 grams all purpose flour
Frying
- 3 lt sunflower oil (it depends on your size pot, if its smaller you’re gonna be using less and if its bigger use some more, you need to deep fry the chicken!)
sauce
- 10 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 5 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Sauce
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Start by making the sauce first since it’s quick to prepare. Take a mixing bowl and combine mayonnaise with ketchup. Add garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix everything thoroughly until completely smooth and uniform in texture.
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Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your personal preference. Cover the bowl securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately.
Chicken
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Begin by slicing the chicken breasts into strips. Each breast should yield 2-3 strips depending on its size. Cut evenly for consistent cooking.
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Prepare the wet marinade by combining heavy cream and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can use buttermilk instead. Mix well and let the mixture rest for 2-3 minutes before proceeding.
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Add the egg and spices to the bowl: salt, cayenne, smoked paprika, white pepper, black pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk thoroughly until fully incorporated. Submerge the chicken strips in this mixture, ensuring each piece is well coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Create the dry coating by mixing cornstarch, flour, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, and black pepper. After marinating, coat each chicken strip evenly in this mixture. Place the coated strips on a wire rack and let them rest for 10 minutes to set the breading.
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While the chicken rests, heat your frying oil to approximately 180°C (350°F). Use a thermometer for accuracy or test by seeing if the oil bubbles vigorously when a small piece of breading is added.
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Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 10 minutes total. Monitor the oil temperature closely – if it drops, the cooking time will increase. Larger pieces may require additional time. Always check for doneness by ensuring the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) and the meat is white throughout with no pink.
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Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
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