Crispy golden chicken strips (Printable)

Golden breaded chicken strips, ideal with barbecue or honey-mustard sauces for a delicious treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb chicken breast fillets, cut into strips

→ Marinade

02 - ½ cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon paprika

→ Breading

07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

→ For Frying

13 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying

→ To Serve

14 - Barbecue sauce
15 - Honey-mustard sauce

# How to Cook:

01 - Whisk buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl. Add chicken strips and refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
02 - Arrange flour mixed with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika in one shallow dish; lightly beat eggs in a second bowl; place panko breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip off. Dredge strips in flour mixture, dip into beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs.
04 - Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 2 inches in a deep skillet and heat to 350°F (175°C).
05 - Cook chicken strips in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Drain on wire rack or paper towels.
06 - Present hot chicken tenders alongside barbecue and honey-mustard sauces for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The buttermilk soak makes every bite impossibly tender, even if you overcook them by a minute.
  • Panko creates that shatteringly crisp coating that stays crunchy long after plating.
  • They vanish faster than you can fry them, which means everyone's happy and no one's waiting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after breading, let the coated strips sit on a plate for 5 minutes before frying so the layers set and don't slough off in the oil.
  • If your oil temperature drops below 165°C, the breading will absorb grease instead of crisping, keep the heat steady and fry in small batches.
  • Use one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry to avoid building up clumps of batter on your fingers, this trick keeps your breading station clean.
03 -
  • Use a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain the tenders instead of paper towels, this keeps the bottom from steaming and losing its crispness.
  • Season each layer lightly instead of dumping all the salt in one place, this builds flavor that tastes balanced in every bite.
  • If you're making a big batch, keep finished tenders warm in a 120°C oven while you fry the rest, they'll stay hot and crispy without overcooking.
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