Sauced-up Crispy Chicken Fingers Recipe
Crispy Chicken Fingers tossed in your choice of Mild, BBQ or Honey Garlic sauce. Served with ranch for dipping.
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Ingredients
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Chicken & Marinade
Breading
Frying
Sauces (choose one)
Honey Garlic Sauce (if chosen from above)
Ranch Dipping Sauce
Finishing
Method
Chicken & Marinade
- 1
Trim and slice
Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and slice each breast into 4–6 finger-sized strips about 1 inch wide and 3–4 inches long. Pat the strips dry with paper towels.
- 2
Marinate
In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce (if using), 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Submerge the chicken strips, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. This tenderizes and seasons the chicken.
Breading
- 3
Prepare breading stations
Set up three shallow bowls or containers: Bowl 1 — flour mixed with cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bowl 2 — whisk eggs and milk until combined. Bowl 3 — panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.
- 4
Dredge chicken
Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Dredge each strip in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess; dip into the egg mixture, then press into the panko breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly. For an extra-crispy double-coat, return the panko-coated strip briefly to the egg and back into the panko again.
Frying
- 5
Heat oil
Pour about 1–2 cups neutral oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1 inch and heat over medium-high until the oil registers 350°F (175°C) on a thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small breadcrumb — it should sizzle and brown within 30–45 seconds.
- 6
Fry chicken
Working in batches to avoid crowding, gently lower breaded chicken fingers into the hot oil and fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and keep crispy. Repeat with remaining chicken. If oil temperature drops, allow it to return to 350°F between batches.
Sauces (choose one)
- 7
Using bottled sauces
If using Mild Buffalo or BBQ sauce from store-bought bottles, warm 3/4 cup sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until just warmed through (2–3 minutes).
- 8
Make honey garlic sauce (if chosen)
For the honey garlic option: in a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup honey, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. In a small cup, mix 1/2 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry, then stir into the simmering sauce and cook 1 minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- 9
Toss chicken in sauce
Place warm fried chicken fingers in a large bowl, pour desired warm sauce (about 3/4 cup) over them, and gently toss until well coated. For a lighter coating, serve sauce on the side for dipping instead of tossing.
Ranch & Finishing
- 10
Prepare ranch
Pour 1/2 cup store-bought ranch dressing into a small bowl and stir in optional minced chives.
- 11
