Crispy Golden Chicken Strips (Printer-friendly)

Crispy, golden breaded chicken strips perfect for dipping. Ready in 30 minutes.

# 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 Make It:

01 - Whisk buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl. Add chicken strips and marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours refrigerated for enhanced tenderness.
02 - Set up three shallow bowls: flour mixed with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika in the first; beaten eggs in the second; panko breadcrumbs in the third.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each strip in flour mixture, dip into egg wash, then press firmly into panko breadcrumbs to coat evenly.
04 - Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350°F.
05 - Fry chicken tenders in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to wire rack or paper towels to drain.
06 - Arrange chicken tenders on a serving platter and accompany with barbecue and honey-mustard dipping sauces.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken impossibly tender, almost like it has been slow cooked
  • Panko creates this incredible shatteringly crisp exterior that stays crunchy even after the chicken cools down
02 -
  • Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature dramatically, leading to soggy greasy chicken instead of crispy tenders
  • Letting the chicken rest on a wire rack preserves the crispy texture that paper towels would soften by trapping steam
03 -
  • Pat the chicken strips dry before marinating so the buttermilk can penetrate instead of just sliding off
  • Use one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry to avoid turning your fingers into a breaded mess
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