Crunchy Chicken Finger Meal (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Chicken Fingers
01 -
1 cup buttermilk for soaking
02 -
1 and 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
03 -
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (regular flour works too)
04 -
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 -
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 -
1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
09 -
2 large eggs, whisked (or 1 egg + 2 egg whites)
10 -
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
11 -
3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
→ For the Sriracha Honey Mustard Sauce
12 -
2 tablespoons honey
13 -
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce (Honey Hickory Smoked works best)
14 -
1/4 cup mayonnaise
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1 tablespoon mustard
16 -
1/2 tablespoon sriracha sauce, add more if you like it spicy
# Instructions:
01 -
Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir everything together until smooth. Add extra sriracha if you want more kick. Put it in the fridge while you make the chicken. This lets all the flavors come together nicely.
02 -
Add buttermilk to a big bowl. For chicken breasts, flatten them evenly and slice into 1-inch strips. For tenders, just cut them in half lengthwise. Toss all chicken into the buttermilk so it's fully covered. Wrap the bowl and stick it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes but you can leave it up to 3 hours for tastier results.
03 -
Put two racks near the middle of your oven and heat it to 400°F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats and spray them lightly. Set up three dishes for coating: mix the flour and all spices in the first one, put beaten eggs in the second, and mix panko with parmesan in the third.
04 -
Take chicken from the buttermilk and let extra liquid drip off. Roll each piece in the flour mix first and shake off extra. Then dunk in the egg and let excess run off. Last, roll in the panko-cheese mix and press gently so it sticks well. Put them on your baking sheets with space between each piece.
05 -
Lightly spray both sides of each chicken strip with cooking spray. This helps them get nice and crispy. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake another 10 minutes until they're golden and crunchy. Thicker pieces might need more time. Make sure they reach 165°F inside. Serve them hot with your dipping sauce.
06 -
You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. When you want to eat them again, warm them in a toaster oven at 300°F until they're hot and crispy. Don't use the microwave or they'll turn soggy.
# Notes:
01 -
These are baked not fried chicken fingers, so you'll get all the crunch without the extra grease and calories.
02 -
Soaking in buttermilk makes the chicken super tender and stops it from drying out during baking.
03 -
Don't forget to spray the coated chicken before baking if you want that super crunchy outside.