Julie's Chicken Fingers

This recipe was developed while living in Los Angeles. My husband and I (yes! both of us) began a quest to develop the best chicken finger recipe ever. . . after many, many attempts (and my husband finally giving up) I pushed forward and ended up with (what we both think) is the best stuff ever. I have had more requests to make this dish, than any other. . . ever. This is a fairly easy recipe, but, it's very messy (just to warn you). But, well worth the clean up!

Ingredients
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 to 3 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 cups buttermilk
Canola, vegetable or peanut oil
Tabasco sauce


Fill a medium sized saucepan about 2 inches deep with oil. Heat to 375 degrees (about medium-high to high.) 

Cover a baking (cooling) rack with paper towels and set near pot of oil (but not too close.) 

Pour buttermilk into a medium bowl. Shake a few drops of Tabasco sauce into buttermilk and mix. Set aside. 

In a large/deep bowl (or Ziploc Freezer bag) combine flour, paprika, salt, sage, dry mustard, chili powder and pepper. Dredge chicken in batches (about 4 to 5 pieces at a time) in flour. Remove. Then soak each piece in the buttermilk (one at a time) and return again to the flour. Coat well (see photo below). Keep the 4 to 5 pieces in the flour. 

Transfer chicken (using a long pair of tongs) from flour bowl to hot oil and cook about 2 minutes on each side. (Chicken should immediately rise to top of oil and bubble rapidly. Test a small piece of chicken or flour before to make sure oil is hot enough, but not too hot.) Chicken should be a medium to dark golden brown when done. Remove and place on rack to cool and drain excess oil. Lightly season with kosher salt. Continue dredging and cooking chicken in batches until all are cooked. 

Serve with my Buttermilk Ranch from Scratch and BBQ sauce.



Best when served with my Apple Cashew Coleslaw. ENJOY!