I’ve been using this recipe to make chicken strips and nuggets for….. ah, well, a long time anyway. It has never let me down and consistently makes a lot of full and happy bellies with everyone I’ve ever made it for. It was one of just five foods my pickiest of picky kids would eat when very little, and my other 3 not as picky kids, love it, as well as everyone else’s kids that have had it, and their parents…. well, you get the point. It’s a winner.
I’ve kind of coveted my recipe for a long time, but I’ll get even more joy knowing others are making and sharing the goodness. It doesn’t taste like that secret recipe that is perpetually getting “leaked” – it’s way better. The kids almost go into mourning when they realize that it’s been 3 or 4 months since I made it last and this is the single chicken recipe that ensures I stock up when chicken breast is on sale.
It contains NO MSG, and you can easily leave out the salt and not miss it. Feel free to experiment with flours or breadcrumbs – sometimes I’ll use panko or regular bread crumbs or other types of unseasoned coatings, and I don’t see a reason that oat or another flour wouldn’t work just fine if you avoid wheat flours.
The seasonings are the key – not only the selection, but the amounts. You don’t use a tiny amount, you need to load the flour with it so enough sticks to the chicken to do it’s magic. It is fried – I’ve done both deep fried and pan fried, but I’ve never tried to oven bake it and I don’t have an air fryer to have a clue how that would go. Peanut oil is my go to fryer oil even had $5/litre, I don’t use canola (the link at the very top of the page goes into detail about that hot mess), and peanut oil is yumm-o for frying in. Five Guys Hamburger’s knows that too!
As absolutely delicious as my chicken strips are, if you make my homemade ranch dressing/dip to dip the strips in, you will find a new obsession. Oh man. So, so good. My favourite green salad is lettuce, a bunch of veggies, these chicken strips, and my homemade ranch. I’m getting read to make dinner as I type this (just tuna casserole tonight) and I really want to make more chicken strips instead, and it was only a few days ago that I last made them.
So good.
I’m always happy to see comments, let me know if you make this and what you thought, or if you have any questions!
Chicken Strips
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts large, cut into desired sizes for strips or nuggets
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg large
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2-3 tbsp dry mustard
- 2-3 tbsp paprika
- 1-2 tbsp onion powder
- 1-2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1-2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- If using a deep fryer, preheat to 350°f. If pan frying, layer 1" or more oil in large pan and heat on medium to medium high heat.
- Combine egg and milk in a small mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour and all the seasonings, mix well. For lighter seasoned chicken, use the smaller amount, or the larger amount for more seasoned chicken.
- Dip each piece of chicken first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dipping into the milk mixture, and then back into the flour mixture, pressing piece into the flour on all sides to coat it well. Set each piece on a cookie sheet or cutting mat, until all chicken is coated.
- Too cook in deep fryer: keep basket submerged and carefully lower one piece at a time, giving the basket a little jiggle to prevent sticking. Don't over crowd fryer to ensure even cooking. Cook for 4-8 minutes depending on chicken thickness - check the thickest piece of each batch with a digital thermometer, the center should reach 165°f. Lift basket up to remove cooked pieces with tongs onto a plate lined with paper towels.
- To cook on stovetop: gently lower coated chicken pieces into hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then, using tongs, flip each piece over and cook for 3-6 more minutes depending on chicken thickness - check the thickest piece of each batch with a digital thermometer, the center should reach 165°f. Remove cooked pieces with clean tongs onto a plate lined with paper towels.
- Keep warm by placing pieces on a cookie sheet in a warmed oven, until all pieces are cooked.
Notes
Nutrition
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