Red Hot Crispy Chicken Fingers
Had a single chicken breast leftover and needed something to do with it. A little google and experiment and this turned out better than I expected. Really great flavor and super crispy. Great quick meal.
Had a single chicken breast leftover and needed something to do with it. A little google and experiment and this turned out better than I expected. Really great flavor and super crispy. Great quick meal.
- Carbohydrate 109.959863125 g
- Cholesterol 324.12 mg
- Fat 18.08047874455 g
- Fiber 7.87578140473366 g
- Protein 80.794271875 g
- Saturated Fat 4.14846956209861 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (550g)
- Sodium 5193.83975 mg
- Sugar 102.084081720266 g
- Trans Fat 2.54979881243367 g
- Calories 943 calories
Step-by-step
- Flatten chicken breast evenly to 1/4 - 1/2" thick and cut into 1" strips
- Season chicken with chili powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder (Optional: put in zip lock bag and let marinade up to a few hours).
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan on medium/medium-high
- Add flour and chicken to zip lock bag, shake to coat evenly.
- Mix egg and 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce in a bowl
- Soak floured chicken in spicy egg wash, then on a plate coat with panko bread crumbs.
- Pan fry the chicken ~4 minutes per side or until cooked through and golden brown on each side.
When single cuts of poultry sit in the refrigerator, strict rationing limits what you can build for dinner. Slicing that lone breast into uniform strips bypasses the volume problem completely.
Uniform thickness matters. Pound the meat to a quarter-inch before cutting so the center finishes cooking right as the exterior hits deep golden brown. Spices applied directly to the surface bond to the muscle fibers during resting. Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper create a dry rub layer.
Coating mechanics dictate texture. Dredging the spiced strips in flour absorbs surface moisture. Submerging those floured pieces into a mixture of beaten egg and cayenne-heavy hot sauce provides the adhesive bridge for Japanese panko breadcrumbs. Unlike standard breadcrumbs, panko flakes feature an airy structure that shatters when fried.
Maintain pan oil temperature at medium-high heat. Fry the strips for four minutes per side. Crowding the pan drops oil temperature and creates soggy crusts, so fry in batches if scaling the portion upward.
Swap standard vegetable oil for peanut oil if higher smoke points are required. Cornstarch can replace half the flour to increase crunch further.
