Try this Thai Sticky Chicken Fingers recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (or more or less)
- 1-3/4 lbs chicken breasts cut into 1†thick strips
- 1/2 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour (see notes for br
- 2 tablespoons milk (any kind i used unsweetened almond milk)
- 4 cups gluten-free rice chex pulverized into 2 cups crumb
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds divided
- 1/4 cup gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
- 1 glove garlic microplaned or minced
- Carbohydrate 8.48838397703183 g
- Cholesterol 0.49 mg
- Fat 1.95136596877063 g
- Fiber 0.928415001062228 g
- Protein 1.39892712517952 g
- Saturated Fat 0.209263187503082 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (38g)
- Sodium 125.505716238644 mg
- Sugar 7.5599689759696 g
- Trans Fat 0.111847906254411 g
- Calories 56 calories
Step-by-step
- Line 2 baking sheets with foil then spray very well with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Whisk eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Add 1/2 cup almond slices to a food processor then process until mostly fine crumbs and then pour into another shallow dish. Add Rice Chex to food processor then process until fine crumbs and then add to almond crumbs. (Alternatively you could add Rice Chex to a large Ziplock bag then pulverize by rolling over the bag with a rolling pin.) Season almond + bread crumb mixture lightly with salt and pepper.
- Add flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a large Ziplock bag then toss with chicken fingers until well coated. In batches, shake excess flour from chicken fingers then dunk into egg mixture, and then roll in almond + bread crumb mixture, pressing to make sure crumbs stick. Place onto prepared baking sheets then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to let breading fully adhere - don’t skip this step or breading will fall off. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Spray tops of chicken fingers with extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray then bake for 10 minutes. Flip then spray tops of chicken fingers again with nonstick spray. Place back into the oven, flipping and rotating baking sheets, and then bake for 7-9 more minutes or until chicken fingers are golden brown and cooked through.
- Meanwhile combine ingredients for sauce in a small saucepan then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium then cook until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 5-6 minutes. Pour into a wide bowl then dunk baked chicken fingers into sauce using tongs and place back onto baking sheets. Bake for 4-5 more minutes, watching closely to avoid burning, then serve sprinkled with remaining 1/4 cup sliced almonds and chopped cilantro.
A shattering crunch gives way to juicy meat and a sticky, pungent glaze of sweet chili, tamari, and lime juice. Achieving this texture requires careful attention to breading adhesion and thermal control during the bake.
- Refrigerating the breaded chicken for 25 minutes allows the hydrated proteins in the egg wash to cross-link with the flour and cereal crumbs, preventing the coating from sloughing off in the hot oven.
- Pulverizing Rice Chex cereal in a food processor alongside sliced almonds creates a high-surface-area crumb that browns rapidly at 425 degrees Fahrenheit without absorbing excessive fat.
- When checking doneness without a thermometer, look for firm resistance when pressing the thickest strip and ensure juices run completely clear rather than pink.
- Applying a secondary coating of nonstick oil spray right before the second bake promotes uniform browning on the exterior starches.
- Leftover baked strips store well in an airtight container for up to three days and regain their crisp exterior when reheated in a 375-degree oven for eight minutes rather than a microwave.
Precision in coating thickness ensures every bite balances poultry moisture with crunchy exterior texture. Careful heat management keeps the glaze from burning during the final minutes in the oven.
