Easy Fried Chicken Strips Recipe (2024)

By Stacy Williams

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Discover the easiest chicken strips recipe ever! Perfect for busy weeknights, these fried chicken strips will be a family favorite in no time. With minimal ingredients and easy instructions, you’ll enjoy a plate full of golden, extra crispy chicken goodness. Don’t believe us? Dive in to try it out!

JUMP TO RECIPE PRINT RECIPE

It doesn’t matter how healthy I eat normally, I will always go for a fried chicken strip or homemade chicken nuggets. They’ve always been a favorite of mine and that hasn’t changed in 41 years so I doubt it’s going to anytime soon.

But, what I don’t like are massive amounts of preservatives like you find in store-bought chicken strips. I’d rather make them myself and this easy chicken strips recipe is why. It leaves an amazingly crispy breading on each piece of chicken breast and has a flavor that simply can’t be matched by chicken tenderloins from a bag. They’re so good that both you and your kids will love them and of that I am 100% certain!

Easy Fried Chicken Strips Recipe (2)

How to Get Extra Crispy Breading for Homemade Chicken Strips

I’ve seen this question asked on different fried chicken recipes before, so I wanted to address it here. The answer is a double dip. In the chicken fingers recipe below, you’ll notice that I tell you to dip the tenderloin into the flour and egg twice.

Why?

Because this is how you build a killer breading that fries golden brown and holds together instead of falling apart and leaving you with naked chicken breast. Since the breading holds together, you still get the flavor of the garlic powder, onion powder and other seasonings combined.

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Can I Air Fry or Oven Bake Homemade Chicken Strips

Technically yes. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to them, but that’s because I adore the crunch the breading gives. However, if you prefer, you can cook them in the air fryer or bake chicken tenders in the oven. They are significantly healthier this way as you’re not getting the calories from the oil, but they won’t be as crispy once they’re done.

To air fry them, set your air fryer to 350° for 30-45 minutes depending on how thick your chickens tenders are and lay them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. To make easy baked chicken tenders, lay your chicken strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350° until they reach the desired temperature.

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How Do You Make Chicken Tenders Less Dry?

Dry chicken is a common problem for cooks; especially new cooks. The reason your chicken is dry is that you are overcooking it or you are cooking it at a temperature that is too high.

Chicken does need to be fully cooked, but it doesn’t need to be Cajun style unless you’re making an actual blackened recipe. Instead, cook your chicken only until the thickest part of it measures 165°F on a meat thermometer or an instant read thermometer.

What you’ll be left with is a pan of chicken that is fully cooked, but still moist and flavorful.

Why Baking Powder in a Chicken Finger Recipe?

You’ll notice that this recipe adds baking powder to the flour mixture. Don’t skip this unless you’re using self-rising flour. It helps the breading to set up to be more like a batter than a breading and helps the flour mixture to fluff.

Trust me, it’s worth it to use the baking powder.

Easy Fried Chicken Strips Recipe (3)

What Do You Serve with Chicken Strips?

Chicken strips are such a versatile meal that they can be served with almost any side dish and fit right in. I personally like to serve them with a leafy salad or with a pasta salad such as my favorite macaroni salad recipe. They also pair well with French fries or macaroni and cheese!

And of course you can’t forget your favorite dipping sauce! Serve your chicken strips along side a bowl of ranch dressing, honey mustard sauce, a great bbq sauce recipe or even ketchup!

Easy Fried Chicken Strips Recipe (4)

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Easy Chicken Strips

Discover the easiest chicken strips recipe ever! Perfect for busy weeknights, these chicken strips will be a family favorite in no time. With minimal ingredients and easy instructions, you'll enjoy a plate full of golden, crispy chicken goodness. Don't believe us? Dive in to try it out!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken, Freezer Cooking, Kid Friendly

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Drain Time 4 minutes minutes

Total Time 49 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Strips

Calories 261kcal

Author Stacy Williams

Cost $7.00

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs and the milk and beat with a wire whisk until they're combined.

    5 large Eggs, 1/4 C. Milk

  • In another medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda and spices. Stir to combine.

    2 C. All-purpose flour, 2 tsp. Baking powder, 1 Tbsp. Garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. Onion powder, 1 tsp. Seasoned salt, 3 tsp. Poultry seasoning, 1/2 tsp. Pepper

  • Next, use a meat mallet to pound each chicken breast thin.

  • Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut your chicken breasts into strips or nuggets.

    3-4 large Boneless, skinless chicken breast

  • Heat the cooking oil over medium heat in a heavy bottom skillet. The oil is hot enough to cook when you can drop a pinch of the flour mixture into the skillet and it sizzles.

  • While your oil is heating, dip your chicken strips into the egg making sure to get a good, thick coating.

    Canola Oil

  • Dip each strip into the flour and coat them well in the flour mixture. If you prefer an extra crispy coating, dip them back into the egg mixture then back into the flour again.

  • Once the oil is heated, add 3-4 chicken strips to the pot and fry until they're golden brown making sure they are not crowded and that you don't touch them for 60-90 seconds to allow the batter to set.

  • Flip each strip and allow the other side to set as well. Cook for another 5 minutes or so or until both sides are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.

  • Drain on a paper towel (paper or otherwise) and serve hot.

Notes

  • Self rising flour can be used instead of all-purpose. If using self-rising, omit the baking powder from the ingredients list.
  • Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not be correct. Please use discretion if you follow a special diet.
  • Cooked chicken strips may be frozen up to 3-months. Allow to cool fully before freezing in freezer bags. Cook from frozen to reheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 2chicken strips | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg

Easy Fried Chicken Strips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best oil for chicken strips? ›

Seasonings: Keep it simple. Garlic powder, salt, pepper and paprika is all it really takes to flavor the flour for the chicken's coating. Oil: A neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point is what you want for frying chicken tenders. The best oils for frying include canola, vegetable and peanut.

What is the trick to frying chicken? ›

7 Tips for Getting Fried Chicken Extra Crispy
  1. Start by tenderizing.
  2. Don't skip the brine.
  3. Season the flour.
  4. Mix things up a little.
  5. Put some muscle into it.
  6. Fry it twice. (Yes, twice.)
  7. Leave plenty of room.
Dec 5, 2019

How do you get batter to stick to chicken strips? ›

Step 1: Pat the chicken dry

Just as important as the first patting down of the chicken's surface, the final pat down of your meat after covering it with breading helps every piece of crunchy coating adhere. After coating chicken in an egg and breading layer, gently pat all sides.

What should you season chicken with? ›

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

What kind of flour is best for fried chicken? ›

All-purpose flour gives the buttermilk and seasonings something to stick to, while ensuring a wonderfully crispy crust. This crispy fried chicken recipe calls for paprika (which helps with browning), salt, and pepper. You can add more spices and seasonings to taste.

What oil makes chicken crispy? ›

Canola Oil

Benefits: With a high smoke point and neutral flavor, canola oil is excellent for frying chicken.

Is it better to fry chicken in butter or oil? ›

Can you cook chicken with butter instead of oil? You have to cook chicken at a lower temperature if you bake or pan-fry chicken using butter instead of oil. This is because butter has a lower scorching temperature. Your chicken will cook more slowly, but it's also likely to be juicier and full of more flavor.

Do you flour chicken before frying? ›

For the most flavorful Skillet-Fried Chicken, make sure to completely coat the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour.

Do you dip chicken in flour or egg first? ›

You should always start with a layer of flour. This helps absorb moisture on the surface of the chicken, which would keep the breading from sticking and make a mess in the hot oil. The flour also gives the egg something to cling to—otherwise it would slide right off the chicken.

Why does the breading fall off my chicken when I fry it? ›

You don't start dry

The first step to breading chicken is crucial: Make sure the chicken is completely dry before starting the dredging process. Using a paper towel, pat the meat dry on all sides. Excess moisture will cause the flour to get soggy, meaning it will not adhere properly to the chicken.

How to make basic breading? ›

The standard breading technique includes three steps: dredging in flour, moistening in egg wash (beaten egg plus a tablespoon or two of water or milk), then coating in crispy breadcrumbs like Panko.

What is the difference between chicken tenders and chicken strips? ›

To the confusion, chicken tenders and fingers are sometimes sold as chicken strips. This may be a result of the actual chicken meat being cut into strips before they are breaded and fried. According to the USDA, strips, unlike tenders and fingers, do not actually have to be made from breast meat.

What cut of chicken for chicken strips? ›

The whole or half of the breast deboned. Also known as chicken fingers, chicken goujons, chicken strips or chicken fillets, tenders are chicken meat prepared from the pectoralis minor muscles. These strips of white meat are located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major).

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