Chicken Strips with 3 Sauces (Chicken Fingers)

I don’t remember where I got the recipes for the dipping sauces, but they are all really good and will please a variety of different tastes. There is a blue cheese sauce, honey mustard, and an apricot balsamic sauce. Doc Watson’s used to serve bottled BBQ sauce with their chicken fingers and I liked that a lot.

Faith: Grilled Chicken Strips. I have not tried the breaded chicken strips in this recipe, but the sauces are great on grilled chicken strips without the breading. Doc Watson's Pub here in Philly makes them this way and calls them Chicken Fingers.

To make Doc Watson's Grilled Chicken Fingers: Cut boneless chicken breasts against the grain into long strips 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide (Doc Watson's cuts the breasts after they are grilled and are plating them) and rub them with a little corn oil, salt, and black pepper - skip the breading. Grill either outdoors or on an inside grill just until the chicken is cooked. The grill should be hot so you get nice grill marks, but be careful that you don't dry them out. They should be moist and juicy. Serve with the sauces below for dipping. Another good sauce is BBQ sauce from a bottle, making a 4th sauce. Doc Watson's serves theirs with just 2 sauces: BBQ Sauce and Honey Mustard Sauce.

Another sauce to try for dipping: Dreaded Red Menace.

Homemade Chicken Fingers
from https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/

Homemade chicken fingers marinated in buttermilk, then fried to crispy golden brown. They can be served with sides such as potatoes and a vegetable for dinner, or serve them up as a hearty appetizer on game day.

The first step in this recipe is to marinate the chicken in buttermilk. This tenderizes the chicken and helps the seasoned flour stick to the chicken. The chicken fingers get dipped into the flour mixture, then egg, then the flour again to create an extra thick and crispy exterior. The final step is to fry your chicken tenders until they’re golden brown. Add your favorite dipping sauce on the side, then enjoy!

This recipe calls for chicken breast tenders, also called chicken breast tenderloins. The tender is a flap of meat that sits directly under the main part of the chicken breast. These pieces of chicken are often more tender than standard chicken breast, hence their name. If you can’t find chicken tenders, this recipe will work just as well with strips of boneless skinless chicken breast.

These chicken fingers are soaked in buttermilk, coated with flour, dipped in egg, coated with flour again, then deep-fried. You can also bake the chicken fingers (see below).

2 pounds chicken breast tenders
1 1/2 cups buttermilk [or milk with a little vinegar added or a little yogurt thinned with water]
3 eggs beaten
1 3/4 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
vegetable oil for frying

Place the chicken breast tenders and buttermilk in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Place the beaten eggs in a medium sized bowl.

Place the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, onion and baking powder in a second bowl. Stir the flour and spices together until well combined.

Take each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk mixture. One at a time, coat the chicken in the flour, then dip in the egg, then coat again in the flour. Repeat until all chicken pieces are coated. [Can be placed on a sheet pan.]

Heat 3 inches of oil in a large deep pot to 350 degrees F.

Cook 4-5 pieces of chicken at a time for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels, then serve.

Baked Chicken Fingers: If you prefer to bake your chicken fingers, you can do so by using breadcrumbs as the coating instead of flour. You’ll want to combine 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs with the spices listed in the recipe. [Mix in some butter or oil if you do not have cooking spray as used in the next few steps.] Coat each piece of chicken in egg, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the chicken pieces on a greased sheet pan and coat them with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until tenders are golden brown.

6 servings

Blue Cheese Sauce:
Stir together 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup heavy cream (I just use half-n-half if that is what I have on hand), 1/2 teaspoon tabasco, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Honey Mustard Sauce:
Stir together 2/3 cup Dijon Mustard, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup honey, and 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Apricot Balsamic Sauce:
Stir together 1 cup apricot preserves, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
OR 1/2 cup apricot jam, 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, 1/8 tsp chili flakes
OR 1/2 cup apricot jam, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

[Bottled BBQ sauce, making a 4th sauce, as served at Doc Watson's]