Once upon a time, I had an idea to make my own chicken fingers. I’d never done it before, so I was nervous. But the idea of eating baked chicken ONE MORE TIME, was enough to drive me insane.
So I took a chance, and you know what?
Two years later, this is still one of the best cooking ideas I’ve ever had.
Before I get carried away here, I’m sure this recipe exists out there somewhere. But considering I’d never grown up eating fried chicken, and never made it in my life, it’s pretty darn impressive I whipped this together. So in my heart, this is my recipe.
These fingers are crunchy, flavorful, and tender!
And I’m pretty sure Michael Scott calls that a “win-win-win”.
If you’re in a rut tonight, this is the answer to your problem! All you need are a few items from your cupboard!
Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
½ cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups panko
Enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan
Salt
My Favorite Seasoning:
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp Alessi Dipping spices
salt
Directions:
- Cut chicken into strips for “chicken tenders” or small pieces for “nuggets”
- Season chicken with “My Favorite Seasoning“.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour, followed by the lightly beaten eggs, and finally the panko. Make sure the chicken is well covered.
Ignore the MILK in this picture. Although, you can use it, it’s not necessary! 🙂
- Heat pan with oil (or use a pot to prevent splashing) over medium heat.
- Once pan is hot (about 2-3 minutes), add in as many chicken pieces to fill up the bottom of the pan. Cover with lid. Cook 2-3 minutes per side.
- Dry on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt to taste.
If making several batches, keep the finished chicken tenders warm in a 200 degree oven.
Like I said, super easy, super delicious. I hope you love these as much as I do!
ENJOY!
PS… my favorite sauces to eat this with include: Frank’s sweet and spicy sauce, homemade yogurt sauce with dill and garlic, or even an extra packet of Chick-fil-a sauce! You can now click here to check out more sauce recipes.
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Frank Hurtte
June 3, 2016 at 7:51 am (9 years ago)Lauren, I can’t believe you grew up without fried chicken on the menu. I thought I would share a bit of family history with you. Your hubby’s great-grandma Ula Hurtte used to make fried chicken literally every day. It seems as though my grandfather Orin Hurtte was fond enough of it he would request it every day. He used to take a couple of pieces to work in the coal mine every day in his lunch bucket. Grandma told me, she would get up early and fry it before he left for work (which would have been very early in the morning). He would have a piece of chicken with his breakfast, then the chicken in his lunch bucket and no doubt left overs for supper later that night. During their courtship, grandma and her twin sister along with grandpa and Uncle Frank (not me but my namesake) used to play cards until the early morning hours then go out and catch a chicken from the yard. Their late night/early morning feast… Fried Chicken.
Cathy
June 7, 2016 at 11:22 am (9 years ago)Katie these are delicious.
Lauren Souers
June 11, 2016 at 9:07 pm (9 years ago)Great story! Wish I could say I got up early to fry Daniel some chicken…
🙂
Cindy Hart
March 26, 2023 at 12:00 am (2 years ago)Hi! I am Frank’s cousin. My dad was Robert Hurtte. This was the 1st time I had heard the chicken story about my grandmother, Ula Hurtte and her husband and my grandfather, Oren. My family lived in Texas while they were all in Taylorville, IL
Thank you for sharing this story and your recipe for fried chicken. I look forward to trying it!