Chicken Tenders Recipe: Homemade Chicken Fingers, Strips, Fillet

Chicken Tenders Recipe ( Chicken Fingers, Chicken Strips, Chicken Fillets)

Chicken Tenders is a crispy breaded chicken breast recipe that is usually fried but can also be baked. The chicken breast or chicken tenderloin is used for this recipe; it is first cut into strips that look like fingers, hence the name: chicken fingers, chicken strips. Though chicken fingers refer to the name of the recipe, the words chicken tenders or chicken fillet can be used as the name of the part of chicken used in this recipe as well as to refer to the recipe itself.

Therefore, Chicken fingers can also be called chicken tenders, chicken strips, chicken fillets, or chicken goujons. It is usually coated with breading but can be prepared without breading as well. Chicken fillets originated in the USA and were first made and named by the founders of Spanky’s in Savannah, Georgia. Spanky’s today is known as the Home of the Original Chicken Finger.

Table of Contents

Chicken Strips Ingredients

  • 2 Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenders
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of Cornflour ( Cornstarch)
  • 1 tsp of Salt
  • 1/3 cup of Buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp of Tomato ketchup
  • 1/2 tsp of Paprika Powder
  • 1 tsp of Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp of Ginger Powder and 1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 tbsp of Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp of Onion Powder and 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper Powder
  • 1 lightly beaten Egg
  • 2 cups of cooking oil

How to Make Chicken Tenders ( Homemade Chicken Fingers Recipe)

  • First, slice the chicken breasts into slices, horizontally;
  • Then cut vertically into strips or fingerlike shapes.
  • Bring the cut chicken strips into a mixing bowl and add the ingredients for marinating it.
  • Add 1/3 cup of Buttermilk, 1 tbsp of Tomato ketchup, 1/2 tsp of Paprika Powder, 1/2 tsp of Garlic powder, 1/2 tsp of Ginger Powder, 1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper, 1 tbsp of Soy Sauce, 1/2 tsp of Onion Powder, 1 lightly beaten egg and 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper Powder.  Buttermilk enhances the flavor and taste of your chicken goujon recipe.
  • Mix and then wrap with plastic wrap or thin film and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
  • After an hour, the chicken strips should have been marinated.
  • In a different bowl, add 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of cornflour; season the flour mixture with 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.
  • Stir to combine using a whisk.
  • Now begin breading or coating the marinated chicken strips with the seasoned flour mixture. You can use breadcrumbs for your breading.
  • Simple pick one raw chicken finger and dip it in the flour mixture, make sure it is well coated, and then place it on a tray. Do this until you are done coating all the strips.

Frying or Baking the Chicken Tenders Recipe

  • Chicken tenders recipe can be fried or baked. The baked chicken tenders may not be golden brown in color as the fried chicken strips. Baking ensures it is crispy whereas deep-frying gives it a fine golden brown color as well as making it crispy on the outside but soft inside.
  • For a spicy chicken fillet, you can add more cayenne pepper and black pepper.
  • Place a pan on the heat and then add 2 cups of cooking oil. For a healthy chicken fillet recipe, always use cooking oil that is good for the heart such as olive oil. An air fryer can be used as well.
  • Once the oil is heated, use a tong to pick the coated chicken strips and drop them into the hot oil. Make sure the chicken fillets are completely immersed in the oil (deep-frying). This ensures even frying.
  • You can flip in the course of frying the chicken strips so that all parts fry evenly.
  • Once the chicken fingers are golden brown in color, remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel.
  • Do not overcrowd the pan.

The chicken fingers recipe can be enjoyed right away or with a dipping buffalo hot sauce. This was an easy way to make homemade chicken fingers recipe that you get to control the type of ingredients added.

Chicken fillet is very common in the United States of America, it is usually mass-produced and then frozen and sold in commercial quantities. One of such companies is Tyson. It can be found in some eateries and restaurants such as KFC, McDonald’s, or Popeyes.