If you have kids, then you probably have a bunch of little chicken fingers fiends running around. These crispy delights are perfect for dipping, and they make a yummy main for lunch or dinner. Try one of our three easy chicken fingers recipes or jazz up frozen chicken fingers to keep your little chicken lovers (and the grown-ups who love them) happy.
Super-Easy Chicken Fingers
These chicken fingers are super-easy to make for those weeknights when you just don't have time to prepare a big meal. Topped with whatever dipping sauce your family prefers, these nuggets are not only a healthier choice than going out, but they actually taste better!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into narrow strips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups Italian or Japanese seasoned breadcrumbs
- Your choice of sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Mix the breadcrumbs and salt together.
- Set up a bowl with the melted butter and another right next to it, holding the breadcrumbs. Set up a very lightly greased rimmed baking pan next to the bowl of breadcrumbs.
- Dip the chicken strips in butter and then roll in the breadcrumbs, covering them completely. Place breaded strips in the baking pan as you finish them.
- Bake the chicken fingers for 10 minutes, then turn them over and cook them another seven minutes until they are brown and juices run clear when poked with a fork.
Korean-Inspired Asian Chicken Fingers
We love what gochujang does for... well, anything really. This Korean chili powder adds a yummy heat for people with slightly spicier palates. If you don't have gochujang powder, you can sub any chili powder you like (sriracha powder, harissa powder, you name it).
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon gochujang powder (or another chili powder)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Mix flour, paprika, salt, pepper, and gochujang powder. Place in a shallow dish.
- Mix panko and black and white sesame seeds. Place in a shallow dish.
- Put the eggs in a shallow dish. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture and pat off any excess. Dip them into the eggs and then in the breadcrumb mixture to coat.
- Deep fry in 350°F oil for 6-9 minutes, until golden brown, or air-fry at 400°F for about 12 minutes, turning once about halfway through cooking.
Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Fingers
Being gluten-free doesn't mean avoiding chicken fingers and other breaded goodies. It's easier than ever to make gluten-free versions of your favorites, including this gluten-free chicken fingers recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch slices
- 6 slices of stale gluten free bread
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian spice mix
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Crumble gluten-free bread with your fingers until you have fine breadcrumbs. Alternately, you can use a coffee grinder or food processor to grind them up, or use about 2 cups of pre-made gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Melt butter in a bowl in the microwave.
- Mix all of the spices together in a separate medium-sized bowl, then add breadcrumbs and mix well.
- Drag chicken strips through butter and then through breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake in a 9x13" baking pan for ten minutes, then flip the strips and cook for another seven. Strips are done when juices run clear.
Delectable Dipping Sauces
Dipping sauces for chicken fingers run the gamut — from kid-friendly ranch to spicy sriracha. These are some of our favorites:
- Chipotle ranch
- Garlic ranch
- Ranch
- Bleu cheese salad dressing
- Thousand Island salad dressing
- Honey-mustard sauce
- BBQ sauce
- Chick-fil-A sauce
- Bang bang sauce
- Ketchup
- Queso
- Guacamole
- Sweet chili sauce
- Ketchup
- Tarter sauce
- 2 teaspoons of sriracha mixed with a quarter cup of mayo.
- A half cup of mayo mixed with 1T brown sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce (trust us on this, it's yummy)
Great Ways to Serve Chicken Fingers (or Jazz Up Frozen Fingers)
Sure, you can put 'em on a plate with some dipping sauce, tater tots (yum!), and a salad. Or, you can jazz them up and see if you can get the kids interested in new foods.
- Put them on a flour tortilla, drizzle them with your favorite sauce, and top with coleslaw.
- Chop them on a salad with your favorite dressing.
- Make chicken finger nachos. Cut them up and serve them on tortilla chips with shredded cheese and sliced chilies. Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping.
- Make a chicken finger burger with your favorite sauce.
- Chop them up on rice and add some steamed veggies.
- Chop them up and sprinkle them on mashed potatoes with some shredded cheese.
- Use them as a stuffing for baked potatoes.
- Serve them on a baked pizza crust with chopped veggies, melted cheese, and BBQ sauce.
- Make chicken fingers tacos with salsa and sour cream.
- Make chicken fingers lettuce wraps with stir-fried veggies.
Delicious Chicken Fingers for Dinner
There are so many things you can do with chicken fingers, whether you make them yourself using one of our recipes or heat up some frozen ones. So if chicken fingers are on your menu tonight, try one of our tasty ideas.
