Description
This Spicy Chicken Strips recipe delivers crispy, flavorful chicken strips coated in a spicy, crunchy exterior. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce, then coated with a seasoned flour mixture before being fried to perfection. Served with tangy dipping sauces like ranch, sriracha mayo, and honey mustard, these strips are the ultimate comfort food with a kick.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Strips:
- 2 lbs chicken breasts (cut into strips)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (or to taste)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For Dipping Sauces:
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey (for a sweet kick)
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken:
- In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce. Mix well.
- Add the chicken strips to the bowl, ensuring they are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for extra flavor).
Prepare the Coating:
- In a separate shallow bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- For extra crispy strips, you can double-dip by dipping the marinated chicken first into the flour mixture, back into the buttermilk, and then into the flour mixture again.
Fry the Chicken Strips:
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. The oil should reach 350°F (175°C) for perfect frying.
- Carefully place the coated chicken strips into the hot oil. Fry in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
- Fry for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F or 75°C).
Make the Dipping Sauces:
- While the chicken is frying, mix together ranch dressing, sriracha sauce, and honey in a small bowl to create a sweet and spicy dipping sauce.
Drain and Serve:
- Remove the chicken strips from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve the hot, crispy chicken strips with your homemade dipping sauces on the side.
Notes
Nutrition Information (Per Serving):
- Calories: 475 kcal
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
- Sodium: 850mg
- Potassium: 400mg
- Iron: 10% of the daily value
- Vitamin A: 8% of the daily value
- Calcium: 6% of the daily value
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 475
Keywords: Americana chicken, crispy fried chicken, homemade fried chicken, comfort food, southern fried chicken, easy fried chicken recipe, Best Dipping Sauces, Crispy Chicken Tenders, Spicy Chicken Strips