Southern Fried Chicken Strips

Fried chicken strips with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn are my favorite comfort meal.  My grandma would always make fried chicken and all the sides when I was visiting in the summer.  She was a wonderful cook and baker.  She made the best pies you ever tasted.  I wish that I was listening better when she taught me how to make pie crust.  But I can make some good fried chicken.  I prefer chicken strips so you get the breading in every bite.  I use chicken breasts so you don't have to deal with that gross tenden thing that runs through the chicken tenders.  This is my way of making it at home.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into long strips
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 eggs + 3 T milk + salt + pepper (egg wash)

Cut the chicken breasts into long thick strips (I usually just cut in half).  Place in a deep glass casserole dish and pour buttermilk over chicken.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinade it refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

In a large deep dish, add the flour, baking powder, and spices.  Stir with a fork.  In another dish, add the eggs and spices to make egg wash.

Line two sheet pans with wire racks.

Remove the chicken and complete the breading process:

Place the chicken in the flour and shake off excess. You only want a light coating to adhere the egg. Dip the chicken in the egg wash. Place chicken back in the flour to coat completely and shake off excess.  Place chicken on one of the wire rack lined sheet pans. (Save the other sheet pan for the baking process)

Let the chicken sit and absorb the breading for 10 minutes while your oil heats up.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour canola or vegetable oil into large cast iron skillet making sure to only fill 1/2 way.  I test the oil by putting the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil.  Once bubbles form all the way around the handle tip, the oil is ready.

Fry chicken in batches.  Cook chicken for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove chicken to the clean wire rack lined sheet pan.  Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.  Continue cooking all your chicken in batches.

Bake chicken tenders in the oven until cooked through.  I usually bake them for 12-14 minutes when they are thick.  Sprinkle with kosher salt while still hot.  Enjoy!