🍗 Crispy Chicken Strips
Golden, crunchy on the outside and juicy inside — perfect for dipping, sandwiches, or salads.
📝 Classic Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Strips
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs (700 g) chicken breast, cut into strips
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (key for extra crispiness)
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Oil for frying (vegetable, peanut, or canola)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate
In a bowl, mix buttermilk and egg.
Add chicken strips and marinate at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge).
2️⃣ Prepare Coating
In another bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and spices.
3️⃣ Dredge
Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off.
Coat thoroughly in flour mixture.
For extra crunch: dip back into buttermilk and coat again (double dredge).
4️⃣ Fry
Heat 2–3 inches of oil to 350°F (175°C).
Fry in batches 3–5 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
5️⃣ Drain
Place on a wire rack (better than paper towels to keep them crispy).
🔥 Extra Crispy Tips
- Add 1 tablespoon baking powder to flour for lighter crunch.
- Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of buttermilk into flour and mix — creates craggly bits that fry up extra crunchy.
- Don’t overcrowd the oil.
🧂 Flavor Variations
- Spicy: Add cayenne or hot sauce to marinade.
- Southern-style: Increase black pepper and add a pinch of thyme.
- Garlic Parmesan: Toss cooked strips in melted butter, garlic, and grated Parmesan.
- Honey butter: Drizzle with warm honey and a pinch of flaky salt.
🍽️ Dipping Sauces
- Honey mustard
- Ranch
- BBQ sauce
- Buffalo sauce
- Garlic aioli
If you’d like, I can also give you an oven-baked version, air fryer version, or a restaurant-style fast-food copycat recipe.
