Utah Bites

Maryland-Style Chicken Fingers

Here is a spicy take on fried chicken fingers that kids like as much as adults do. I use Maryland-style spices to kick things up a notch –  the type you frequently find when eating shrimp and blue crabs while sailing around the Chesapeake Bay.

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Here is a spicy take on fried chicken fingers that kids like as much as adults do. I use Maryland-style spices to kick things up a notch –  the type you frequently find when eating shrimp and blue crabs while sailing around the Chesapeake Bay.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. boneless chicken breast
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce (or your favorite)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • Oil for deep-frying — peanut oil is preferred

Method:

  1. Heat oil for frying to 360 F.
  2. Cut the boneless chicken into strips (fingers) or nuggets.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, Old Bay, paprika, pepper, onion powder and salt. Mix well. 
  4. In another bowl, mix together the egg, hot sauce and buttermilk.
  5. Working with 2 or 3 pieces of chicken at a time, toss the chicken in the bowl of flour to coat lightly. Then toss the chicken in the egg/buttermilk mixture and, finally, put the chicken back into the flour to coat well. Set aside on a clean plate. This is a messy process, so try keeping one hand dry and use the other to do the coating. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, a few at a time. 
  6. Carefully place the chicken into the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden — about 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary, to avoid crowding. 
  7. Remove the chicken fingers from the oil and drain on a rack over paper towels. Allow the chicken to cool for a few minutes.

Serve the chicken fingers with your favorite dipping sauce or just as is. 

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THIS CONTENT IS FROM UTAH BITES NEWSLETTER.

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Food writer Ted SchefflerOriginally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.

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