Picky Eater Chicken Finger (recipe)

Picky Eater Chicken Finger (recipe)

November 23rd, 2008

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Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce! The ultimate Picky Eater Party Food! Hey, you want some waffles with that?

CAUTION: Recipe requires marinating time of 12 - 24 hours. Seriously, yo. Sure, you can let it marinate for less time… it’s your chicken. But go for the 24! It’s worth it.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Serve with Wing Sauce and make Boneless Buffalo Wings.

Ingredients for Betty’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers:

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
buttermilk, to cover (1 - 1 1/2 cups)
hot sauce, to taste (Betty likes Tapatio)
black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp dried parsley
sea salt
black pepper
Oil for frying

TIP: Make the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce when you marinate the chicken. The sauce will have better flavor if it “marinates” overnight, too.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
2/3 cup mayonnaise (light or regular)
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard (Betty prefers Grey Poupon)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
dash cayenne pepper

Picky Eater Chicken Finger!
Picky Eater Chicken Finger!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Cut chicken into strips. Place in a plastic container with a snap-on lid. (Or zip-top plastic bag.)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Season with black pepper and your favorite hot sauce. If you don’t have hot sauce, substitute with a dash or two of Cayenne pepper.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Pour enough buttermilk over chicken pieces to cover.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Stir around to coat. Cover and allow to marinate in your refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Seriously, yo.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
After chicken has marinated, pour chicken through strainer to remove excess buttermilk and place into a bowl.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Set up a station for breading the chicken pieces. In one pan, combine flour, salt, pepper and parsley (if you have a really picky eater, skip the parsley). Have another empty pan to place the breaded chicken pieces.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Dredge chicken pieces in seasoned flour.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Place in receiving pan lined with wax paper.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Dredge all chicken pieces through flour and layer between sheets of wax paper in pan.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Heat oil in a tall-sided pot (to prevent splattering) or use a deep-fryer if you have one. Oil should be heated to 350 - 375(F). Carefully add chicken pieces to oil in small batches. Fry 6-10 minutes (depending on size) until golden brown, crisp and delicious.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Drain chicken pieces on paper towels.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
HOT TIP: Betty likes to use a paper plate under her paper towel for maximum oil-sucking ability. After draining, place on a wire rack on a cookie sheet in a pre-heated 350(F) oven to keep warm and crisp while frying rest of chicken.

Hey Honey, Mustard!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Stir together and refrigerate.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Betty knows people love Buffalo Wings. And what’s better than a Boneless Buffalo Wing? OK, maybe a lot of things. But to make “Wing Sauce” choose your favorite Hot Sauce and add butter or margarine according to label directions.

BTW: Betty uses a Mexican style hot sauce (Tapatio) to season the buttermilk marinade. For the Wing Sauce, Betty likes Louisiana… but Frank’s seems to be the crowd favorite.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Serve Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, Wing Sauce and Blue Cheese Dressing. Don’t forget the celery sticks! And Ranch Dressing, too? Fried Chicken is party food, so make it fun!

Makes about 16 Chicken Fingers and about 1 cup Honey Mustard.

TIPS FOR MAKING AHEAD AND STORING:

To bread and store for frying at a later time, layer floured chicken in pan with wax paper. Cover and store chicken in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. When you are ready to fry, dredge chicken pieces through seasoned flour again. Fry in hot oil and follow remaining directions.

Store fried chicken strips in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bake in a preheated 375(F) oven for 10-12 minutes. Best if used in next 48 hours.

To store fried chicken strips in the freezer, wrap individual fingers in cling wrap. Double wrap if storing for more than 1 week. Place individually wrapped chicken pieces into larger airtight container. Place frozen chicken strips into a preheated 350(F) oven for 20 minutes. Just like a TV dinner.

Search terms: picky eater chicken finger recipe, boneless buffalo wings recipe, buttermilk fried chicken fingers recipe, recipe for picky eaters, chicken nuggets, chicken strips, fried chicken recipe, country-style fried chicken, old-fashioned fried chicken recipe, appetizer recipe, party food, party recipes, super bowl recipes, honey mustard like chili’s

Link to the Picky Eater Chicken Finger video.
Link to the Picky Eater Chicken Finger blog post.
Link to the full Average Betty Archive.

Want some waffles with that?

Link to the The Best Waffles Ever! recipe.
Click for printer-friendly version!
Link to the The Waffler video.
Link to the accompanying The Waffler blog post.
Link to the full Average Betty Archive.

Entry Filed under: Recipes

19 Comments Add your own

1. marilyn @ simmer till done | November 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am

These are like hot sauce-chicken perfection. “Maximum oil-sucking ability” is important in a kitchen. Good to know!
2. steve Garfield | November 24th, 2008 at 10:24 am

Hi,
So can you use one of those tall pots normally used for boiling water and making pasta?
–Steve
3. Average Betty | November 24th, 2008 at 10:33 am

Thanks, Marilyn! They are pretty tasty… and who couldn’t use a little maximum oil-sucking once in awhile?

Hi Steve!
Yes, the two pots I have for making pasta/boiling water are perfect for this. One is 5″ in height, the other is 8.” I like to use the 5″ one because it is wider… that’s the one in the pics above Be sure to use long tongs to keep your skin as far away from the bubbling oil as possible, too.

Let me know if you try it and take some pictures for me, y’all!!!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Betty
4. steve Garfield | November 24th, 2008 at 11:53 am

Thanks.

I think I might try it. One thing that is very important is the type of oil you use. I found out that frying does not mean it’s bad for you.

Check this out from Spices of Life, the show I worked on last year:

Walter Willett from the Harvard School of Public Health answers the question, “How can it be fried and good for you?”

Video: http://blip.tv/file/324073/
5. Phoenix56317 | November 24th, 2008 at 1:21 pm

Betty, these are so AWESOME ! After cooking up a batch, I only got 1 little piece but it was so good. FYI; Due to health reasons and just an ounce of prevention here, I discarded the left over marinate sauce.
6. Gera | November 24th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Hi!

You know that you shot to the right target with this honey mustard -it’s my favourite for everything!!
With chicken is so perfect combination! I’ll take seriously to marinate at least for 12 to 24 hours!
By the way I take an order of waffles too!

Gera .:. sweetsfoods
7. Southern Plate | November 24th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

As an Alabamian, may I just say that you just won over the hearts of every Southerner alive!
OH MY these look good!!!!!
Not just good but SLAP YOUR MAMA Good!!!
You, my dear, are anything BUT an average Betty!
Christy
8. Jason Jerbil | November 25th, 2008 at 2:55 pm

i’m gonna make this just to be able to dip in those hot sauces, cool, lol
9. Average Betty | November 25th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

Hey Steve,
Great video! And yes, trans fats are evil and I think at this point, removed from most cooking oils and shortenings. I’ve also heard that if your oil is the proper temperature, your food will retain less oil too. I hope you give this a try - you can’t eat turkey all weekend can you?

Hi Phoenix!
Thanks for mentioning to discard the buttermilk marinade! Definitely don’t need that hanging around. So happy to hear the chicken was great

Gera!!
Mmm, I love the Honey Mustard and Chicken combo and the Chicken and Waffles combo too. Salty and sweet deliciousness.
The longer you marinate, the better it will be…

Southern Plate!
Truly, a comment that means so much to me. If anyone knows their fried chicken, it’s an Alabamian! Thank you so much!

Jason,
Thanks for coming over from Flickr! I must say, it is debatable what people love more: the chicken or the sauces they get to try with every bite

Love y’all!
Betty
10. gaga | November 25th, 2008 at 10:40 pm

Yum, that looks sooo good! I love spicy fried chicken and honey mustard is always a winner.
11. gamergirl | November 26th, 2008 at 7:51 am

These look awesome!
12. PaniniKathy | November 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm

I’m really looking forward to making these! I use a similar marinade approach for making “regular” fried chicken and I know just how tasty it is. And thanks for the advice on freezing!
13. solomon | November 28th, 2008 at 1:51 am

i added some panko bread crumbs.. mmmmm
your the best betty
14. Michelle | December 2nd, 2008 at 7:37 am

if i can not get Tapatio (cause I don’t live in USA) can i do it with Tabasco????
15. Average Betty | December 2nd, 2008 at 9:30 am

Thanks gaga & gamergirl!
Glad you like the tips on freezing PaniniKathy! It really does work
Great addition of the panko bread crumbs solomon! Extra crunchy

Hi Michelle,
If you are a big fan of Tabasco you can. I would use a couple dashes of Cayenne Pepper instead though Hope this helps…

Send me pictures of your fried chicken y’all!
16. pam | January 13th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

I made these for my 3 yr old grandson…MINUS the hot sauce. He is THAT picky! He loved them, and the ranch dipping sauce that I used. This was almost too easy. Thanks!
17. Average Betty | January 13th, 2009 at 7:31 pm

WOO HOO, pam! Thank you so much for letting me know the chicken fingers turned out well AND it was so easy! You have a very lucky grandson to have a grandmother like you
Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Betty
18. Rowena Ackland | January 20th, 2009 at 12:33 am

Dear Betty

Im also a first time cook could you please tell me why my sauce tastes of egg?

Many thanks

Row
19. Average Betty | January 20th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

Hi Row,

Your sauce for this recipe? Hmmm… there are no eggs in the Honey Mustard… Maybe check to make sure your mayonnaise, mustard and honey are fresh?

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Betty