Panko Chicken Strips

Feeding four boys….(well five if you count the big one) is no easy task. Each of them have different tastes and preferences— which is completely annoying, but I try my best to accommodate. What is it about pre-teen boys and their taste buds? I mean, they’ll eat pretty much anything in sight, but something seems to happen where all the things they USED to love, they now hate. Case in point - my 11 year old. That kid used to eat so much spaghetti that he had a permanent red ring around his mouth from the tomato sauce. Now? He literally cannot STAND the taste of spaghetti. Sigh. So on the nights that I make a big spaghetti dinner for the fam… this boy makes himself some fish sticks. Sigh….

Searching for that perfect meal that everyone will eat — I realized that all the boys will eat chicken strips. But, I’m personally not a fan of chicken strips in their basic form….so I had to find a way to jazz them up if they’re coming from my kitchen ;-) Well this recipe does just that! Juicy and flavorful, these chicken strips are sure to be a hit for even the pickiest of palates. Pair them with some honey mustard and you’ve got a nice crisp chicken strip that will disappear FAST! Be sure to put some to the side before serving if you intend to get your hands on a few of these :-)

I personally like to use peanut oil to fry these strips, but if you’re looking for a lighter recipe - you can 100% totally make these in the air fryer and they are nearly just as delish!

Here’s what you need for the strips:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenderloin

• 3 eggs

• 1-1/2 cups of flour

• 2 cups of panko bread crumbs - plain (try the seasoned italian panko crumbs for an extra kick!)

• 2 tsps of garlic powder (I prefer California Style garlic powder but any kind will work)

• 1/2 cayenne pepper (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt or Lawry’s seasoning salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon-pepper

• Peanut oil for frying

• Deep fryer OR air fryer OR cast iron skillet (For the purposes of these instructions, I’m working with a cast iron skillet)

Directions for preparing the chicken strips:

1. Preheat oil to 350 degrees in your skillet.

2. Prepare the chicken strips by slicing the chicken breasts into long strips. Set these aside.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl

4. Measure flour and place in separate bowl

5. Measure the panko into a shallow bowl and season the panko with garlic powder, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper (if using), salt and pepper.

6. Here comes the slightly messy part …. I like to use gloves when I do this……..Dip the chicken strips into the bowl with the flour. Then dip the strip into the bowl with the beaten eggs. Finally, dip the strip into the bowl with the seasoned panko.

7. Place the strips in the hot peanut oil for approximately 6-8 minutes until they are a really nice golden brown. Remove the strips from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to capture any grease drippings.

8. Garnish with a little parsley if you’d like :-)

You can make your own honey mustard or use your favorite dipping sauce. Remember how I said all of my boys have different preferences and likes when it comes to food? It’s the same with sauces. Two of my guys really love these with BBQ sauce. The other 2 prefer them plain…… and for me - I love them with honey mustard.

Here’s how I like to make my own honey mustard:

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/2 cup dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons of mayo (I prefer Hellman’s or Dukes)

• 1 packet of Chic-fil-a sauce or 1 tsp. of BBQ sauce

Take all of the ingredients listed above and mix them all together into a bowl until smooth. VOILA!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does. Its quick and easy — a real crowd pleaser — and I suppose you can feel good about not feeding the kids another fast food meal. We often pair this with cauliflower rice and steamed mixed vegetables for a nice and balanced meal.