Description
Crispy and flavorful, these gluten-free chicken fingers make a delicious appetizer or snack! Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Totally dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 1 1/2 cups dairy-free buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken Marinade: In a small bowl, combine the seasoning spices (granulated garlic, ground paprika, and black pepper) together. Pour half a cup of dairy-free buttermilk into a bowl, mix with 1/3 of the spice mixture and salt, add the egg and beat well to get a homogeneous mixture.
- Marinate Chicken: Place chicken strips in a bowl and stir to combine. If possible, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.
- Coat Chicken Strips in Flour Mixture: Mix the gluten-free all-purpose flour, gluten-free breadcrumbs, cornstarch, baking powder and another 1/3 of the spice mixture. Dredge chicken strips in flour on all sides (you should have extra flour for second round of coating).
- Dip Chicken Strips in Buttermilk: Mix the remaining dairy-free buttermilk with granulated garlic or other spices to taste. Dip chicken strips in buttermilk.
- Coat Chicken in Flour Mixture Again: Once again, roll the chicken strips in the dry mixture and then place them on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Deep-Fry Chicken Fingers: Heat the oil to about 360F. Fry in oil for 7-8 minutes, turning with a spatula. Transfer the fried chicken fingers to paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the gluten-free chicken fingers with your favorite sauce (Raising Cane’s dipping sauce or sriracha aioli).
Notes
Chicken: I like using skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work too. Make sure to cut the chicken into evenly-sized slices.
Buttermilk: I used dairy-free buttermilk to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular buttermilk instead. To make your own buttermilk, combine 1 1/2 cups unsweetened milk of choice with 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and then mix well and let the buttermilk sit for 5 minutes before using.
Egg: The egg helps to bind the ingredients together, so make sure to add it in.
Seasonings: For flavor, I’ve used granulated garlic, ground paprika, and ground black pepper. However, feel free to use whichever condiments you prefer (such as onion powder, ground red pepper, turmeric powder, curry powder etc).
Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
Breadcrumbs: I used gluten-free breadcrumbs to keep this recipe gluten-free. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use plain regular breadcrumbs instead.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch acts an additional binder to bind the ingredients together. Alternatively, you may also use tapioca starch or arrowroot starch instead.
Baking Powder: Baking powder makes the breading airier by creating tiny air bubbles in the breading when cooked. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.
Oil: For frying, you may use sunflower oil, canola oil, peanut oil or another vegetable oil.
Storing: It’s best to eat these gluten-free chicken fingers as soon as they are cooked. However, if there are any leftovers, place them in an airtight container and store them for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven to crisp the chicken fingers up before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Marinating Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
