23 Minute Chicken Strips

Fried tenders with two different sauces.

4 servings
23 minutes
Ethan Chlebowski

Ingredients

Chicken marinade

  • Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
    3
  • Milk
    113 g
  • Salt
    5 ga sprinkle
  • MSG
    5 ga sprinkle
  • Lemon juice
    1/2 lemon

Dredge

  • Flour
    1 part60 g
  • Cornstarch
    1/2 part30 g
  • Black Pepper
    a spoonful
  • Neutral oil
    for frying

Lemon pepper sauce

  • Butter
    28 g2 spoonfuls
  • Lemon zest
    1/2 lemon
  • Lemon juice
    1/2 lemon
  • Garlic Powder
    a spoonful
  • Black Pepper
    a spoonful

Lemon pepper buffalo sauce

  • Hot Sauce
    28 g1 part
  • Butter
    28 g1 part
  • Lemon zest
    1/2 lemon
  • Lemon juice
    1/2 lemon
  • Garlic Powder
    a spoonful
  • Black Pepper
    a spoonful

Method

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

Slice the chicken thighs into 1 to 1.5-inch strips. Place them in a bowl with the milk, salt, MSG, and lemon juice. Mix roughly to combine. The milk will help the flour dredge stick to the chicken.

Meanwhile, set a wok or deep pot over medium heat and add enough oil to the chicken strips, probably about 2 inches.

Step 2: Dredge the chicken

While that's coming to temp, combine the flour, cornstarch, and pepper in a bowl. Take the milk chicken and pour a little bit into the dredge and mix it in. This will create nice clumps that get fried and crisp.

Move the chicken strips to the flour mixture and coat them until completely covered. Press the flour into the chicken so the layer really sticks.

Step 3: Fry the chicken

At the stove, use a thermometer to verify the oil temperature is between 350-375°F/176-190°C.

Slowly drop the chicken thigh pieces into the oil until they become golden brown. In total, the chicken for about 6 to 8 minutes, agitating and flipping a couple of times. I like to pull my chicken at 155°F/68°C.

Move the strips to a paper towel on a wire rack, dab the excess oil, and then place them on the wire rack so they don't get soggy.

  • While the frying magic happens, you can wash your milk bowl, clean up the excess dredge, and wipe down your work surfaces. Always clean as you go.

Step 4: Make the sauces

For the first lemon pepper sauce, add butter to a medium-heat pan and melt until bubbly and the water starts to evaporate. Turn the heat to low and add lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, and a lot of black pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a container and shake to .

For the second sauce, mix lemon zest, garlic powder, and black pepper with buffalo sauce in a bowl.

Step 5: Toss & enjoy

Add the fried strips to a bowl and toss with the lemon pepper seasoning of your choice. Serve with a sauce and enjoy.

“These can done in about 23 minutes including an easy cleanup. I toss them with two variations of a lemon pepper wet sauce.”

Ethan Chlebowski
Creator

Watch & Cook

Nutritional Information

entire recipe
Calories1413
106g
67g
100g

Show macros split into…

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Recommended: 4 servings

FAQ

What should I do with the frying oil?

Don't waste your frying oil. Let it completely cool in the wok, then whenever you can come back to it, set a paper towel over a strainer, pour the oil in and let it drip into the container. Place a lid on it and save it for next time.

Can I use chicken breast or tenders instead of thighs?

You can, just be careful not to overcook the meat. Thighs are much more forgiving and less likely to dry out during the frying process. Check out this recipe I made which is optimized for using breast meat or tenders.

What hot sauce should I use for the buffalo?

Any thin, vinegar based red hot sauce works, like Franks ( the classic option), Crystal, Cholula, or even Tabasco.