A relatively unknown (to my friends, admirers, and enemies) hobby of mine happens to be cooking. Ever since we first got cable when I was in middle school and I first laid eyes on the Food Network, specifically Emeril Lagasse, I fell in love with cooking and I’ve done it ever since. I began diddling about with random cookie recipes and now I experiment with everything from my own hummus and fresh cooked pita bread to fried chicken or whatever fits my fancy at the time. My friends love me for this hobby because they can bring me things and they know I’ll cook it for them as long as I get to eat some too. It’s really just a win-win situation for everyone involved.

So for this entry, I thought I’d share with you a recipe I discovered a short while ago that worked out better than I could have imagined: homemade chicken fingers.

Homemade Chicken Fingers

For this recipe you will need:

• Peanut oil
• 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts of chicken tenders (either work, just with the breasts you will have to slice them into tenders)
• 3 Eggs
• 1 Cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of standard store-bought bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

(I actually would recommend adding a bit more of the different seasonings to kick the flavor up a bit, I found that following the recipe exactly results in tasty, mild tenders)

Directions

1. Preheat the oil to hot in a large pot on the stove or in a fryer (whichever is available).
2.  Beat the 3 eggs in a separate bowl and measure the flower into a separate dish.
3. Measure the bread crumbs out into a shallow bowl and mix in the garlic powder, lemon-pepper, and cayenne.
4. Begin by dipping the chicken tenders in the flour, then the beaten egg, and then dredge them in the seasoned bread crumbs.
5. Fry the tenders in the peanut oil anywhere from 6-8 minutes or pretty much until they  are golden brown and you feel that they are cooked all the way through.
6. Remove the tenders to a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.

Voila! You have your own delicious fried chicken fingers!

To go along with the tenders you may want to use this recipe for honey mustard that excellently complements the chicken.

Honey Mustard

• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Mix all of these ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and refrigerate for at least a week. It is a delicious sauce that goes perfectly with the chicken.

This recipe is great! I made my chicken and served it alongside some fresh homemade biscuits and a fruit salad. It was a delicious treat. The recipe is relatively simple and highly rewarding. If you’re looking for a party tray, this may be your lucky day.

I enjoyed the whole process including the sticky, nasty mess of dredging the chicken through flour, eggs, and bread crumbs and I am looking forward to toying with new recipes in the future. I am currently considering trying Gyros next…

Until next time…Enjoy! Bon Appétit!

~Daniel

[via Kosnet]