Crispy Sesame Chicken Strips

It’s hard to resist the lure of a bag of frozen chicken strips, but after one too many times eating less-than-stellar ones, I’ve now concluded homemade is best. With minimal ingredients and not a lot of time, these chicken strips come out crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside every single time. 

Start with boneless, skinless chicken strips for the easiest results. Cutting the chicken breast across the grain into strips is the single most important takeaway of this recipe — it will yield the most tender results once fried. Aim to keep the strips more or less even in size, although some variation is to be expected. (Simply give a little more time in the hot oil to the bigger pieces and a little less to the small pieces.)

Seasoning every layer of the breading is also key. Waiting to add salt only at the very end will likely yield bland, boring chicken (and no one loves that!). Switch up the seasoning to vary the flavors. Instead of Italian seasoning, use lemon pepper or taco seasoning. If your seasoning already has salt, either reduce or eliminate additional salt in the recipe. 

Both are very similar and can be used interchangeably, although chicken tenders are usually made from the tenderloin: the small strip of meat directly under each chicken breast. Chicken strips can be made from either the tenderloin or the chicken breast. 

Once the chicken is breaded, you have a few options when it comes to cooking them.

1. Baked: Baking the strips in a hot oven is a simple way to cook a large amount of chicken strips at once. They won’t be quite as crispy and golden, but if you prefer to limit your fat intake this is a good option. 
2. Deep-fried: For the crunchiest chicken strips, the best route is deep-frying. Depending on the pan you use, you can fry quite a few at a time and fairly quickly. However, deep-frying is often messy and you’re left with a pot of oil afterwards that’s hard to get rid off. 
3. Pan-fried: Frying the chicken strips in a skillet in a shallow layer of oil is the best of both worlds. The results are crunchy, like a deep-fried version, but not as messy. This is the cooking method of choice in this recipe. 
4. Air-fried: An air fryer can work well for this recipe. The chicken strips will likely need a generous spray of oil before going into the air fryer so they can can crisp up. 

Serve a platter of chicken strips with any of the following sides:

1. Coleslaw
2. Potato salad
3. Lightly dressed green salad
4. Roasted vegetables (like asparagus or sweet potatoes)
5. Creamed corn

Serve chicken strips with any of the following sauces:

• Honey mustard (pictured in the recipe)
• BBQ sauce
• Warm marinara
• Sour cream and onion dip
• Ranch dressing
• Thai sweet chili sauce
• Good old-fashioned ketchup