Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers- One of the most popular kid-friendly foods gets jazzed up with a honey-roasted peanut coating and a Maple Dijon dipping sauce. Extra crunchy and delicious!
This Peanut-Crusted Chicken Finger recipe (I’ve altered it some) is from one of my favorite southern cookbooks published last year, The Southern Pantry Cookbook: 105 Recipes Already Hiding in Your Kitchen
Chicken Fingers can seem a little bland, but not when coated in a mixture of crushed peanuts and panko crumbs and served with a maple-mustard dipping sauce.
Type Of Peanuts To Use
I’ve used Honey-Roasted Peanuts for a little extra flavor but you can also use regular roasted peanuts. The peanuts and panko crumbs are processed in a food processor until finely ground, making them adhere to the chicken better. The addition of a little cayenne pepper spices them up some.
The Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers are fried in vegetable oil until golden and crispy and then placed in the oven until they are cooked through.
Easy Dipping Sauce
Just three ingredients- mayo, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard, make a simple but delicious sauce.
The peanuts give these chicken fingers a lot of extra flavor and crunch. They’ll be just as popular with adults as they are with kids.
Chicken Fingers never tasted so good!
Oil Temperature
For best frying results, it’s important to keep the oil temperature between 360 and 375 degrees F. If the oil temperature gets too low, the chicken fingers will soak up too much oil and be greasy. If it is too high, the outside will burn before the inside is done. Using a deep-frying thermometer makes it super easy.
How To Serve
I think these Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers would also be fabulous on a salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and can be reheated in a 350 degree oven or an air fryer.
More Chicken Tender Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Honey Mustard Tenders
- Pickle-Brined Chicken Tenders
- Coconut Macadamia Chicken Tenders
- Ranch Chicken Fingers
- Coconut Chicken Fingers
Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- salt and pepper
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup honey roasted peanuts
- 1/4 heaping teasoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs,, lightly beaten
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 4-5 pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place panko crumbs, peanuts, and cayenne pepper in a food processor and process until finely ground. Pour into a shallow bowl or pie pan.
- Place flour in another shallow bowl or pie pan. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place eggs in a shallow bowl.
- Coat each chicken piece in flour, dip in eggs, and then coat in peanut mixture, pressing to coat well. Place strips on a baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour 1-2 inches oil in a Dutch oven and heat oil to 375 degrees.
- Working in batches, fry strips until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake chicken strips for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Serve with dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: adapted from The Southern Pantry Cookbook: 105 Recipes Already Hiding in Your Kitchen
Sharing this recipe with The Weekend Potluck.
Disclosure: This post contains amazon.com affiliate links.
These were divine, thanks so much for sharing them with us! All I had on hand was unsalted dry roasted peanuts, so I seasoned both the flour and the breading well with salt and pepper. I used 1lb chicken breast tenders because I’m lazy and hate cutting raw chicken. I served them with a peanut-lime dipping sauce and my husband adored them.
i agree with the above, these are a step above bland chicken tenders. they were great.
Hi I just want to make sure I understand the baking part correctly. First you deep fry them in oil for 3 minutes and then you bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes? Thank you. Karen
Fry them for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Then finish them in the oven.
I made these and now I have to make them for my husband to take to work potlucks. They are a great big hit!
So good to hear Rhonda!
This is almost identical to what I’ve been making for decades. Except that I use ground pistachios instead of peanuts and I slice the chicken strips a little thinner. And instead of cayenne pepper, I use ground Tellicherry peppercorns. Tellicherry peppercorns have a much more robust flavor and aroma than does the basic Malabar peppercorns, with much less heat. I use it all the time and it does make a difference. I serve my strips on a warmed 10” flour tortilla topped with baby greens, rolled and sliced on the diagonal and served with mixed greens on the side and a honey mustard dipping sauce. It makes for a good light lunch or dinner.