Best fried chicken strips

What quantity of chicken breasts do you use for this recipe, please?

Dora

I never had luck frying chicken with a seasoned breading coating until I learned to just skip the milk. Whisk the spices and herbs into the egg. Dip chicken into the egg mix, then dredge in flour. Or if you want a heavier coating, try matzoh meal instead of the flour. Then fry.

This one says one inch of oil?! Yikes! Use just enough to come up to one half of the height of the meat, then turn over.

Or even, quickly fry to "seal" the breading to the meat, and then remove to a wire rack in a pan and finish up in the oven. A lot less oil soaked into the meat, and therefore more healthy.

I like to season the chicken directly. I think you waste seasoning when you put it into the flour or the egg and then throw most of it away. I also think that you end up with seasoned chicken rather than bland chicken with a seasoned coating. I also think it helps to brine the chicken first, even if you only have 30 minutes.

As for the pancake mix - I don't see the point. Pancake mix is flour, baking powder, and salt. It's essentially self-rising flour that you add some egg, oil, and milk to. For southern fried chicken, I brine first, rinse, dry, season, dip in an egg wash, and then into flour. For boneless chicken strips, I brine, rinse, dry, season, dip in egg wash, and then into bread crumbs. The strips cook so quickly that the crumbs don't have a chance to burn. Since I bake my own bread I always have the odd chuck that has gone stale. I put those pieces in the food processor and make crumbs. The crumbs are stored in a large zip-lock bag in the freezer.

Can you please explain your method of brining and what do you make the brine with? Thank you

I generally add a cup of salt and a cup of sugar to about a gallon of water. The chicken, turkey, or pork goes into the solution for several hours or overnight, under refrigeration. If I have small pieces like skinless, boneless chicken, I will just put about a half cup of sugar and salt into a gallon size bag, add some water to dissolve the crystals, add the chicken, and top off with water to cover. About an hour is sufficient to improve the meat. Brining makes the meat stay moist and distributed the salt deep into the interior of the meat. I think that improved both the texture and the flavor. Of course, you don't want to add any more salt when you season the meat before cooking.

Sometimes I liketo use tempura batter for chicken tenders. I usually brine the tenders for a short time first. Dry. Dip in batter and deep fry. The batter I use now is: 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 egg yolk, 3/4 cup club soda or lemon-lime soda or cold water. When I lived in the northwest, I used rice flour instead of cornstarch. I also use this batter for fish and onion rings. BobbiJo

Well... See? That's where yer wrong Big Man! I would guess that the Kind of pancake mix YOU use is flour, baking powder and salt, but that's where yer wrong! It has flour. Cornstarch, Barley flour and buttermilk! (as well as baking powder and a few assorted vitamins and Hydrogenated soybean oil. I believe that the brine step is a good idea, because the real difference between Good fried chicken and fried chicken is the salt. As far as the seasoning is concerned, The cayanne is a strong spice... I just want a little flavor not hot. and I really like the flavor of chicken. Bread crumbs are what soak up the oil. Chicken already has enough oil. Small strips of chicken cook really fast I may have over-estimated the time I cook the strips, but the oil cooks the the chicken coating so fast that very little oil soaks into the "chicken". As it turns out, I knew that I would outrage some expert that would let me know that they had inequivically a better recipe and wouldn't be able to try the recipe because they would know for a fact that they new a better way. More, I have tried every possible way to cook fried chicken strips known to man (maybe not every) and have found, for me, The tastiest, lightest, best recipe is the one I wrote down. Every one I know thinks that I make the BEST fried chicken strips. jjjj

For southern fried chicken, I brine first,

So what you are saying is that you posted a recipe that was not accurate. In order to reproduce your "best" fried chicken strips, you should have specified "Pancake mix with buttermilk, barley, cornstarch, and assorted chemical that I don't care to mention."

Do you not have the ability to dispense just a little cayenne directly onto the chicken or does someone stand over you with a gun demanding that you shake mass quantities from the container? You do realize that you can mix all the seasonings together and then apply them to the chicken? That is exactly what I do. I have a basic rub that I use on a variety of meats. I keep it in a handy container and sprinkle it directly on meat before I cook it. That way I don't have to try to distribute a 1/4 tsp. of cayenne over four chicken breasts nor do I find myself using large quantities of spices that get thrown away with the excess flour or crumbs. That said, do what you want. I only posted the information for people who might be interested in an alternative way of doing things that, in my opinion, results in a better product and saves money.

They can if your oil is too cool.

Really? I thought we were dealing with skinless, boneless chicken. Besides, you don't seem concerned about the hydrogenated soybean oil in your pancake mix. Yum - transfats!

Yes, just like when you use crumbs or any other coating and have the oil at the proper temperature.

As it turns out, I knew that I would outrage some expert that

No, what you did was post a recipe and I commented on it. Frankly, it is you who is being the "expert" and who is adverse to any discussion. I don't recall saying that anyone should consider what I posted to be the "right" or "best" way. I simply stated what I found to be true and gave the reasoning for my advice. What I posted was essentially the same thing as Alton Brown discussed on the fried chicken episode of "Good Eats." So if you are going to get all indignant, you should drop an email to AB, too.

I have a "take it or leave it" approach to the advice and comments that I post. And for the record, I don't use pancake mix. I am perfectly capable of making pancakes from scratch. If you are easily upset by differing opinions, then I would suggest that you do two things. First, please put me in your kill file because I am unlikely to be in 100% agreement with you and will probably say so. By KFing me, you can pretend that I don't exist and will not see my posts. My second recommendation is that you make a notation on all your posts saying that you are not interested in any discussion that challenges your opinions, recipes, or techniques. You might find Rec.food.recipes a better place to post. That newsgroup is moderated and no discussion is allowed. They only accept recipes and requests for recipes. Had you posted there, you could have continued to assume that you are the alpha and omega of chicken strips.

Just "ribbin'" you a little! fer gosh sakes Vox! I didn't know we were gettin' all out there! I'm a Texan... ti's part of our culture. I just posted the recipe because I'd just made it and it was good! I don't Killfile anyone. I didn't think that we get all in a twist.

Here's what Ah'mona do. Ah'mona try it your way! Though more than likely Ah'll use Flour instead of bread crumbs. I usually don't FRY much of anything. but when I do, It's hit or miss as to if they come out superb or just good. jjjj

I'm sorry Vox, I know that I must be in your Killfile, but I was tooting my horn. been in a bad place lately. Every thing you said below really makes sense. I always brine my turkeys... never thought about using a brine for chicken.

Nope. I've just been really busy lately with gardening stuff and some surprise house guests. I guess that I was a bit quick to take offense, but I couldn't tell you were kidding. Don't worry about it.