Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1148kcal
These Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips deliver all the crispy, golden goodness of fried chicken without the oil or mess. Served with sweet potato fries, creamy homemade ranch, and a fresh cabbage salad, it’s a healthier, guilt-free indulgence that’s perfect for family dinners or weekend treats!
Ingredients
BAKED CHICKEN STRIPS
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 600 g chicken tenderloins (tenders/mini fillets) (see note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 60 g unsalted butter
- Olive oil spray
FLOUR MIX
- 150 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 90 g panko breadcrumbs
- 1½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
SWEET POTATO FRIES
- 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 1 cm (½ inch) thick fries
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
RANCH DRESSING
- 60 ml buttermilk
- 60 g whole-egg mayonnaise
- 60 g sour cream (can be substituted with Greek yoghurt)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra to garnish (optional)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
CABBAGE SALAD
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 300 g finely shredded green cabbage
Instructions
- Preheat a large deep baking tray in a 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) oven.
- Make the flour mix – Add the flour mix ingredients to a large, shallow bowl. Stir to combine.
- Coat the chicken – Add the eggs to another large bowl along with 35 g (¼ cup) of the flour mix. Whisk to combine (this helps the egg mixture adhere to the chicken). Add the chicken and stir to combine so that each chicken piece is coated in the egg mixture.
- One by one, remove each chicken tenderloin from the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat it in the remaining flour mixture, using the palm of your hand to push the chicken into the coating and to flatten the chicken to an even thickness.
- Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, add the olive oil and butter and stir to melt.
- Place the chicken onto the baking tray and spray it generously with olive oil spray so that the tops of the tenderloins are evenly coated. Make sure the chicken pieces are not touching.
- Cook the chicken – Bake for 10 minutes until the bottom of the chicken is golden brown and crisp. Carefully flip the chicken over and continue to bake for another 6–8 minutes until golden brown and crisp. The length of time you bake will depend on the size of the chicken. I used standard-sized tenderloins, which took 18 minutes. Do not bake for any longer than 22 minutes – the longer the chicken cooks, the more chance for it to dry out.
- Rest – Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes on a wire rack (or on a paper towel). As it cools, its crust will firm up.
- Make the sweet potato fries – Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). (Note: the sweet potato fries can be cooked simultaneously with the chicken – place the chicken at the top of the oven and the sweet potato fries in the base of the oven.) I like to add the potatoes 5 minutes before the chicken.
- Place the sweet potato onto a large baking tray with the cornflour, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Add the olive oil and toss again until coated.
- Spread the fries out across the tray so they are not touching. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes to allow them to firm up a little.
- Make the ranch dressing – Combine all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Make the cabbage salad – Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine using tongs.
- Serve – Divide the sweet potato fries across four plates, top with the chicken and a side of the cabbage salad. Serve the ranch dressing on the side for dipping. Sprinkle over the extra chives to garnish, if using. Alternatively, serve family-style in the centre of the table for everyone to help themselves!
Notes
Note 1 – You can use up to 800 g (1¾ lb) of chicken in this recipe (there is a generous amount of the flour mix to allow for easy coating). You can also use thinly sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breast as an alternative to tenderloins.
Make Ahead
- Ranch – The ranch dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Chicken – Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before baking. Reserve the leftover flour mixture to dredge the chicken again before baking (as the batter will absorb the mixture as it sits).
- Sweet potato fries – The sweet potatoes can be pre-sliced and tossed with the cornflour and seasonings a day in advance.
Leftovers
Store leftover chicken, sweet potato fries and salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salad will soften but will be equally delicious. Reheat the chicken and fries in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 5–8 minutes to maintain crispiness. Leftover ranch dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Not suitable to freeze.Nutrition Facts
Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips
Amount per Serving
Calories
1148
% Daily Value*
Fat
62
g
95
%
Saturated Fat
19
g
119
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
9
g
Monounsaturated Fat
30
g
Cholesterol
219
mg
73
%
Sodium
2178
mg
95
%
Potassium
1390
mg
40
%
Carbohydrates
98
g
33
%
Fiber
13
g
54
%
Sugar
22
g
24
%
Protein
44
g
88
%
Calcium
263
mg
26
%
Iron
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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