Baked Fiery Chicken Strips 🌶️
Overview:
Love those spicy chicken strips you get at restaurants? Craving them but worried about the calorie load from frying? Fear not! Here’s a baked version that’s just as fiery and satisfying but with a healthier twist. This recipe, inspired by Taste of Home Cooking School, delivers the perfect balance of heat and flavor without all the excess grease.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 250.6 per serving
- Fat Content: 7.9g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1g
- Cholesterol: 81.1mg
- Sodium: 474.7mg
- Carbohydrates: 15.8g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 0.2g
- Protein: 27.9g
Recipe Details:
- Servings: 4
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Difficulty: Beginner Cook
- Cuisine: Chicken
- Keywords: Poultry, Meat, High Protein, Healthy, Spicy, < 30 Mins, Oven, Easy
Ingredients:
| Quantity | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2 | Butter |
| 2 | Margarine |
| 1 | Cider Vinegar |
| 2/3 | Yellow Cornmeal |
| 1/4 – 1/2 | Cayenne Pepper |
| 1/2 | Salt |
| 1 | Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless |
Instructions:
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Preheat oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). 🔥
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Prepare butter mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, margarine, and cider vinegar. Stir well to create a flavorful liquid mixture. Set aside for later use. 🥣
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Prepare coating: In a shallow dish, mix together the yellow cornmeal, cayenne pepper (adjust according to your spice preference), and salt. This will be your crunchy coating for the chicken strips. 🌽
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Coat chicken: Dip each chicken strip into the melted butter mixture, ensuring it’s thoroughly coated with the liquid goodness.
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Apply cornmeal mixture: After coating with the butter mixture, roll each chicken strip in the cornmeal mixture. Make sure to evenly coat the chicken for maximum crunchiness. 🍗
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Bake: Place the coated chicken strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes.
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Flip and bake: After the initial bake, flip the chicken strips over and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. 🌟
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Check for doneness: To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, pierce it with a fork. If the juices run clear, it’s done! 🍴
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Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it cool for a minute or two. Serve hot and crispy, optionally with your favorite dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy your fiery chicken strips! 🎉
Serving Suggestions:
- These Baked Fiery Chicken Strips are perfect for serving as an appetizer at parties or as a flavorful main dish alongside your favorite side salads or roasted vegetables. 🥗
- Pair them with a cooling dip like ranch or blue cheese dressing to balance out the heat. 🍗
Tips:
- For an extra kick of heat, add more cayenne pepper to the cornmeal mixture.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the baking sheet to ensure even cooking and maximum crispiness.
- If you prefer boneless chicken thighs, feel free to swap them in for the chicken breasts.
- Experiment with different spice blends to customize the flavor to your liking.
Final Thoughts:
With these Baked Fiery Chicken Strips, you can indulge in your spicy cravings guilt-free. They’re easy to make, packed with flavor, and sure to be a hit with family and friends. So why wait? Fire up your oven and treat yourself to a batch today! 🔥🍗
