Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Recipe by: Meredith Deeds, Carla Snyder | from The Big Book of Appetizers

Cookstr

Course: Hors D'oeuvre

Total Time: Under 1 Hour

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

chicken-fingers-with-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce

Photo by: Joseph DeLeo

Chicken fingers aren’t just for kids anymore. We’ve given this tired school-cafeteria classic an adult update with cayenne, Parmesan cheese, cilantro, and cumin. Using panko crumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs gives these juicy tidbits an extra crunch.

Yield: Makes forty-two chicken fingers

INGREDIENTS

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ cups panko crumbs or dried breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 bunches cilantro, for garnish
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce with Horseradish, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut each chicken breast on the diagonal into 7 strips. Mix the egg, mustard, and cayenne pepper together in a shallow bowl and toss the chicken strips to coat them.

In another bowl, mix the panko, Parmesan, cilantro, and cumin. Add half the chicken pieces and toss to coat them well. Line 2 baking pans with parchment and arrange the breaded chicken on the pan, leaving some space between the chicken pieces so that they will brown nicely. Drizzle with the butter. Repeat the process with the rest of the chicken.

Bake the chicken fingers until nicely colored and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. For even browning, it helps to rotate the pans halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve the chicken fingers arranged on a platter, garnished with cilantro, with a bowl of the dipping sauce.

Notes

Make-ahead: Before baking, the chicken fingers can be breaded and kept, uncovered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

Tip: Panko crumbs are Japanese dried breadcrumbs. They can be found at Asian markets and most grocery stores.

Editor's Note

Nutritional information is based on 21 servings, 1 1/2 lbs of boneless, skinless, chicken breast, but does not include Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce with Horseradish. For nutritional information on Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce with Horseradish, please follow the link above.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Calories 101kcal (5%)

Calcium 46mg (5%)

Vitamin C 0mg (1%)

Vitamin A 31mcg RAE (1%)

Potassium 145mg

Magnesium 14mg

Protein 9g

Sugar 1g

Cholesterol 38mg (13%)

Saturated Fat 2g (11%)