These oven baked chicken strips have a crispy-crunchy breading and are covered in sweet and spicy sticky sauce. Just like Winger's Sticky Fingers!This recipe makes about 24-25 chicken strips, but can make or less depending on the size of your chicken strips.
1 1/2lbs.boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips*I get about 24-25 strips depending on size - see notes * You can also use Frozen Chicken Tenders that are already breaded
1cupall-purpose flour
4eggs
2tbspwater
2 1/2cupsPlain Panko Bead Crumbs*see notes for other options
2tbspseasoned salt
cooking spray to spray the breaded chicken pieces for baking (optional)
Sticky Finger Sauce
1 1/2cupsbrown sugar (yes, that is a lot, but so worth it)
1/3cupFrank’s Original Red Hot Sauce*Frank’s Buffalo Wings Sauce works great too
2tbspbutter
2tbspwater
1tspgarlic powder
pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease a baking sheet. If you your pan isn't very big you may need to use 2 pans and bake them separately.
Cut your chicken breasts into chicken strips. Make sure they are the same thickness. I try and keep mine to 1/2 inch or less thickness.
In a zip top bag, add your flour. Place your chicken strips in the bag of flour. Seal the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken pieces with the flour. Make sure they are all covered fully.
In a bowl or shallow dish, beat your eggs and mix in the water. Set aside.
In another medium to large bowl, add your Panko Crumbs and seasoned salt. Mix well. Set aside.
Take each flour coated piece of chicken and dip it in the egg. Then dip it in the Panko Crumbs, making sure the chicken strip is fully coated. Press the crumbs on to the chicken so they will stick. Place the breaded chicken strip on the lined (or greased) baking sheet. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
Spray the breaded chicken pieces with cooking spray. This is optional but will help the breading bake up nice and crispy.
Bake the chicken strips for about 20 minutes. Using a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature and make sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees. They are done and fully baked when the largest piece of chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (See blog post above to get the meat thermometer I use). Bake the chicken strips longer if needed.*Check the chicken half way through baking and if the chicken is not getting crispy, you can spray the chicken again with cooking spray. (This is optional).
While your chicken bakes, make the sticky finger sauce. Heat all of the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Heat the sauce, stirring or whisking it as it heats. You can remove it from the heat once the sauce is bubbly. Set aside.
When the chicken strips are fully cooked, remove them from the oven. Dip them in the Sticky Finger Sauce, making sure they are fully covered. You can also use a basting brush and brush the sauce on the wings.
Serve with ranch or bleu cheese dressing and enjoy! These Sticky Fingers are amazing the next day. Just heat them for a minute or two in the microwave. Keep them for 3-4 days in the refrigerator (I bet they won't last that long!).
Notes
You can use store bought Chicken Tenders. Tyson has some pretty good ones that are already breaded to make it a bit easier! Bake the frozen chicken strips according to the package.You use this sticky sauce on plain chicken, it does not need to be breaded. It is also delicious on chicken wings and chicken nuggets.I have used a combination of plain bread crumbs and plain Panko Bread Crumbs and it is just as crunchy and tasty. You can also use corn flake crumbs or store bought Shake and Bake. If you use Shake and Bake, it is seasoned, so do not add the seasoned salt.You can cook these chicken fingers in the air fryer on 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.