This recipe is one of my very favorites. And it’s absolutely perfect! Moist, juicy fried chicken strips coated with cajun spiced bread crumbs….it’s finger licking deliciousness!
You can eat them plain with a little honey mustard for dipping, or you can throw them on top of a cajun chicken pasta. Toss it on top of a salad for a cajun chicken salad for something on the lighter side. These tasty little bites are good so many different ways!
Pan Frying 101
Your oil should be right in the 350 degree area. You will have to adjust the heating element on your stovetop throughout the frying process in order to maintain this temperature. If you are working on a glass top cooking stove, remember that those elements take longer to cool, meaning your oil will also take longer to cool if you over heat it. Use a thermometer to maintain temperature.
To cool oil fast, add in cold oil Genius, huh?
When you add something into the oil to fry, it lowers the temperature of the oil. That means you may need time in between frying batches to get the oil back up to temperature. Frying too many items at a time can lower the temperature to a point that you don’t get a nice crispy exterior and end up with a soggy, oily product, instead of a nice crispy one.
Remember, should a grease fire occur, cover the pan with a lid or dose it with baking soda. Never use water on a grease fire. You will get severely burned.
I like to use my own cajun seasoning mix (which I’ve included in the recipe notes), but you can always use a store bought mix if you’d like. Making your own means you get to completely control the flavor which I highly recommend. Not all cajun seasoning is created equally!
Don’t have buttermilk? Try a buttermilk substitute.
Watch the video below where I walk you through every step of the recipe. I like to include videos with my recipes so you can get a visual. I have an entire YouTube Channel with hundreds of videos waiting for you to binge on! Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think!
Cajun Fried Chicken Strips
- Vegetable Oil for Frying
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 2 lb chicken tenders trimmed
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Cover the bottom of a large heavy skillet with about 1/2 inch of oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees (see cooking lesson below).
- In a small dredging bowl combine panko bread crumbs with onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, peppers, paprika, and salt. Small cake pans make great for dredging.
- Pour the buttermilk into a small bowl.
- Working one at a time, dip the chicken into buttermilk and then into bread crumbs to coat. Place carefully into the hot oil. Cook the chicken in batches as the skillet shouldn't get too crowded.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then flip, cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Chicken should have a golden brown exterior and should be cooked all the way through.
- Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sounds delicious. Thank you for your receipe
Thanks so much. I will let you know how it turns out!
Technically yes, but I wouldn't do it the same way. Because this recipe involves pan frying the chicken, a frozen version may not cook all the way through before the outside starts to burn. If you want to freeze them I would recommend baking them. 400 degrees for about 30 minutes should do it.
Can these be frozen for later after prepping?