This is a Delicious Take On Fried Chicken Strips

One of the staples of my diet is fried chicken. No, I didn’t grow up in the South (I’m a New Englander through and through), I just always had a good appetite for well-made fried chicken. And while it’s all well and good to enjoy crunchy fried chicken in its usual format of tenders or wings, it is fun to get a little creative with this comfort food every now and again. Looking for a fresh take on your fried favorite? Then you are going to love this creative recipe! You’ll never look at chicken tenders the same after you see this mouthwatering appetizer.

The unusual app in question? Fried chicken rings. Yes, we meant to say “rings” and not “wings.” This treat is a mashup of onion rings and fried chicken after what we can only assume was a glorious union.

This fun appetizer is a fresh new take on the best way to enjoy chicken! You still get the tender chicken inside, the undeniable crunch on the outside, and a cool, new shape that your kids or party guests will love. Pair your funky new finger food with some killer dips and you’re ready to go.

The key to the recipe is really two things: flattened and skewering the chicken.

When you have your chicken breasts laid out in front of you – and you don’t have to wash your raw chicken when prepping it, by the way – the key to getting them malleable is to flatten them down. Working with the natural thickness of chicken will make it difficult to bend the meat into the ring-shape we’re looking for. Use a mallet or meat pounder to get the quickest and most effective flattening.

The skewering of the chicken is what keeps the ring in its fun shape while it’s frying in your pan. In the instructional video by LittleThings, two skewers are pierced through the chicken strip, one from either side. This “x” shape will hold the chicken together until the fried coating has really taken shape.

If you’re interesting in giving this recipe a healthy spin, we would suggest using metal skewers and baking these chicken rings in the oven instead. You’ll still get a cool appetizer and deliciously crunchy chicken, just with some of the fat and oils from frying taken out of the equation.

However you choose to make your chicken rings, we know one thing – this won’t be the only time you make this one-of-a-kind recipe!

What do you think of this unique take on the chicken finger? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Fried Chicken Rings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. boneless chicken breast or tenders

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1 beaten egg

  • 1 cup flour

  • 1/4 tsp. pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp. paprika

  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder

Instructions

  1. Lay chicken out, and dry it slightly with paper towels.
  2. Use a rolling pin to flatten out the chicken and tenderize it, then cut it into roughly 1-inch strips.
  3. Pour milk into a bowl, and whisk in egg.
  4. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, pepper, garlic, paprika, and onion powder. Mix well.
  5. Dip each chicken strip in egg mixture, then dredge in flour mixture
  6. Make a ring shape out of the strip, and skewer it into place.
  7. Heat oil to 350 °F, and fry rings for 4 minutes on each side.
  8. Serve hot with dipping sauces of your choice, and enjoy!