Black Pepper Rub Chicken Fingers

I have made my fair share of chicken fingers over the years and after a while the recipes all seem the same with only minor changes. This one however, intrigued me because it used cornflakes, panko and cheese crackers, like Goldfish or Cheez-Its. I have seen recipes that use panko or cornflakes but never both and I most certainly have never come across a recipe that uses Goldfish or Cheez-Its. Plus with the spices and hot sauce I knew there was going to be a little spicy kick to them.

These turned out delicious. They were tender on the inside, crunchy on the outside with great flavor and a little spicy kick.

Black Pepper Rub Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:

Black Pepper Rub Sauce

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 2 rounded teaspoons fajita seasoning
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper

Chicken Fingers

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
• 2 cups corn flakes
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Cheez-Its or Goldfish
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons fajita seasoning
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Black Pepper Rub Sauce

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the melted butter, hot sauce, fajita seasoning and desired amount of black pepper. Set aside.

Chicken Fingers

1. Preheat the oven to 475º F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush it with olive oil.
2. In a large bowl combine the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of the Black Pepper Rub Sauce. Add the chicken and toss well to coat the chicken in the sauce.
3. In a food processor, add the corn flakes and Cheez-Its or Goldfish and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs into a large wide bowl. Add in the panko, flour and fajita seasoning. Stir to combine.
4. Remove one piece of chicken at a time from the buttermilk mixture and place in the panko mixture. Coat both sides of the chicken strips in the mixture pressing down gently to help the mixture stick. Place the chicken strip on the prepared baking sheet and continue the process until all the the chicken strips have been coated.
5. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of Black Pepper Rub Sauce over each chicken finger and lightly spray the chicken fingers with cooking spray. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6. Carefully flip the chicken strips over and drizzle with another tablespoon or so of Black Pepper Rub Sauce(depending on how much is left) and then lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.