Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Fingers (With Healthy Cooking Tips!)

Crispy Chicken Fingers are not just for kids. I use Panko style gluten free bread crumbs (Japan’s secret ingredient for crunch.) The taste is awesome.

These gluten-free crispy chicken fingers are sure to please everyone at your table.

When eating out in restaurants, the chicken fingers are usually cooked in a shared frier and coated in a batter. Definitely not gluten-free. And, of course, they’re deep fried in a huge vat of oil. Not so good for your health.

Which is the healthiest oil for frying?

Here’s a healthy tip for frying at home. I like to fry them in avocado oil as I do with my healthier homemade french fries. Refined avocado oil is highly nutritious and loaded with antioxidants. Read all about its health benefits here and here. It’s very heat stable with one of the highest smoke points making it one of the best possible oils for frying.

Whether you use avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil, you don’t need to have a high flame. Just keep the flame on medium and make sure the oil doesn’t start to smoke.

Want your chicken fingers really crispy?

The crispier the chicken fingers are, the better. Coat them in Panko style gluten free bread crumbs (Japan’s secret ingredient for crunch). The taste is fantastic and you can’t tell they’re gluten-free.

How do I stop my breading from falling off chicken?

Good question. Patting the chicken dry before you begin is important because your flour cannot stick to damp chicken. Also be sure to shake off the excess flour so that your egg coating doesn’t get mushy and your breading will stick.

Here’s my easy method.

How To Make Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Fingers

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

Before we begin, I recommend pounding each chicken breast with a meat tenderizer because this cut can have a tendency to be a little tough. However, a few whacks with the mallet softens the fibers of the chicken, and your chicken will turn out nice and tender.

What is the order of breading chicken?

First, rinse and pat the chicken dry. Remember, patting the chicken dry is important because your flour cannot stick to damp chicken. 

Then arrange three wide shallow bowls on the counter. To the first bowl, add flour, paprika, and salt. Then whisk together egg and milk in the second bowl. And your gluten free panko breadcrumbs in the third wide, shallow bowl.

Now follow three steps to bread your chicken. First, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off excess. (Shaking off the excess flour is key to getting your breading to stick.)  Next, run the chicken through the egg mixture to coat it lightly and hold the chicken over the liquid to let any excess fall back into the bowl.  Then coat with the breadcrumbs.

Fry your chicken

Finally, heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat until shimmery and fragrant, but not smoking. Add the breaded chicken and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then drain chicken on a plate on top of paper towels.

Be sure to fry your chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pan. If there’s not enough room in the pan, the chicken will steam instead of getting nicely browned, flavorful, and crispy.

And that’s it! Pair your crispy chicken fingers with gluten free honey mustard salad dressing, gluten free barbecue sauce or ketchup for dipping and a bowl of warm gluten free French onion soup. Yum.

These crispy chicken fingers are such a fun treat and safely gluten-free. Enjoy!

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Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Fingers

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These gluten-free crispy chicken fingers will please everyone at your table.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword easy chicken fingers recipe, fried chicken breast recipe, gluten free panko chicken fingers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 494kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

• 2 pounds thin-sliced chicken cutlets
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup gluten free bread crumbs PANKO STYLE
• 1/4 cup oil

Instructions

• Rinse and pat dry chicken.
• Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl.
• Combine gf flour, paprika and salt, in a seperate bowl.
• Place gf Panko style bread crumbs in another bowl.
• Dip cutlets in flour mixture, then in egg mixture, then in crumbs.
• Heat oil in a heavy 10-12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery and fragrant, but not smoking. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side, adding more oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels.

  Pair with gluten free honey mustard salad dressing, gluten free barbecue sauce or ketchup.

Notes

• I recommend pounding each chicken breast with a meat tenderizer because this cut can have a tendency to be a little tough. However, a few whacks with the mallet softens the fibers of the chicken, and your chicken will turn out nice and tender.
• Patting the chicken dry before you begin breading it, is important because your flour cannot stick to damp chicken. Also be sure to shake off the excess flour so that your egg coating doesn't get mushy and so that your breading will stick.
• Here's a healthy tip for frying at home. I like to fry them in avocado oil as I do with my healthier homemade french fries. Refined avocado oil is highly nutritious and loaded with antioxidants. Read all about its health benefits here and here. It’s very heat stable with one of the highest smoke points making it one of the best possible oils for frying.
• No avocado oil? No problem. You can use extra-virgin olive oil or any oil you prefer. You don’t need to have a high flame. Just keep the flame on medium and make sure the oil doesn’t start to smoke.
• Fry your chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pan. If there's not enough room in the pan, the chicken will steam instead of getting nicely browned, flavorful, and crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal

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