Crispy pan-fried chicken tenders coated with panko breadcrumbs and black and white sesame seeds for an ultra-crunchy finish that's perfect dipped in a tangy sriracha mayo or sliced and served atop a crisp romaine salad.
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 8 minutesminutes
Total Time: 45 minutesminutes
Ingredients
1½pounds/ 680gchicken tenders, about 8-10 large-ish tenders, or an equally sized chicken breast, cut diagonally into ¾-inch thick strips.
¼cup/ 30gall-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1egg
½cup/ 30gpanko breadcrumbs
¼cup/ 38gwhite sesame seeds
2tablespoons/ 16gblack sesame seeds
vegetable oil, for cooking
For dipping sauce/dressing:
½cup/ 112gmayonnaise
1garlic clove, very finely minced or grated
3tablespoons/ 45glime juice, from 1-2 limes
2teaspoonssriracha, more or less to taste
1teaspoonsoy sauce
1teaspoonsesame oil
water, as needed
Instructions
In a bowl or shallow dish (big enough to fit a full length tender), season flour with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
In another bowl, whisk egg with a tablespoon of water.
In a third bowl or shallow dish, combine panko with white and black sesame seeds until evenly distributed.
Dredge tenders in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip into the egg, flipping to coat both sides, and then transfer info dish with breadcrumbs. Toss some crumbs over top, then flip and press until entire strip is evenly coated. Transfer to a plate or cutting board and repeat with remaining tenders.
Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fill pan with approximately oil to a 1/4-inch depth, and let heat until it starts to shimmer.
Working in batches, gently lay coated tenders into hot oil, arranging them so they do not touch in the pan (you'll probably need to cook two batches). Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown, then carefully flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes more. The tender should be more than cooked through at this point, but if you want to double check, an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest point should read 165 degrees F or more.
Transfer chicken to a wire cooling rack set inside a cookie sheet. To keep them warm while you cook the rest of the tenders, place cookie sheet in a 175 degree oven. Add additional oil to the pan if necessary, the cook remaining tenders in the same manner.
Meanwhile, to make dipping sauce, whisk together mayo, garlic, lime juice, sriracha, soy sauce, and sesame oil. If using as a dip, stop here. If using as a dressing for a salad, add a teaspoon or two of water as needed to thin it out to a more drizzle-able consistency.