Marinade overnight, coat and bake rather than fry to make these tasty sweet and spicy chicken strips. Watch the labels closely on any purchased bread crumbs (especially if seasoned) or other items for added salt, sugar, or other content. It is easy to keep this recipe heart and diabetic friendly.
Combine salt or a salt free seasoning blend, pepper, juice, water, hot sauce, and vinegar (and optionally: a choice of sugar, honey, molasses, or sucralose) in a glass dish, add chicken and turn to coat on all sides, cover, and allow to marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
If using an artificial sweetener other than sucralose that is ‘zero calorie’ be sure to rinse away the marinade and pat dry before proceeding.
Some low calorie sweeteners are okay (but not all) to cook with but sucralose is the only ‘zero calorie’ substitute safe for use in cooking, baking, or canning. So if using another zero calorie sugar substitute be sure to rinse off after marinating!
Remove strips, the next day when ready to prepare, from the refrigerator and set aside to take the chill off.
Meanwhile, combine flour and bread crumbs with the desired quantity of any seasonings of choice. You may whisk, stir, or even use a food processor.
Cover a large or two regular sized baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and coat lightly but evenly with cooking spray.
Whisk egg whites with buttermilk.
Dip chicken strips into egg mixture turning to coat, allow access to drip off, then coat in the bread crumb flour mixture. You may coat in crumb flour mixture by hand dipping them or placing mixture into a bag and shaking to coat two or three strips at a time.
Place strips on prepared baking sheet leaving space between strips — leave just enough so not actually touching. Very lightly spritz tops of strips with cooking spray.
Bake on center rack one pan at a time for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 350 F degree oven.
Serve with dips of choice.
Tam's Sweet and Spicy Chicken Strips
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 to 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken strips
- salt and pepper, or an unsalted seasoning blend, to taste
- 1/2 tsp sugar, molasses, honey, or sucralose (optional)
- choice of seasonings, spices, and herbs, or sprinkles of hot sauce, to taste
- 2 teaspoons choice of Balsamic vinegar or Apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons choice of lime, lemon, apple or orange juice concentrate, thawed (NOT prepared)
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 egg whites
- 4 Tablspoons buttermilk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup panko or choice of seasoned or unseasoned bread crumbs
- canola or olive oil cooking spray
- Dips of choice
Instructions
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Combine salt, pepper, juice, water, hot sauce, and vinegar and optionally sugar or sucralose in a glass dish, add chicken and turn to coat on all sides, cover, and allow to marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
-
In food processor or in bowl, stir or whisk or process to combine flour and bread crumbs with the desired quantity of any seasonings of choice.
-
Cover a large or two regular sized baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and coat lightly but evenly with cooking spray.
-
Whisk egg whites with buttermilk.
-
Dip strips into egg mixture turning to coat, allow access to drip off, then coat in the bread crumb flour mixture.
-
Place strips on prepared baking sheet leaving space between strips -- just enough so not touching. Very lightly spritz top of strips with cooking spray.
-
Bake one baking sheet at a time on center rack for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 350 F degree oven.
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Serve with dips of choice.
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