Buttermilk Chicken Fingers
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken
1 – 1 1/2 C buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, divided
1 dash cayenne
1 C all purpose flour
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sea salt
oil for frying
Directions
Trim fat from chicken. Cut into strips that are no more than 1/2″ thick. If necessary, slice in half with a knife or pound down with a meat mallet. Transfer chicken strips to a large clean container. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp pepper and a sprinkling of cayenne. Pour enough buttermilk into container to just barely cover chicken. Stir. Cover and chill overnight.
In a deep fryer or large skillet, heat oil (roughly 1″ deep) to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine flour with basil, thyme, sea salt and 1 tsp pepper. Additional cayenne could also be added at this time. Coat one chicken strip at a time, transfer to a clean platter.
When oil is hot, fry several pieces at a time being sure to not crowd the fryer or pan. Fry for 5-6 minutes, flipping half-way through. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle immediately with additional seasonings such as salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining pieces. They will have a nice golden crust when done.
Pop in the oven in a heat safe dish to keep warm, using the oven’s lowest heat setting. Serve warm with assorted dipping sauces.
