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Chickens Don't Have Fingers
But if they did... this is how I would cook them
Trigg Tube
August 12, 2025
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I’ve always struggled with the dilemma of whether deep frying food at home is worth all the mess and oil… ESPECIALLY when there are so many cheap and delicious fried chicken joints around the corner. But this month, I found myself with a lot of extra chicken, so I ran some tests and FINALLY found a version that has a taste that is worth the effort.
-Trigg
Fingers, Strips, or Tenders?After I posted THIS video about how to breakdown a chicken, lots of people in the comments said they had no idea that chicken tenders were a separate part of the chicken. That’s probably because they are often sold as chicken fingers (which don’t exist at all) chicken strips (which are often just sliced up breast meat) or alongside chicken nuggets (which are just a blend of mystery meat). REALLY, chicken tenders are a low-use muscle tucked neatly behind the chicken breast, and their lean, tender muscle fibers make them the “filet mignon of a chicken.” Perfect for frying gently and enjoying with some dipping sauce. |  |
Probably a recipe. Maybe some history. Definitely delicious.
Ultimate Chicken Tenders
Serves: 2* | Prep Time: 20 Mins | Cook Time: 20 Mins
I just posted the video recipe HERE. So follow along and enjoy the tenders… or strips, or fingers. Whatever you want to call them.
INGREDIENTS:
1lb Tenders Marinated 20 mins in...
2 Cups Water
1 tsp Salt
2 c Flour
⅔ c Cornstarch
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 c Sparkling Water
1 qt Oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large bowl mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
Preheat the Oil on Med High in a Heavy Pot or Wok until it is 400°F/200°C
Take about 1 Cup of the Dry Mix and mix it in a separate bowl with the Sparkling Water to make a loose and Wet Batter that's the consistency of loose pancake batter
Dredge the Chicken Tenders in THIS Order...
Dry Mix - Press the dry mix into the Chicken
Wet Batter - Just a quick dunk and drip
Dry Mix - Press the dry mix in thoroughly and let the tenders sit in the dry mix till ready to fry
Deep Fry the Coated Tenders in batches of 2 - 3 at a time until golden brown** (2 - 3 minutes)
Dry on wire rack and coat in the Sauce of your choice
*Every Chicken only has 2 Tenders, so I wrote this recipe for 2 small servings of around 2 - 3 tenders each. Feel free use slices of Chicken breast, or stockpile tenders in the freezer if you'd like more tender loins
**If your oil is at the correct temp, the chicken should be cooked properly when the coating is golden brown, but if you are unsure, use a thermometer to verify the internal temperature
Some tools to help with this Forknight’s dish. Remember: cooking your own food is a way to save money, not go into debt
 $ CHEAP $ Great for frying or for pastas, and easy to clean because it’s just one big piece of metal. |  $$ MID $$ You can use these for the dredging stations, and also to cool the chicken after cooking. |  $$$ FANCY $$$ My carbon steel wok is a souvenir from China, but this Babish wok has a similar construction. Woks are great for deep frying because they use less oil and catch more splatter. |
Grab a snack and read about what’s cooking in the TriggTube kitchen…
My website www.triggtube.com is fully up and running this week. I wanted to make sure it was perfect because I’m focusing my next series on the 10 recipes that you can make with a whole chicken. And it finally is!
The Forknightly will continue to move forward from chicken recipes to the next subject of the channel, but if you want some good, fast, cheap and easy recipe ideas, enjoy the website.
👋 UNTIL NEXT FORKNIGHT!
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