The Cozy Cookbook is here! These homemade Chinese chicken fingers are JUST like from a restaurant. Crispy and golden on the outside and filled with juicy chicken on the inside. Perfect with sweet and sour sauce!
Be sure to try my Crispy Crab Rangoon and Chicken Fried Rice!
Okay. I have a question for you guys. It’s about Chinese Chicken Fingers. (Go figure.)
…Do they have Chicken Fingers like this on the Chinese food menu by you? (And if I may, where are you from?)
I’m beginning to wonder if this is a regional thing, because if it is, then you’re going to have to move to New Hampshire.
The thick, golden brown batter is so crunchy and satisfying, I don’t even know how I managed to take a picture of these without just dropping my camera and mowing them down. (It wasn’t easy.)
The secret to these guys is in the self rising flour.
Self Rising Flour vs. All Purpose Flour
- Self rising flour contains a leavening agent that helps make baked goods rise. It’s often used to make biscuits and other fluffy baked goods.
Homemade Self Rising Flour
- 1 + 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for each cup of flour.
Try These Next!
-
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
-
- Crab Rangoon
-
- Firecracker Chicken
-
- Chicken Fried Rice
-
- Chinese Chicken Salad
-
- Beef and Broccoli
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Rate and Comment!
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Chinese Chicken Fingers
Ingredients
- 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup Seltzer water
- 1 quart canola oil
Instructions
- Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix them until well-combined.
- Slowly add the seltzer water and mix until well combined. The batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter. If needed, add more seltzer water or flour to adjust the consistency.
- Cut the chicken into strips and sprinkle with salt.
- Dunk the chicken into the batter, ensure each piece is thoroughly covered.
- Carefully lower the chicken into a preheated deep fryer and cook for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. They will be white for a while before they turn brown and start to look like real chicken fingers, have faith and be patient. You want that rich gold color! Serve warm, with sweet and sour sauce.
Notes
You'll need an oil thermometer if you’re not using a Deep fryer. Bring the heat up slowly until the oil is between 350 and 375 degrees F.
Be sure to try my Popcorn Chicken recipe next!
Nutrition
Best. Chinese. Ever. Seriously, I tweaked nothing and made it exactly as it was written. Delicious. We LOVE Chinese take out in our house, and always get the chicken fingers because we love them – these FAR surpass the restaurant ones! Wow!
Hi Tamsin!! This comment totally made my whole weekend! I wanted to respond sooner but I had family over for my daughter’s baptism! I am SO happy that you loved these Chinese chicken fingers though. I haven’t made them in a while and I just filled my deep fryer with fresh oil for Pancake Batter Chicken Bites….. chicken fingers are up next, you can never have enough! 😉 Thanks again for taking the time to comment, have a great week!
Hey!
Two months later and have made them THREE times – each time was amazing! LOVE this recipe and have given it to two of my friends…thank you so much!
Hi there. This sounds yummy!! Do you think I can sub pancake mix for the self rising flour? Thank you!!
Alana, honestly, that sounds like a genius idea!!! It might not taste quite like Chinese Chicken fingers, but should turn out DELICIOUS! I’m thinking that might be a great blog post on it’s own, do you mind if I use that idea?! 😉
Sure thing! I’ll reply if I try it 🙂
THANK YOU ! I’ve been looking for years for this recipe, I’m always ordering chicken fingers and I’ve finally found a recipes, now I can save my money and make them at home, at any time. I love Chinese food and I’m always looking for Chinese restaurant recipes to make at home, YOU have made my Day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am so happy ! Yes 🙂 🙂 !!!!!!
Hi Jan! I felt EXACTLY the same way!! When I finally found this recipe I was soooo excited… thank you for your excitement over it too, it made my day! 🙂 So glad someone else appreciates it as much as I do, haha! 🙂
Do you have a recipe for the brown gravy ?
Hi Cheryl! I actually serve these with sweet & sour sauce! 🙂 I just buy that at the store. Enjoy!!!!
Thank you. 🙂
Hi Stephanie
At what temp should I fry these on my deep fryer.
Hi Jackie!
The oil should reach about 350 degrees before you add the chicken. Adding the chicken then decreases it to about 325 when the chicken is cooking, which is perfect. Enjoy!
Oh those looks so good~I know what I am making for dinner.
I don’t think I have ever had Duck Sauce…. what kind should
I get?
Hi Sally! I think the brand I have at home is Ka-Me! I also LOVE sweet & sour sauce with these… I’m a bit jealous that you’ll be having this for dinner, I’m going to have to make some soon!!!! 🙂 ENJOY!!
On second thought the brand might also be Ty Ling ! I don’t think it matters TOO much!
Excuse me ma’am what could I use if I don’t have corn starch at the moment ?
Flour- give it a go!!! 🙂
I’m really excited about making these. Thank you for the recipe. I was just wondering if you boiled the chicken first ?
HI Dawn,
Ohhh you’re going to love them! I actually did not cook the chicken at all first- they end up being fully cooked after you fry them. Just make sure the temperature isn’t too hot so that you can have a nice, steady frying session 🙂 It takes about 20-25 minutes, the chicken batter will be all white for a good portion of the cooking time, but right at the end they turn a nice golden brown! ENJOY THEM!- (They’re SO good!)
thank you I will let you know how they come out. I’m not sure if Im making tonight my chicken breasts are frozen. We are a family of 8, My husband and I and our 6 kids ages 19,15,11,8, 6 & 2 years old so I should have a variety of opinions lol
Oh yes definitely let me know! I hate when I want to make chicken and it’s frozen- and I always overdo it if I try to thaw them out in the microwave 🙂 A family of EIGHT! That’s awesome- these chicken fingers will go fast when you do make them!
What temp do you fry? Made last night but came out too well done.
Hi Sherri!
The oil should be at about 350-375 degrees. Did you use a deep fryer or fry them on the stove top? I’m sorry they came out too well done 🙁 If somehow they stuck to the bottom of the pan or fryer that may have caused the outside to cook quicker, otherwise I suppose the temp was just a bit too high. I hope you’re able to try it again with success!
That’s ok, trying again today at a lower temp. I used my electric turkey fryer at 375. Maybe I will lower to 325. What type of oil do you prefer?
Alright… I’m crossing my fingers for the second try today!! I’m confident that it will work this time! I use vegetable oil. I will say that when I cook them, it takes a good 20 minutes or so for them to finally reach a golden color- the rest of the time they’re white. The first time I got nervous that it wasn’t going to work but at the end it comes together perfectly!!! Best of luck, I’m glad you’re trying again 🙂
These look awesome!! The homemade chicken fingers are going to be crunchier and crispier than the take-out ones an are better as they come straight out of the fryer and into your mouth!
Thanks Thao!! You’re right, nothing beats getting them fresh out of the fryer, they’re way too good that way and much better than takeout! 🙂
Your recipe sounds so delishious, I want to try this but i do not have a frier. Could I use oil in a deep fry pan on the stove top?
Hey!! you can deffffinitely make these by heating oil in a deep pan! Absolutely 🙂 Enjoy!!!