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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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
I questioned the 1.5 tsp and should have cut it way back. That’s too much salt for our taste. I would suggest 1/3 as much salt perhaps and add 1/2 tsp garlic powder instead, for something that tastes more authentic.
I just saw someone else asked the same question about an air fryer…
Can these chicken fingers be made in an air fryer?
By far my favorite recipe when I’m doing chinese at home. Got stuck tonight and only had polar lemon lime seltzer…it worked great with just a hint of something different 😊 great job working this out
Thanks Kristin!😀 I’m going to be making these next week for New Years, it’s kind of a tradition over here!😊 Thanks so much for the review!
What on earth is Selzer water?
Seltzer water is carbonated water, similar to club soda.
Absolute perfection! I live in Western MA and some places have them and some don’t and they’re usually over cooked… thank you so much for this
You’re very welcome Luke, thanks so much for the review!😀 I make these for my daughter and she loves them. It’s amazing how different they are from normal fried chicken fingers!
Can you freeze these to use later?
Hi Elizabeth, if you freeze them after you’ve fried them, you should be fine, I have done it before. (But I freeze everything, haha!)- they do reheat well in an oven or air fryer! 🙂
Well, we made them and these are just like the ones at a local restaurant (Wa Toy) except without the belly ache. Very easy to make and my whole family loved it. Yes, we’re in southern NH. Thank you again!
So glad you liked these! We make these on New Years Eve every year and people go crazy for them! Thanks so much for the review!😀
NH, huh? Now I’m also wondering if this style of “chinese chicken fingers” are regional. You really can’t get this way of making it anywhere else. I’m eager to try this recipe cause my stomach is really sensitive to the restaurant chicken fingers. Thanks for sharing!
Yes NH, Looks like you are close by!!! I can’t wait for you to try the chicken fingers, they are delicious!😃
Could these be done in an air fryer instead of deep frying them? I’ve been craving New England style Chinese take out and would like to try to make these in the air fryer!
Hi Taylor! Unfortunately I don’t recommend these for the air fryer, the air circulation will blow off the batter. 🙁