Chicken Fingers, from Gael

Chicken Fingers, from Gael

If you've ever had a chicken finger and liked it, make these. You'll never be tempted by fast-food chicken fingers again. The whole procedure takes about 15 minutes.

1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning, optional
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 chicken breasts
1 cup vegetable oil

FOR SAUCE
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Set up first. Place about a cup of flour in a shallow dish. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 T oil, some salt and pepper and Tony Chachere's if you have it. In another shallow dish, spread out 1 1/2-2 c panko.

Take chicken. Slice off tenderloin (this makes a perfect finger) and slice breasts diagonally into finger-sized slices. Heat 1 c vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet. Heat to 350, or until a piece of bread dropped into it browns instantly.

While heating, work in batches, dredging chicken in flour. Use tongs to roll them in egg bowl. Use tongs again to move them into panko. Press panko into them and rest on wire rack on top of paper towel while you bread the others. When all chicken is breaded and oil is hot, drop chicken in oil. Fry two minutes, flip. Fry two more minutes, set on paper towels to drain.

While draining, whisk together 2 T honey and 3 T Dijon for a quick dipping sauce. One tip: Sauce is good with even more honey and a little more Tony Chachere's or other Cajun seasoning.