Chicken fingers

Chicken fingers

Origin
Alternative name(s)	Chicken tenders, chicken strips, chicken fillets
Details
Course served	Appetizer, main course
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredient(s)	Chicken, breading

Chicken fingers, also known as chicken tenders, chicken goujons, chicken strips or chicken fillets, is chicken meat prepared from strips of white meat located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major). They may also be made with similarly shaped pieces cut from other areas of a chicken.

Etymology

The term chicken tender is likely derived from the word referring to the tenderest part of meat, tenderloin. Whereas chicken fingers became a common name due to their resemblance to human fingers as well as their growth in popularity as a finger food in late 20th century America.

Breading procedure

Preparation

Chicken fingers are prepared by evenly coating strips of chicken meat in a breading mixture and then frying them, in a manner similar to the preparation of Schnitzel.

Serving

Chicken fingers are a regular part of entrée dishes, garden salads, or sandwiches, such as a wrap. Many fast food restaurants serve them alongside French fries in baskets as a children's menu item.

Chinese chicken fingers

Variations

In the Northeastern United States, chicken fingers served in Chinese restaurants are often made with an egg batter and have a smooth texture. In other recipes, the breading mixture for chicken fingers can lack eggs and the texture of the dish itself can often be rather coarse.

Accompaniments and additions

Eggless versions are often served alongside dipping sauces such as ketchup, blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, Buffalo wing sauce, butter and garlic, plum sauce, curry mayonnaise, or sweet and sour sauce.

See also

• American Chinese cuisine
• Chicken nuggets
• Schnitzel
• List of hors d'oeuvre