23 Minute Chicken Strips (Lemon Pepper Wet, 2 ways)

I got a craving for fried chicken strips so here we are. Specifically, these are chicken strips you can have done in about 23 minutes with an easy cleanup AND I made them lemon pepper wet.

Chicken Marinade

  • 3 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)

  • 113 g (1/2 cup) Milk

  • 4 g salt

  • 4 g MSG (optional - add 2 extra g of salt)

  • Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

Dredge

  • 60 g flour

  • 30 g cornstarch

  • 20 cranks Black pepper

  • Peanut oil for frying

#1 - Lemon Pepper Sauce

  • 2 TBSP Butter

  • Zest from 1/2 Lemon

  • Juice from 1/2 Lemon

  • Garlic Powder

  • 40 cranks of Black Pepper

#2- Lemon Pepper Buffalo Sauce

  • Buffalo sauce (butter + frank's red hot or other hot sauce)

  • Zest from 1/2 lemon

  • Garlic Powder

  • Black Pepper

METHOD

  1. Slice the chicken thighs into roughly 1 to 1.5-inch strips. Place chicken thighs into a bowl with the milk, salt, msg, and lemon juice. Roughly mix to combine. The milk is what is going to help our flour dredge stick to the chicken.

  2. Meanwhile set a wok over medium heat and add enough peanut oil to fry the chicken strips, probably about 2 inches.

  3. While that's coming to temp, combine the flour, cornstarch, and pepper in a bowl. Take the milk chicken and pour a little bit into the dredge and mix it in, this will create nice clumps that get fried and crisp.

  4. Move the chicken strips to the flour mixture and coat it until completely combined. Press the flour into the chicken so that layer really sticks on there.

  5. At the stove, using a thermometer verify the temp of the oil is 350 to 375 degrees F. Slowly drop the chicken thigh pieces into the oil to let it get nice and golden brown. In total fry, the chicken for about 6 to 8 minutes, agitating and flipping a couple of times. I like to pull my chicken at 155 F. Move the strips to a paper towel on a wire rack, dab the excess oil, and move to the wire portion so it doesn't get soggy.

    • While the magic of frying goes on you can wash your milk bowl, the excess dredge, and wipe down your work surfaces. Always clean as you go.

  6. For the #1 lemon pepper sauce, add the butter to a medium heat pan and melt until bubbly and water has started to evaporate. Turn the heat to low and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, and a bunch of black pepper. Mix to combine then add to a container and shake to emulsify. For sauce #2, mix the lemon zest, garlic powder, and black pepper with buffalo sauce.

  7. Add the fried strips to a bowl and toss with the lemon pepper seasoning of your choice. Serve with a sauce and enjoy.

    NOTE: Don't waste your peanut oil. Let it completely cool in the wok, then whenever you can come back to it, set a paper towel over a strainer, pour the oil in and let it drip into the container. Place a lid on it and save it for next time.

JR Crickets Style: Buffalo sauce with lemon pepper seasoning

JR Crickets Style: Buffalo sauce with lemon pepper seasoning

American Deli Style: Lemon pepper seasoning in a butter sauce.

American Deli Style: Lemon pepper seasoning in a butter sauce.

Ethan Chlebowski