It is January and we’re into football bowl season. What televised bowl game can proceed without fried chicken fingers at the watch party. Every mom in Louisiana “We love fried chicken here. Popeye’s Fried Chicken is from New Orleans, and Raising Cane’s is a new shop.” I have my own “favorite” fried chicken fingers recipe and bragging rights, too. My chicken fingers are incredibly tender and flavorful. My recipe is based on the one from Raising Cane’s fast food restaurant chain. Although I’m sure their recipe is a secret, my chicken fingers are a pretty close match. I am proud of this recipe; I worked long and hard to get it perfected. And my team-player husband had to sample all those chicken batches!.
When my children were young, all they wanted for birthday parties and other events was Raising Cane’s Fried Chicken Fingers. When I buy from this company again and again, I feel like I’ve put a lot of money into its stock and success. We’ve eaten so much chicken at this restaurant over the years; time to make my own chicken fingers.
Popeye’s Fried Chicken, started in New Orleans, was the fried chicken standard in our part of the country for years. Now a newcomer has entered the market. Raising Cane’s has taken the nation by storm and boasts over 600 restaurant locations nationwide. Amazingly, the only entrée on the menu is fried chicken fingers. Based in Baton Rouge, no financial institution would take the founders’ plan seriously when they tried to finance their first restaurant in 1996. But the two young LSU graduate owners persevered and opened a restaurant close to the LSU campus. The chain has thrived and the only entrée item is still boneless, fried chicken tenders. The chain’s secret is customer service, speed and quality. The chicken is always tender, well-seasoned and fried perfectly. It is served with a great dipping sauce.
Can you tell if these are my chicken fingers or the real thing? I’ll let you guess. And, no, I didn’t cheat. I really made my own chicken fingers.
The chain uses only chicken tenders — the white meat — and claims that their chicken is never frozen. I have adapted their process to my kitchen. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for my recipe — nothing else. And my recipe includes a “secret ingredient.”
These little fried nuggets are not too difficult to make; but it does take some time. You must begin the process the day before you plan to serve the chicken.
The “secret” to my recipe is to marinate raw chicken breast strips in cultured buttermilk and Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce overnight. Yes, that is overnight. Not two to four hours — but overnight. Buttermilk? The cultured buttermilk, which is slightly acidic, helps break down and tenderize the protein in the chicken pieces. My buttermilk marinated chicken fingers are very, very tender in contrast to unmarinated fried chicken breasts which can be quite tough. Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce just adds a little pizzazz (it doesn’t tenderize the chicken).
I use whole boneless, chicken breast pieces rather than chicken tenders. I don’t really care if the chicken was frozen at one time. For this recipe, the chicken breasts should be completely defrosted. To make the chicken strips, cut each boneless, skinless chicken breast piece into about eight crosswise pieces. You can use as many chicken breasts as you wish and cut the larger crosswise pieces into smaller ones, too. Each chicken breast weights about 8 ounces. Cut off any excess fat and tendons. Place in a bowl with the marinade and refrigerate overnight. Occasionally, toss and turn the chicken strips.
The remaining step is to fry the chicken tender pieces. Although I use three breading mixtures, the process really isn’t too complicated. Find a system and get everything lined up in a row so that you are ready to go. Here are my three breadings/batters:
Do you need all three breading mixes? Yes, for this crispy chicken, you really can’t omit any of these breadings — I’ve tried.
To fry the chicken, remove each tender from the buttermilk marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Place the seasoned flour on a plate and then roll each chicken piece in the flour going down the line and next dipping in the egg wash. Last, roll in the unseasoned bread crumbs. Place the breaded chicken fingers on a tray lined with wax paper or parchment paper. I don’t use all the breading at first, but rather refill the plates as needed.
For frying, I use my heavy cast iron skillet because it has a large surface area and holds heat well. For oil, I add peanut oil to one inch depth. Yes, that is peanut oil. P-e-a-n-u-t oil to be precise. For this recipe, I don’t use any other type of oil. It makes a difference. The oil needs to be about 350 degrees, below smoking. I recommend using a kitchen thermometer. Fry the tenders for several minutes on each side until they are golden and cooked through. Adjust the temperature on the stove as needed to keep the heat at 350 degrees.
This chicken tender party tray won’t be complete without a dipping sauce. Raising Cane’s tangy dipping sauce is absolutely delicious. You can purchase it in large containers at the restaurant or make it at home. Although their sauce is a secret recipe, it isn’t too difficult to figure out most of the ingredients. The sauce might be defined as a very mild, gentle cocktail sauce. Although it is hard to define any one flavor, the sauce is a mayonnaise-based sauce with ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Just blend the ingredients together for the sauce.
These little chicken fingers are best when served hot. You can make the dipping sauce ahead of time. It will last for several days. Plus, get the breading mixes ready. Then fry the chicken at half-time. Don’t miss the game!
Your family and friends will be so impressed that you made these yourself. These chicken pieces are tender and well seasoned — they will quickly disappear. Go for it!
And I hope your team wins their football bowl game. Here at LSU, the football team exceeded anyone’s expectations of winning anything this year and went to the Southeastern conference championship game. A miracle! Go tigers!
Raising Cane’s chicken fingers are legendary. Their crispy outside and juicy inside make them simply irresistible. But have you ever thought about what oil they use to fry their famous chicken? Keep reading to learn how they make their fried chicken so delicious.
Raising Cane’s takes pride in using only the highest quality ingredients to prepare their menu items. When it comes to frying their chicken fingers, they use pure peanut oil. This may come as a surprise, as most restaurants opt for cheaper oils like canola or vegetable oil for frying. However, Raising Cane’s commitment to quality shines through in their choice of peanut oil.
Here’s why peanut oil is the perfect oil for getting Cane’s chicken fingers ultra crispy on the outside while keeping the inside incredibly moist and juicy
High Smoke Point
Peanut oil has a very high smoke point of 450°F. This means it can get hot enough to fry at 450°F before it starts to smoke or burn. Since the chicken is cooked over high heat, the outside quickly crisps up and gets that perfect golden brown crust.
Neutral Taste
Unlike other oils like olive or canola, peanut oil has a very neutral flavor profile. This allows the delicious flavor of the chicken to shine through rather than being masked by the oil.
Less Oil Absorption
Foods fried in peanut oil soak up less oil than foods fried in other oils. This helps the chicken fingers stay low in fat while still having a great texture.
Healthier Option
Though fried foods should still be eaten in moderation, peanut oil has less saturated fat than a lot of other frying oils. So Cane’s chicken fingers fried in peanut oil are a better choice for fried food that is good for you.
In addition to frying the chicken in peanut oil, Cane’s coats each chicken finger in a light tempura-style batter. The batter helps seal in juices and adds an extra layer of crunch. Once fried, the chicken fingers are tossed in Cane’s signature spice blend. This unique blend adds a robust, peppery flavor that perfectly complements the crispy fried chicken.
Of course, no chicken finger meal from Raising Cane’s would be complete without their famous Cane’s sauce. The tangy, creamy sauce ties each element together and truly takes the chicken fingers to the next level.
So the next time you sink your teeth into a crunchy, juicy Raising Cane’s chicken finger, thank the power of peanut oil. It transforms simple chicken into the crispy, craveable fingers that have made Raising Cane’s famous across the country. The high quality oil combined with careful preparation and a secret spice blend make Raising Cane’s chicken fingers one of the best fried chicken options around.
Pluck, Pluck Fried Chicken Fingers
Ingredients for Chicken:
- 1 lb (two large halves) boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
- 1 cup cultured buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons of Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce or a brand like Frank’s Hot Sauce
- Peanut oil for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 egg, beaten, plus 2 Tbsp water
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs, more as needed
Method and Steps:
- Rinse, pat dry the chicken breasts. Remove any excess fat and tendons. Slice each chicken breast into 8 crosswise pieces. If desired, cut larger pieces in half. You should have about 16 chicken “fingers”.
- In a bowl big enough to fit a chicken, mix cultured buttermilk and hot sauce together. Add chicken fingers and mix to combine well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Occasionally toss chicken pieces.
- When you’re ready to fry, make the breading mixes. For the first breading, mix flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a bowl. Transfer part of the seasoned flour to a plate. In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together for the second mix. On the third side, add about 1/2 cup of plain bread crumbs to the place Place up the breading plates/bowl in a line. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take each chicken finger out of the buttermilk marinade one at a time and let the extra sauce drip off. Roll in seasoned flour to coat. Next dip in egg wash. Lastly, roll in plain bread crumbs. Place on parchment covered baking sheet. Replenish breadings on plate as needed.
- Put one inch of peanut oil into a large cast iron skillet or another heavy skillet. (You could also use a deep fat fryer, like a Fry Daddy, and follow the directions for adding oil and heating it up.) ) Heat the oil to 350 degrees and set the stove’s heat to the normal level. Using a kitchen thermometer to gauge the temperature is recommended.
- One finger at a time should be fried for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer to plate lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat with additional chicken fingers until all are cooked. Keep changing the stove’s heat and adding more oil if needed.
- Cocktail Dipping Sauce for Pluck, Pluck Fried Chicken Fingers is the best way to enjoy them when they are hot. ”.
*NOTE: May increase or decrease chicken breasts in recipe as needed. For additional chicken, you made need additional breading ingredients, especially plain bread crumbs.
And for the Cocktail Dipping Sauce:
Making Raising Cane’s Chicken Finger Combo At Home | But Better
FAQ
What oil is used to fry canes of chicken?
They fry in a soybean and canola oil blend and state in their allergen listing that they aren’t going to list items that “merely” contain soybean oil. While I appreciate them being honest, I am worried about what our children might be able to eat at this restaurant.
What does Chick-fil-A fry their chicken in?
Chick-fil-A fries its chicken in 100% refined peanut oil. This is the same oil used for their signature chicken sandwich. They also use refined peanut oil in their pressure cookers.
Does Canes use a separate fryer for their fries?
I’m not big on chicken so I just ordered fries and coleslaw. Fries are fried in a dedicated fryer. Enjoyed my meatless/no gluten meal!.