Chicken Finger Recipes

Easy to eat on the run, pair with tasty sauces, and pull out of the freezer in a pinch, chicken fingers are a weeknight staple for the whole family. Dress them up or down by customizing the flavors and spices to your preference and serve with your favorite dip. 

Chicken fingers aren't just for kids. Savory-sweet and addictive, the tahini-tomato dipping sauce offers a palate intrigue adults will love but enough flavor familiarity to keep it kid-approved.

These crispy nuggets are worth nibbling—and a great way to use leftover quinoa. Kick the sauce up a notch with a dash of Sriracha, if you like. Garlic powder is great here, as it evenly distributes garlic flavor without having to worry about any mincing or the garlic burning in the oven. It's also important to chill the quinoa so that it adheres to the chicken. Rice flower keeps these nuggets gluten-free, but you can use whole-wheat or all-purpose instead.

Sorry drive-through: This version of the kid favorite is better than yours. 

A crunchy coating from a snack time favorite is sure to win big with the kids—especially when paired with a creamy garlic dip. Honey mustard would be good, too.

We call for chicken breast tenders here to keep things easy, but you can also use skinless, boneless chicken breasts (which are less expensive). Just cut each breast lengthwise into 3 strips.

Chicken nuggets populate almost every kid’s menu in America, but it’s safe to say that adults are fond of these little crispy bites as well. When fries and sauces are added, your meal can rack up to almost 700 calories. We’ve managed to get that same great chicken nugget taste, yet shaved off over half the calories in our lightened-up version.

Our oven-baked chicken tenders are breaded with panko crumbs, shredded coconut, and chia seeds. The three create a satisfying, crunchy crust without ever touching oil. It’s the perfect finger food for game day or a quick weeknight dinner with far fewer calories than its fried version. 

Most kids are hooked on breaded chicken of some sort.  So here’s a pan-fried version that’s much healthier than drive-through or frozen food options. Using chicken breast tenders makes these look like fast food, but you’ll feel so much better about feeding them to your kids. The crispy, crunchy panko breadcrumbs lend incredible texture. 

Crunchy potato chips create a crisp crust when pan-fried in a small amount of canola oil and coated with a mixture of baked potato chips and flour. Don't skip a step in the breading process. The sticky egg and flour mixture makes a paste that helps the potato chips adhere to the chicken. Serve with broccoli and buttered penne for an easy weeknight meal. Low on ketchup? 

Kids love the sweetness that the coconut adds to the coating of these chicken fingers. This recipe uses rice flour instead of wheat flour for the coating, making it allergy free.

Ah. The chicken finger. A child’s best friend and so often a parent’s nutritional nightmare. Not any more. We did a number on this kid favorite and made it over in our Pan-Fried Chicken Fingers with Spicy Dipping Sauce. Instead of batter-coated, deep-fried chicken drowning in fatty sauce, our chicken gets a crunchy exterior from cereal.

Our recipe calls for a spicy dipping sauce made with mayo, hot chile sauce, lime juice, and soy. Try reducing or eliminating the hot sauce for kids, or feel free to serve with ketchup or homemade honey mustard by combining ¼ cup honey with ¼ cup mustard.

These chicken fingers will have your loved ones—especially the kids—begging for an encore. The crunchy coating of lightly breaded chicken and the sweet and slightly tangy zing of the dipping sauce are a perfect paring.

Using oatmeal in the breading adds crunch to these chicken tenders, which are sure to be a hit with adults and children alike. Serve with commercial honey mustard or light ranch dressing for dipping.