Red Curry Chicken Fingers (Strips) With Crispy Onion Breading Recipe on Food52 (2024)

I created these ultra-crispy, red curry–spiced chicken fingers as a way to punch up the flavor and texture of garden variety chicken fingers. A few simple tricks make them stand out: First, the chicken (either boneless, skinless thighs or breasts cut into strips, or packaged chicken tenders) is dunked in a zippy mix of yogurt and Thai red curry paste, then rolled in panko and crushed fried onions (the canned kind), a nod to fried shallots, which are no stranger to Thai cooking. They’re baked on a rocket-hot sheet pan with butter and oil, an easier, speedier, and less messy way to go versus frying them in batches on the stovetop.

More yogurt and red curry paste make a simple, flavorful dipping sauce—the creaminess of the yogurt being the perfect foil for each crispy, crunchy, flavor-packed bite. With their bold, spicy-sweet flavors, they may seem like a grown-up version of chicken fingers, but from my experience, they’ll be a big hit with kids and adults alike. A sheet pan of broccoli or cauliflower florets (roasted at the same time as the chicken) makes the perfect companion.

A few notes: since the level of heat varies between brands of Thai red curry paste, taste the yogurt–red curry marinade before coating the chicken, and adjust its spiciness to your liking. Same goes for the red curry-yogurt dipping sauce: make it as mild or kicky as you like. For the crispy breading, you can use all panko, but I recommend a mix of panko with crushed fried onions; they lend addictive crunch and flavor. (I use French’s or Trader Joe’s brands, but feel free to fry your own.) I prefer a 2:1 ratio of panko to fried onion crumbs, but feel free play around with the proportions. —EmilyC

Directions

1. Start by marinating the chicken tenders. In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt and red curry paste until well integrated. Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated with the yogurt sauce. (This step can be done 8 to 12 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate chicken until ready to use.)
2. Heat oven to 450° F.
3. Combine the panko and fried onions in a wide, shallow dish, stirring until well combined. Coat the chicken strips, a few pieces at a time, in the breading, pressing lightly to adhere as much of the crumbs as possible. Set the breaded chicken aside on a large plate or tray.
4. Add vegetable oil to the base of a metal sheet pan, tipping the pan to distribute it evenly, then the chunk of butter. Place the sheet pan in the heated oven. When the butter has melted and just starts to brown, remove the sheet pan from the oven, and working quickly, gently add the chicken. Bake until the bottoms are golden, about 7 to 10 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, gently flip chicken and continue cooking until both sides are golden and crispy and cooked through (internal temperature should read 165° F in the thickest spot), another 7 to 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, to make the spicy yogurt dip: Swirl the red curry paste into the yogurt. Add a pinch of salt. (If you're using Greek yogurt, you may need to thin the dip with a drizzle of olive oil.) Taste; add chile flakes or more curry paste if you want a spicier kick.
6. Once the chicken has rested, serve warm with the yogurt dipping sauce and lime wedges on the side.

Recipe by: EmilyC