Description
These Crunchy Chicken Taco Fingers are a healthier, baked alternative to fried chicken strips, coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs for maximum crispiness. Perfect for tacos or as finger food, they’re baked until golden and served with fresh toppings like avocado, taco slaw, and a drizzle of spicy sriracha for a flavorful Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 500g/1 lb chicken tenderloins, cut in half lengthways into 16 strips (1.5-2cm / 0.6-0.8″)
- 2 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Olive oil spray
Taco Seasoning
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika (regular or sweet, not hot or smoked)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (sub onion powder if desired)
- 1 tsp onion powder (sub garlic powder if desired)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp kosher salt or cooking salt (halve if using table salt)
Dredge Batter
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp all-purpose/plain flour
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise or 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
For Serving (Tacos)
- 12–16 soft taco-size tortillas
- 1 batch taco slaw
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- Sriracha, for drizzling
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat and Toast Panko: Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced). Combine the panko breadcrumbs with the taco seasoning in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking tray, spray generously with olive oil from above to avoid scattering, then bake for 7 minutes until golden, mixing once halfway. Transfer toasted panko to a shallow pan for easy breading.
- Prepare Baking Rack and Dredge: Place a wire rack on the used baking tray and spray the rack with olive oil to prevent sticking. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, mayonnaise or olive oil, and a pinch of salt until smooth. The batter will seem thick initially but will thin to a consistency similar to maple syrup.
- Coat the Chicken Fingers: Add the chicken strips to the dredge and toss to coat well. Using one hand, pick up each strip, allowing excess batter to drip off, then place it into the toasted panko crumbs. Use your clean hand to press crumbs firmly on all sides, then lay coated fingers on the oiled wire rack. Repeat until all chicken is breaded.
- Wrap Tortillas: Separate the tortillas into two stacks and wrap each stack loosely in foil to warm during baking.
- Bake the Chicken Fingers and Warm Tortillas: Spray the coated chicken strips generously with olive oil spray for extra crunch. Place the baking tray with rack and chicken into the oven alongside the wrapped tortillas. Bake for 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and crispy. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach at least 67°C/152.6°F to ensure safe consumption.
- Assemble Tacos and Serve: Remove the chicken and tortillas from the oven. To assemble, place warm tortillas on plates, add a generous portion of taco slaw, two slices of avocado, one or two chicken fingers, drizzle with sriracha, and sprinkle with chopped coriander. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Chicken tenderloins are preferred for tenderness and size, but chicken breast can be used by cutting into strips.
- Panko breadcrumbs give extra crunch; substitute with regular breadcrumbs but expect less crispiness.
- Additional taco fixings can include shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or pickled cabbage.
- For kid-friendly sauce, mix sour cream with ketchup to make a mild pink taco sauce instead of sriracha.
- Using a rack prevents the underside of the chicken fingers from becoming soggy.
- If unsure about doneness, use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 67°C/152.6°F internally.
- Leftover chicken fingers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and re-crisped in the oven before serving.
- Do not crumb chicken too far in advance to avoid sogginess; prepare just before baking.
- Alternative dipping sauces include avocado sauce, nacho cheese dip, honey mustard, ranch, or BBQ sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 19 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Keywords: baked chicken fingers, crunchy chicken strips, chicken tacos, panko chicken, healthy chicken fingers, taco recipe, baked chicken, easy dinner
