Jamaican Curry Chicken Tenders

Photo by mphillips007/iStock / Getty Images

Photo by mphillips007/iStock / Getty Images

***We’ve run this recipe through multiple test-kitchen tries, and to be honest it works best when fried. We know that’s not an option for everyone, so here is the recipe as it is baked, but we told you so!*****

This West Indies take on an American finger-food classic adds curry flavor and some heat from the Scotch bonnet peppers in our Jamaican No. 3 sauce, and the light panko breading is our favorite to give them a nice crunch without a whole lot of breading. 

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 2 cups panko

  • 2 eggs

  • Salt & pepper

  • Mayo or yogurt

  • Corine’s Cuisine Jamaican No. 3 Sauce

Using a saucepan or a mallet, pound the chicken breasts so they have an even thickness of about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. Slice the breasts into strips 1 to 2 inches wide. Mix 3 tablespoons of the Jamaican No. 3 sauce into the buttermilk, and pour it over the chicken strips in a sealable 1-gal plastic bag to marinate. Marinate overnight if possible, but a few hours will do in a pinch. 

If you’re baking these instead of frying them, a lightly oiled wire rack on a baking sheet is best to get the chicken tenders nice and crispy all over. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the eggs lightly with a tablespoon of water and 2 tbsp of Jamaican No. 3 Sauce. If you like your chicken tenders spicier, blend more of the No. 3 sauce into the eggs. Spread the panko on a plate, and mix in the salt & pepper (about 1 teaspoon each). Remove the chicken strips from the marinade and dip each one in the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko and place them on the rack so they are not touching. 

Bake the chicken tenders at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning them once halfway through. Cut to check for doneness, or if using a thermometer, remove them when their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. These can also be cooked in an air fryer, but in batches so they are not stacked or touching.

Mix up some of the Jamaican No. 3 sauce with mayo or yogurt for a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

(For our deep-fry fans, you can do these chicken tenders that way for crispier results, about 5-7 minutes in vegetable or peanut oil at 375 degrees.)

Corine's Cuisine