By Cody’s friend Anthony came over Sunday afternoon with his eight-year-old niece Maria, whose mom was at her grandmother’s in Stillwater. The recipe Sunday was Tex-Mex chicken strips because Maria had asked Cody for chicken strips and because the recipe is one I had been wanting to try. Pounded chicken thighs cut into strips, dredged in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs mixed with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Pan-fried in oil. Served with a homemade ranch (sour cream, mayo, buttermilk substitute, dill, garlic, salt).
The math: chicken thighs $2.79, breadcrumbs, eggs, flour, the spice mix, sour cream, dill. Total: about $5.40 for four servings.
Maria had three strips and the dipping sauce. Anthony said, eating, Cody, your sister is going places.
The recipe is below. The trick is the Tex-Mex spice blend in the breading.
Tex-Mex Chicken Strips
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
- 3/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken. In a large bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken strips and toss until every piece is evenly coated in the spice mixture.
- Heat the skillet. Pour olive oil into a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. Let the oil get hot — about 90 seconds — before adding the chicken so you get a proper sear instead of a steam.
- Cook the chicken strips. Add the seasoned chicken in a single layer. Cook 4 to 5 minutes without moving them, then flip and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through and golden on both sides. Work in batches if your pan is crowded.
- Add the Rotel. Pour the drained Rotel over the chicken and stir to coat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 2 to 3 minutes, letting the tomatoes and chiles meld into the drippings.
- Melt the cheese. Scatter shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover the skillet and let it sit off the heat for 2 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and pulling into the pan.
- Serve. Plate over rice, stuff into warm flour tortillas, or eat straight from the skillet with chips. Top with cilantro if you have it.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 295 | Protein: 40g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 540mg