Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers with Ranch Yogurt Dip

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Since the pubs closed about 8 million years ago, Bae and I have been trying our best to create at-home pub nights whenever possible. We try to have a variety of our favorite beers on hand and together we devise a pub-ish menu. One night it might be nachos, while another could be burgers. Fish and chips have made an appearance and so have homemade potato chips. But thus far, our favorite at-home pub creation has to be these Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers with Ranch Yogurt Dip. They hit the spot like no other and I have to say, they may be the best chicken fingers I’ve ever had.

Vehicles for Ketchup

As the lockdown soldiers on and restaurants remain shuttered, my cravings for food I didn’t make myself rage on. And the longer I go without a restaurant visit, the trashier my cravings become. Remember a month ago when I said I was missing the cassoulet from my favorite French restaurant? Yeah, those days are gone. Now I find myself fixating on french fries, onion rings, and yes, even chicken fingers. Basically, if it can be smothered in ketchup I want to hear about it.

The Pub’s the Thing

Yes, I know you can get all of these things via takeout, but they’re just not the same. They steam in their containers while they make their way to your home. The batter gets soggy and sad and makes them barely worth the calories they contain. Plus, these are the foods I associate with a loud, boisterous pub. Places of laidback fun, packed to the gills with old friends, “casual” first dates, and cover bands of varying degrees of mediocrity. A pub has a vibe and that vibe can not be packed into a takeaway box.

But I suppose I should get used to missing that. Even as Toronto begins to open up, I’d say we’re still a long way off from drunkenly draping ourselves on our friends over a couple of beers and a communal plate of nachos. And while I can’t have my friends simply pop into mine for a cheeky pint, I can at the very least make my own damn chicken fingers. And I can make them as boujee as I want.

Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers

These Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers are more akin to a gastropub offering. They’re a prime example of the high/low snackage that has become obnoxiously prevalent these days. But you know what? I don’t much care how on-trend these are. I like to make food I want to eat and I don’t think much past that. So, forgive my fancy version of chicken fingers. They had no choice and I have no shame. And for the record, I have a deep appreciation for Wendy’s Homestyle Chicken Strips, which I think are no longer available? But the fact remains, I haven’t forgotten where I come from.

Now, like all good fried chicken parts, these fingers start with a brine. And this particular brine came, in part, from a pickle jar. Yes, a splash of pickle juice will do ya. I was without buttermilk so I subbed in full-fat yogurt, added a couple of dashes of a buffalo-style hot sauce, and finish with a clove of minced raw garlic. If you’re sensitive to the bite of raw garlic, you can saute it first and then add it. I mixed the whole mess up with the chicken and let it sit for a while. And in return for my patience, I was gifted juicy chicken with a hint of dilly, vinegary deliciousness.

Okay, so let’s talk dredging. I subscribe to the double-dredge method. This involves taking the chicken out of its brine, dredging it before returning it to its brine then dredging it again. The result is a delightfully crisp, craggy surface that provides an extreme contrast between the crunchy exterior and tender interior. The uneven surface also holds onto dip like a dream.

Ranch Yogurt Dip

And speaking of dip, let’s talk about this Ranch Yogurt Dip. This dip boasts all the usuals you’d find in a pack of ranch seasoning. Sometimes it feels good to go classic. I did opt for freshly grated parm in place of the partially dehydrated stuff, which did elevate the final dip. But other than that, it tastes just like a good old fashioned ranch dip. It is perhaps a little tangier and lighter than the mayo/sour cream concoctions but it certainly doesn’t read as lacking in any way.

So that’s pretty much everything you need to know about these Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers. They’re fairly straight forward, a teeny bit refined and all the way good. Pair with your favorite beer and a side of classic rock.

Enjoy!