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Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers with Ranch Yogurt Dip

These Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers feature tender strips of chicken marinated in dill pickle brine, yogurt, and hot sauce double breaded and fried to golden perfection. Served alongside a pot of Ranch Yogurt Dip, these fingers bring the pub home.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Brining Time 3 hours
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 2

Equipment

  • Candy Thermometer
  • Large Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients
  

Ranch Yogurt Dip

  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp dried dill weed
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp Aleppo pepper flakes or Cayenne
  • 1 cup full-fat yogurt
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese finely shredded

Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ cup dill pickle brine
  • ½ cup full-fat yogurt
  • ¼ cup buffalo-style hot sauce I used Frank's
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt divided
  • fresh ground pepper divided
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cup neutral oil I used canola
  • Dried parsley for sprinkling
  • Aleppo pepper flakes for sprinkling

Instructions
 

Ranch Yogurt Dip

  • Place the spices in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl place the yogurt and pour in the lemon juice. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the parmesan cheese and cover. Chill until ready to serve.

Dill Pickle Chicken Fingers

  • Remove the tenders from the underside of the chicken breasts and place them in a large bowl. Slice the remaining chicken into strips and place them in the bowl as well. Add the garlic, pickle brine, yogurt, hot sauce, ½ a teaspoon of the salt, and fresh ground pepper. Using a clean hand, toss to coat the chicken and evenly disperse the ingredients. Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge. Let marinate for 3 hours or overnight.
  • Once the chicken has marinated, place the flour, baking powder, and the remaining salt in a large bowl. Add a fair amount of fresh ground pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • Take a chicken strip out of its marinade and toss it in the flour mixture. Return the finger to the marinade and toss again. It doesn't have to be fully coated just sticky. Place the finger once again in the flour mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the finger to a cooling rack placed inside a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.
  • Pour the oil into a large cast-iron skillet. Heat the oil until it reaches 350°F. Try to keep the oil within 25° on either side of that temperature by adjusting the heat throughout the frying process.
  • Working in batches, add the chicken fingers to the oil. Fry until golden on one side, then flip, this should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Once the fingers are golden transfer them back to the cooling rack. Sprinkle immediately with a little salt, dried parsley flakes, and Aleppo pepper flakes. Keep the fingers warm in a 150°F oven while you finish frying the fingers.
  • Arrange the fingers on a platter and serve with pickle spears and a bowl of the Ranch Yogurt Dip. Serve immediately with cold beers.
Keyword dill pickle, fried chicken, ranch