This Peanut-Crusted Chicken Finger recipe (I’ve altered it some) is from one of my favorite southern cookbooks published last year, The Southern Pantry Cookbook: 105 Recipes Already Hiding in Your Kitchen

Chicken Fingers can seem a little bland, but not when coated in a mixture of crushed peanuts and panko crumbs and served with a maple-mustard dipping sauce.

Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Maple Sauce

Type Of Peanuts To Use

I’ve used Honey-Roasted Peanuts for a little extra flavor but you can also use regular roasted peanuts. The peanuts and panko crumbs are processed in a food processor until finely ground, making them adhere to the chicken better. The addition of a little cayenne pepper spices them up some.

The Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers are fried in vegetable oil until golden and crispy and then placed in the oven until they are cooked through.

Easy Dipping Sauce

Just three ingredients- mayo, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard, make a simple but delicious sauce.

The peanuts give these chicken fingers a lot of extra flavor and crunch. They’ll be just as popular with adults as they are with kids.

Chicken Fingers never tasted so good!

Oil Temperature

For best frying results, it’s important to keep the oil temperature between 360 and 375 degrees F. If the oil temperature gets too low, the chicken fingers will soak up too much oil and be greasy. If it is too high, the outside will burn before the inside is done. Using a deep-frying thermometer makes it super easy.