Chicken Planks ( Kinda like Chicken Fingers, ONLY BETTER)
I think my husband married me because of these chicken planks, seriously. They are a hit with kids, teenagers, and grown ups alike so I thought I’d bring it to you today since our Southern Plate family has grown so much since I first posted it. This was back in the day of my little point and shoot camera so I took a new final photo last week to put in here but the other photos are the original ones. Have a great day and I you get to make these soon! Gratefully, Christy
Click here to get my recipe for Comeback Sauce to serve with these!
This was one of my mom’s weekly dishes growing up. They are so good! Our friends would hear we were having chicken planks and conspicuously hang around our house until Mama called us in for supper so they could secure an invite.
After all, aren’t Southerners known for their fried chicken?
The taste and texture of this dish are so amazing, you’d never know the ingredients were so few and so simple.
We were eating these in our family long before chicken fingers made it onto the menu at restaurants and before chicken nuggets were even thought of (Happy Meals were hamburger or cheeseburger back in “the day”). I remember we went to a restaurant once and my dad actually asked the waitress what a chicken finger was. He said “I didn’t know chickens had fingers!”. We were all very young and thought our dad was hilarious.
Give these a try, I guarantee they will knock your socks off and blow other chicken fingers out of the water!
Please don’t get low salt or no salt crackers, just trust me on this.
Place chicken breasts inside two ziplock bags and beat out thin with the blunt end of a meat tenderizer or mallet. I use two ziplock bags because one usually ends up splitting open in the course of my beating. I guess I have a lot of untapped aggression 
.
They will be nice and flat and thin, about 1/4 of an inch. I wonder if I can use that measurement one more time in this tutorial…keep your eyes open, I am setting it up as a personal challenge.
I swear I sing Michael Jackson in my head every time I beat eggs.
“Gunky” is a highly technical culinary term which I learned whilst acquiring my $40,000 degree in home economics. You may not have used that term until now because you were not properly educated on its meaning. However, as a reader of Southern Plate, you are now qualified to incorporate it into your daily vocabulary. Your friends will be impressed, so you must make chicken planks A.S.A.P. in order to have your first opportunity to utilize this colorful term. Can you tell I’m tired?
Okay, so your cracker crumbs will start to get gunky after you use them a bit, this is where you will take the crumbs you had set aside and dump them into your bowl. Just put them right on top of your old crumbs if you like, then continue breading your chicken and putting it in the oil.
If enough of us do it, I bet they’ll start using it on the Food Network!
Turn after they brown on one side and continue cooking
Remove from the pan and place on paper towel lined plate.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts
- 1 -3 Sleeves Saltine Crackers
- 2 eggs
- Cooking Oil
Instructions
- Pour oil in large skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat on medium while you prepare the chicken.
- Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag and beat out until 1/4 inch thick. Crack eggs into bowl and beat with fork. Crush saltines and put in a separate bowl.
- Cut each chicken breast into three strips and dip each piece first in egg mixture, then in cracker crumbs, being careful to coat completely. Drop each piece into oil and cook, turning once, on medium to medium high heat until browned on both sides. Drain on paper towel lined plate.
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Aug 11 2008. Filed under Chicken, Main Course.
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I’m on my way to the store to get me some chicken. I will probably have to dip them in Honey Mustard or Barbeque sauce when they are done. I’m sweatin and a painting. Well, I am not actually doing the painting but taking everything off the walls and windows and lordy knows what else. It is just one big mess around here……….. I love you dahling girl.
I never thought to use saltines….hmmm interesting. We have a surplus of saltines left over from Lisa’s first trimester lol….now I know what to do with them.
I usually use Italian style bread crumbs and olive oil, but this looks like a nice change.
xoxo to my pal.
Wonder if these would turn out if baked instead of fried. I have used crushed cornflakes and baked them.
You know what’s good to do for baked chicken tenders? Instant potato flakes. Then bake in a shallow dish with a little melted butter coating the bottom, turning about halfway through. That was one of the first dishes I ever cooked when I was in college.
These things are sooooo yummy! i made them not too long ago. If anybody wants to try them they should tonight. They are so easy to make! They remind me of the way my Grandma use to make her zucchini, except she used Ritz crackers, but the process is all the same!
Looks like this is gonna be supper tonight at the Webb household…Thanks
I do it exactly the way Christy says first and then I experiment the next time around. Usually her way is the way my Mama made hers and I just didn’t pay attention like Christy did. I do remember Mama using saltine crackers to bread her mackerel cakes though. Seems like that just involved four ingrdieints too. Eggs, can of mackarel, flour,,,maybe onion….patted out and rolled in cracker crumbs…okay that’s five…..Do you have that recipe, Christy?
Those look really really good!!!
I’ll definitely try to use “gunky” in my vocabulary today. I like that you used “whilst” in a sentence. I don’t know why, but I got really tickled one time when I was on a cruise and there was a sign that read “Do not flush whilst sitting on toilet”. It really cracked me up and my mom was outside the bathroom wondering what the heck was going on!!!
Oh yeah Christy, my momma made chicken planks this way too. I think I’ll have them tonight in her honor, thanks for the memory!
Tamela, your mention of the word “whilst” gave me a big chuckle! Was there danger of you being flushed or what?
LAY THE COOKED CHICKEN ON A COOLING RACK. PUTTING IT ON PAPER TOWELS WILL CAUSE ONE SIDE TO BE GREASY AND WILL LOSE THE CRIPNESS. I M HERE TO TOLE YOU
JOHNNY
lol Johnny,
I place mine on the paper towels sideways – works well too – this is a simple, great tastin dish – as always Christy rocks!
I absolutely love this site and want to thank my niece Melisa for telling me about it. Not only do I get great recipes but also great laughs and an education also. You bet I will be using “gunky” in my vocab. now. Thank you Christy, and keep the good times rollin
I’m sure the people in my house will adore this! We’re all big chicken lovers and it’s not as satisfying to get the frozen chicken fingers and fry them. So definitely going to try this soon! <3
OK I’m on board for some.
you know, I hear you can use Captain Crunch instead of crackers…..
There is a bit of a recipe to it (add few more things) but I’ve made it and it’s good! I’ll try to do that tutorial soon. Thanks for reminding me!!
It tastes very different from this, I loved it!
i think Planet Hollywood used to use Capn Crunch for their chicken fingers!
yummy.. I make these too .. but not often enough.. thanks for the reminder !
Looks good! Thanks.
ok, please tell me your mom would ‘fry’ some of the leftover crackers by themselves and I will know we are definitely related!!! LOL
we also use the same method on pork chops- YUMMY!
and you’re right- I made these for my hubby and got a ring 2 weeks later.hmmmmm food that illicits proposals!
Christy
I have made these before and they always disappear quickly. I have used crushed cereal such as Rice Krispies or Crispix. And a few Panko bread crumb thrown in make them extra crunchy. A great dipping sauce makes them better, but sometimes plain old honey takes them to another level.Thanks for always reminding us all these dishes that we used to make but may have put on the back burner,
Mmmmmm…now I just need a perfect dipping sause or a ‘gravy’ to put over them. Betting you have something like that, Christy?? If so, post it soon, but until then I”ll just use the idea of honey, maybe with a lil bit of mustard mixed in?
Love some of the posts here, like the ‘whilst’ one…hahahaha. Thanks for sharing those memories.
I make my Chicken Fried Steak this way as well!
I want to comment on the Jewel Tea bowl on one of the posts…that bowl brought back all my childhood memories as my mother had a set of those dishes that we ate on while growing up. I had to call my sister to see if she had any of the pieces and she only had 1 bowl. She didn’t know what happened to the rest of the set. That took me way back when I saw it on your post!!
Thank you for helping all of us to remember our childhoods !!!!
I am going to thaw out some chicken and do these tomorrow.. and I promise to use gunky more often although it is an often used work in my vocabulary as is warsh.. which my grandchildren fall over laughing at me.. and tell me there is no r in wash…. as in what you do to dishes and clothes.. but I know there is.
jo in Sapulpa
My mom use this method for fried eggplant
imagines Christy whisking eggs in a sparkly white glove…and moonwalking chicken strips over to the stove.
I have to tell you all, I copy and paste all of the recipes I try. I have to clean them up, because I copy the whole page so Christy I have your wonderful stories and friends I have all the comments. They are such a delight to read while preparing the meal after a rough day. As for the chicken planks, Christy my 21 yr old loves chicken tenders this will be your third one we’ve tried the first two were winners, I’m sure this will be also. the chicken nuggets on the fly and the grilled chicken tenders without the grill.
I make one similar to this but use Ritz crackers. Then you dip one side of the chicken in butter and then in parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven until done. Delish!!
Sorry folks but it was too greasy for me and I suppose I could add some flavor with spices and dipping sauce but I don’t think I’ll do it again.
Well today I decided to put on a pot of pintos. I went ahead and cut up my potatoes for stewed potatoes and let sit on the stove. Next step was to come to Southern Plate and see what I would be adding. This chicken caught my eye and I had all the ingredients I needed. Well I was in the garden until dark and forgot all about supper. I came inside and my daughter told me the beans were ready and I thought “oh no! I hope that chicken doesn’t take too long”. Well Christy, let me tell you, it was perfect ! I want to thank you again for such a wonderful site and all your recipes. I was going to say yummy, but that’s not enough, then awesome, and again, that just doesn’t do your recipes justice, so whatever the best of the best is in the food world, you are it, times 10 ! Thanks girl…. again you are awesome !!!
Hi Christy! When I first saw this recipe on your Facebook page a month or so ago, I’d just had gum surgery and was only allowed to eat soft foods. I knew that as soon as I could eat solid food again, I had to try your chicken planks. Well, it seems now I can’t stop trying them! They are so delicious! I make them a couple of times a week. I never thought I’d be able to make fried chicken as good as my mom, but I think this recipe beats hers
(I’d never tell her that though) Thank you so much!
Looks yummy! On my way to the store. Thanks for sharing
I made these for the first time tonight, and had the pleasure of looking at the recipe from your cook book! This may sound dumb, but I was a bit nervous to make these chicken planks because I’ve never cooked anything in oil like that and I was envisioning grease splatters everywhere, burned (or oil logged) chicken, and maybe even a grease fire (I had my lid ready!). I was careful though and they turned out beautifully. I made 2 chicken breasts worth and served them with mashed potatoes and corn just like in the picture on the front of the book. Maybe I had really big chicken breasts, but we stuffed ourselves and still have a leftover plank. They are SO good! The crunchy coating is perfect and the flavor is fantastic. Hugs to your mom for inventing them and to you for sharing the recipe!
[...] Chicken Planks [...]
I’d love to make these for a dinner party. Can I make them ahead and keep them warm in the oven for serving? Would they stay crispy?
This was my first attempt frying anything in oil. That sounds positively un-Southern, doesn’t it?
It did take a little longer than I thought it would (I actually pulled out the first couple planks too soon, but I just plopped them back in when I discovered my mistake.) And I found that the planks that were covered with finer saltine crumbs kept their coating a lot better than the chunkier cracker pieces. So next time I’ll crush up the crackers more thoroughly. But this recipe is FANTASTIC; my husband loves chicken fingers, and he raved about these. I served this with the creamy mac and cheese recipe from southernplate, and it was just divine. Thanks Christy!
I made this with catfish instead of chicken, and my family went crazy for it! To spice it up just a little, I seasoned the catfish with Creole seasoning and added a little hot sauce to the eggs but otherwise followed the recipe. The saltines smelled SO GOOD while they fryied. So much better than seasoned bread crumbs.
On the side I served your Meme’s mashed potatoes, and I’m pretty sure I’ll never make mashed potatoes any other way from now on. They’re so creamy and good. What a comforting meal. I had gotten these recipe by checking out your book from the library, but I’ve already asked for it for my birthday next month. Thanks for sharing your family’s wonderful recipes. What a treasure!
[...] Chicken Planks [...]
By “heavy” pan do you mean cast iron? I’m rather afraid of cast iron. My neighbor had one when we lived in Italy & she said you don’t wash cast iron you “season” it using Crisco…lard….PLUS she said iron comes out of the pan & into your food. That scared me, plus not knowing how to take care of cast iron skillet & we have a flat top electric stove, is cast iron safe to use on that? If you didn’t mean cast iron what on earth kinda skillet should I use? Oh goodness.
No fear, Melissa – Cast iron has been one of the best investments my grandma ever made. I’m the current owner of her stash as she is unable to really cook much anymore. They have been passed down for generations and have held up marvelously. I never “wash” them (not with soap and scrubby sponge for sure!). That’s one of the great things about them – they conduct heat really well, cleanup is easy (after they have been “seasoned” with Crisco) because virtually nothing will stick to them, and there’s no better way to make a batch of cornbread! Now she always told me to be careful and not use a lot of tomato products in them as the acid from the maters will cause a reaction, and anything “saucy” left in the pan just gets rinsed with warm water and a soft cloth, immediately dried and a light rubbing of oil to keep it sealed.
[...] I have made Strawberry Soup, Meatloaf (my husband fav), squash casserole, green bean casserole and chicken planks and brownies with peanut butter icing. You have made dinner at my house so much easier and more [...]
[...] Belle – In the last week we’ve had Jordan Rolls, Fire & Ice Salad, Chicken Planks & Strawberry [...]
OMG! It’s chicken tenders, not chicken planks! A plank is something you walk on.
Breathe hon, it’s gonna be okay
[...] What did we make for dinner you say? lol. The very best chicken planks. See here.. http://www.southernplate.com/2008/08/chicken-planks-kinda-like-chicken.html [...]
I made these last night and they were so good!!! I love how the ingredients are so simple and cheap!!! This will definatly be a keeper recipe!! Thanks for all you do.
Thanks Christy! So glad to hear that you liked them.
[...] Henderson My daughter and I made your corn casserole last night, and we are having your Chicken Planks tonight! My children love them with milk gravy. Thank you Christy & Southern [...]
I just got around to trying your chicken planks – so easy and SO GOOD!
The crackers seem to hold on much better than the usual flour mix.
I don’t have kids, but I can imagine how children would love these!
I used oyster crackers, but I”m thinking some buttery Ritz might be tasty as well
[...] old and already quite the cook! They’ve made Southern Plate’s Pecan Pie, Banana Bread, Chicken Planks, Chicken and Corn Casserole, and [...]
[...] – Fried chicken planks, my family’s new favorite with comeback [...]
[...] Chicken Planks (Kinda like Chicken Fingers, only better!) [...]
Just made these for dinner! They were a hit and will definately be made again! YUMMY!!
I am so glad to hear that you liked them Jodi!!
My Mom made fish like this and it is fantastic so I can’t wait to try the chicken!
Talking about the Minute SteaK and Gravy, my sister taught me this and it is sooooo good.
Fry Minute Steak until done
Place in baking pan and set aside.
Make milk gravy and pour over steak,
cover with foil and bake @350* for 30 mins and remove foil and bake another 30 minutes.
Minute Steak is so tender it will melt in your mouth.
[...] #2.Chicken Planks, Meme’s Mashed Potatoes, and Fried Corn. Okay so when I’m on a book tour, the meal I am thinking about most is the one featured on the bottom right of my book cover, so it only stands to reason that it is the one I am wanting, after spaghetti, of course! [...]