Beer-Battered Chicken Strips

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/15/21
Beer battered chicken strips

The Spruce

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Let Stand: 25 mins
Total: 51 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
409 Calories
22g Fat
26g Carbs
24g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 409
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 98mg 33%
Sodium 694mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 219mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Crispy chicken strips are always a fan favorite, but when coated in a flavorful beer batter they may become the only recipe for chicken fingers you ever make. In this recipe, a mixture of egg, beer, flour, baking soda, and seasonings coats the chicken before the strips are deep-fried, making for golden, crunchy, and tender chicken strips.

This recipe calls for cutting boneless chicken breasts into strips, but feel free to use chicken tenderloins (about 3/4 pound) for quicker preparation. Serve these tender and crispy chicken strips with your favorite dipping sauces, like honey mustard and ketchup, or offer something a little different such as beer barbecue sauce, sweet and sour sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, or chipotle mayonnaise. Add coleslaw and french fries to the menu for a delicious family meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg

  • 3/4 cup beer

  • 3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast

  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Beer Battered Chicken Strips Recipe ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg lightly. Whisk in the beer and then add the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for about 25 minutes before using.

    Beer Battered Chicken Strips batter
    The Spruce 

  3. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. If the chicken breasts are large, slice them into thirds or quarters. 

    Sliced chicken breasts
    The Spruce

  4. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 360 F. Or heat the oil in a deep fryer with temperature control.

    Chicken strips and frying pan
    The Spruce

  5. Using tongs to hold the chicken strips, dip each in the batter; allow the excess to drip off.

    Chicken strip dipped in batter
    The Spruce

  6. Carefully lower the strips, one by one, into the hot oil. After about 1 minute, turn the strips.

    Chicken strips frying in oil
    The Spruce

  7. Continue to turn the strips occasionally until they are golden, cooking for a total of 4 to 6 minutes.

  8. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray. Pat more towels on top to absorb excess oil.

    Beer Battered Chicken Strips draining on a paper towel
    The Spruce

  9. Serve immediately with your favorite sauces and enjoy.

    Beer Battered Chicken Strips
    The Spruce

Tips

  • When making the batter, start with 3/4 cup of flour, and add more if necessary to get the right consistency. Or, you can add the whole 1 cup of flour and pour in a little more beer if necessary.
  • If you are finding the batter won't stick to the chicken, coat the chicken with a dusting of flour before dunking into the batter.
  • A neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point is the best choice for deep frying. Vegetable oil or corn oil are good, as are peanut oil, canola, and grapeseed oil.

What Type of Beer Is Best?

When making a beer batter, pilsners or lagers are good choices; their bubbles will help to aerate the batter. If you are looking for the beer to add flavor to the dish, select a brew with a distinctive taste, such as an amber beer or a stout. Cold beer will make the coating lighter and crispier, but you can use room temperature if you like.

Recipe Variation

Add a teaspoon of seasoning salt or a Creole seasoning blend to the batter; just make sure to cut the salt in half.