1 PAN

½ cup arrowroot starch
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 BOWL

2 eggs

3 PAN

½ cup coconut flour, sifted
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp granulated onion
½ tsp granulated garlic
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp turmeric
CHICKEN

¾ cup coconut oil (or tallow, lard, or duck fat)
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
Serves 4

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
Place a metal cooling rack on a baking sheet, and set aside.
In a shallow pan, place the #1 pan ingredients, and stir to combine.
In a bowl (#2), whisk the eggs, and set aside.
In a shallow pan, place the #3 pan ingredients. Stir to combine, and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. You want enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the chicken strips.
With a fork, pick up a chicken strip, and place it in the arrowroot mixture (#1 pan). Toss it to coat.
Next, put the coated strip in the whisked eggs (#2 bowl), and turn it to coat.
Move the strip to the coconut flour mixture (#3 pan), and turn it to coat.
Place the strip in the skillet. Repeat steps 7-9 with the additional chicken strips until the pan is full but not crowded. The chicken strips should not touch each other.
Cook the chicken on one side until it is browned, about 2 minutes. Then turn the strips, and continue cooking until the other side is nicely browned, about 2 minutes more.
Place the browned chicken strips on the metal cooling rack on top of the baking sheet, and place the whole thing in the oven to cook while you fry the remaining strips.
Continue to place browned strips on the rack until the last one is done. Leave the pan in the oven for an additional 8 minutes after adding the last strip.
Remove the pan from the oven, and let the strips cool to room temperature, but for no longer than 1 hour.
Place the chicken strips in an airtight container, separating the rows with wax paper. Refrigerate until needed. Serve with the Honey Mustard and Spicy Avocado dipping sauces.

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1 pan crispy chicken strips are the grain-free fingers everyone fights over. Chicken breast strips get a triple-dredge of arrowroot, egg, and spiced coconut flour, then shallow-fry in coconut oil until deeply golden and finish crisp on a rack in a warm oven.

Pro Tips

• Use the three-pan system as written: arrowroot first (for grip), then egg, then the seasoned coconut flour. That order is what makes the crust stay on through frying.
• Heat the coconut oil to come halfway up the sides of the strips — shallow frying with enough oil is what gives you even, golden crunch all over.
• Don't overcrowd the skillet; fry in batches so the oil temperature stays up and the strips crisp instead of steaming each other.
• Hold the finished strips on a metal cooling rack set over a sheet pan in a 300°F oven so they stay crisp while the rest of the batch fries.
• The turmeric in the flour mix gives the crust a gorgeous golden colour, while the paprika and granulated garlic keep it properly savoury.

Frequently Asked Questions

What oil is best for frying these?

Coconut oil is the recipe's choice, but tallow, lard, or duck fat all work and add lovely savoury flavour. Use one with a high smoke point and enough depth for shallow frying.

Are these chicken strips paleo?

Yes: arrowroot starch, coconut flour, eggs, spices, and chicken breast. No breadcrumbs or wheat flour anywhere in the three-pan breading.

Can I bake them instead of frying?

You can bake them on a well-oiled rack at 425°F, turning once, until golden. Shallow frying gives the superior crust, though.

How do I keep the crust from falling off?

Shake off excess arrowroot, let the egg drip briefly, and press the coconut flour on firmly. Chilling the coated strips 10 minutes before frying also helps them set.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

1 PAN

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• ½ cup arrowroot starch
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup coconut flour, sifted
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ tsp granulated onion
• ½ tsp granulated garlic
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¾ cup coconut oil (or tallow, lard, or duck fat)
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips

Method

 

1. Serves 4 Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. Place a metal cooling rack on a baking sheet, and set aside.
3. In a shallow pan, place the #1 pan ingredients, and stir to combine.
4. In a bowl (#2), whisk the eggs, and set aside.
5. In a shallow pan, place the #3 pan ingredients.
6. Stir to combine, and set aside.
7. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. You want enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the chicken strips. With a fork, pick up a chicken strip, and place it in the arrowroot mixture (#1 pan).
8. Toss it to coat.
9. Next, put the coated strip in the whisked eggs (#2 bowl), and turn it to coat. Move the strip to the coconut flour mixture (#3 pan), and turn it to coat.
10. Place the strip in the skillet.
11. Repeat steps 7-9 with the additional chicken strips until the pan is full but not crowded. The chicken strips should not touch each other.
12. Cook the chicken on one side until it is browned, about 2 minutes.
13. Then turn the strips, and continue cooking until the other side is nicely browned, about 2 minutes more.
14. Place the browned chicken strips on the metal cooling rack on top of the baking sheet, and place the whole thing in the oven to cook while you fry the remaining strips.
15. Continue to place browned strips on the rack until the last one is done. Leave the pan in the oven for an additional 8 minutes after adding the last strip.
16. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the strips cool to room temperature, but for no longer than 1 hour.
17. Place the chicken strips in an airtight container, separating the rows with wax paper.
18. Refrigerate until needed.
19. Serve with the Honey Mustard and Spicy Avocado dipping sauces.

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