Crispy Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers (With Cane’s Sauce)
You’ve been missing out if you’ve never tried Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers! These crispy chicken fingers are made with juicy chicken breast and served with Cane’s sauce.
Those in the know will tell you that these chicken fingers are superior to competitors such as KFC and Chick-Fil-A. They really are that good!
Raising Cane’s is a fast food restaurant chain based in Louisiana that has 570 locations nationwide.
Despite the fact that their menu is limited to chicken fingers, many argue that they are the best money can buy.
If Raising Cane’s isn’t available in your state, here’s how to make these chicken fingers at home.
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WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS?
Raising Cane’s mission is to make the best chicken fingers possible by using only fresh, high-quality ingredients.
There are no fillers or processed ingredients, and they only use premium chicken tenderloins. Best of all, these fingers are never frozen, so you can always expect fresh, juicy, and tender chicken.
Alternative video: Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Chicken Breast, Boneless and Skinless
- Milk
- Juice of lemon
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- seasoned with salt and pepper
- Breadcrumbs (Panko) (Panko and regular breadcrumbs)
- Flour for All Purposes
- Powdered onion
- Oil, Vegetable
HOW TO MAKE RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS AT HOME
- Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips perpendicular to the grain. Put the strips in a zip-top bag and set them aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon juice, and sugar to make the marinade. Then stir in the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Combine thoroughly.
- Pour the marinade into the zip-top bag and gently shake to coat the chicken completely. Marinate the chicken for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Remove a few chicken strips from the bag at a time. Coat them thoroughly with the breadcrumb mixture.
- When the oil is hot, carefully add a few chicken strips to the pot and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy.
PRO TIPS FOR THE BEST TENDER AND JUICY CHICKEN FINGERS
- Marinate the chicken tenders before frying: Marinating your chicken will result in juicier and more tender fingers. Marinating meat helps to keep it from drying out or becoming chewy when fried.
- Deep-frying with vegetable oil, such as canola oil, is best: Using oil with a high smoke point is best for deep-frying chicken. We recommend using canola or vegetable oil.
- Keep the oil temperature between 300 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit: Keep the oil temperature between 300 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The chicken will burn if the oil is too hot, and your fingers will not be crispy if it is not hot enough.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot: To ensure that all of your chicken fingers cook properly, don’t overcrowd your pot. For best results, cook a few pieces at a time.
- After frying, drain the chicken fingers briefly on paper towels: To keep your chicken fingers from becoming too greasy, drain them on a paper towel after removing them from the pot.
WHAT IS RAISING CANE’S SAUCE?
Raising Cane’s is a fast-food restaurant chain that serves incredible fried chicken tenders with what is quite possibly the best chicken dipping sauce ever. It’s my husband’s favorite food category.
Raising Cane’s first location was on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and it is still very popular throughout the Southern United States.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Ketchup: You can use any kind of ketchup; we prefer Simply Heinz because it doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup, but it doesn’t really matter.
- Blue Plate mayonnaise is our favorite; it’s from Louisiana and we think it has the best flavor.
- Black Pepper: I like to use coarse ground black pepper – there isn’t always a noticeable difference in dishes when using different size grinds of pepper, but one of the best parts of Cane’s sauce is the pepperiness, so the coarser grind gives you that big, bold flavor.
- Garlic Powder: We use regular garlic powder/granulated garlic rather than dehydrated garlic. I’ve tried several different brands and they all taste the same.
- Worcestershire sauce – I prefer the Lea and Perrins brand, but I’ve also used cheaper brands like Heinz and Publix store brands.
- Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning – Tony Chachere’s Seasoning is the lagniappe that I like to add to this recipe to make it even better.
HOW TO MAKE CANE’S SAUCE FOR DIPPING?
The dipping sauce, according to some, is the best part of the Raising Cane’s experience. They claim it’s a secret recipe, but we figured it out.
To make this tangy, creamy sauce, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl, then add garlic powder, ground black pepper, and salt. Simple, but filling!
WHAT DOES RAISING CANE’S SAUCE TASTE LIKE?
Raising Cane’s Sauce is slightly tangy, slightly peppery, and slightly spicy. It has a little tang from the mayonnaise and a little sweet tomato flavor from the ketchup.
All of this is balanced out by a generous amount of black pepper, some spice from Tony Chachere’s seasoning, and a dash of garlic powder.
Someone recently told me that they use dijon mustard, onion powder, and salt as well, and that it makes their sauce fantastic. I haven’t tried it yet, but please let me know if you do!
HOW TO CORRECTLY CUT CHICKEN FOR RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS?
When making chicken fingers, the best way to cut the meat is against the grain. If you look closely at the meat, you’ll notice faint lines across the surface.
You should cut perpendicular to these lines. This minor step has a significant impact on how tender your chicken will be.
WHAT’S THE BEST OIL FOR DEEP FRYING?
Vegetable oil is a low-cost all-purpose oil that is excellent for deep frying.
It goes well with most meats because of its neutral flavor and high smoke point. Canola oil is another fantastic option.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS?
Make a batch of Cane’s sauce for dipping your chicken fingers in. Raising Cane’s fingers are typically served in box combos alongside crinkle-cut fries and coleslaw.
Texas toast – warm, buttery toast seasoned with garlic – is also a popular combination. To get the full Cane’s experience, recreate all of these sides at home.
CAN I PREP CHICKEN TENDERS AHEAD?
- You can start preparing the recipe up to 24 hours ahead of time and finish it right before frying. Before frying, remove the breaded chicken pieces from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Refrigerate leftovers and reheat in an air fryer, on the reheat setting, or in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes.
- I do not recommend freezing leftover chicken tenders due to the thick coating. These are best enjoyed in the present moment.
Crispy Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers (With Cane’s Sauce)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
You’ve been missing out if you’ve never tried Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers! These crispy chicken fingers are made with juicy chicken breast and served with Cane’s sauce.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Fingers
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips
For the Marinade
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Crispy Coating
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 regular breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips against the grain to make chicken fingers. Put the strips in a zip-top bag and set them aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon juice, and sugar. Mix in the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Combine thoroughly.
- Marinate the chicken by pouring the marinade into a zip-top bag and gently shaking it until the chicken is completely coated. Marinate the chicken for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator. (Not to exceed one hour.)
- Heat the oil: In a large pot (or a deep fryer), heat about 2 inches of oil to 350°F.
- In the meantime, in a shallow bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Coat the chicken: Take a few chicken strips from the bag at a time and coat them. Coat them thoroughly with the breadcrumb mixture. I recommend lightly pressing the coating onto the chicken with your hands. Rep until all of the chicken is coated.
- Fry the chicken fingers: When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken strips to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Avoid overcrowding the pot. With a slotted spoon, remove the fried chicken fingers from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all of the chicken has been cooked. Serve immediately with Cane’s sauce.
Notes
Marinating your chicken will result in juicier and more tender fingers. Marinating the meat prevents it from drying out and becoming chewy when fried.
Deep frying chicken is best done with oil that has a high smoke point. We recommend using canola or vegetable oil.
Keep the oil temperature between 300 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The chicken will burn if the oil is too hot, and your fingers will not be crispy if it is not hot enough.
Avoid overcrowding your pot to ensure that all of your chicken fingers cook properly. For best results, cook a few pieces at a time.
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
- Calories: 5195kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1834mg
- Fat: 559g
- Saturated Fat: 43g
- Unsaturated Fat: 509g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cane’s chicken made of?
The restaurant only uses chicken breast tenderloins, which are never frozen and are a strip of meat on the underside of a chicken breast that is considered a premium cut in the poultry industry.
How is Cane’s chicken prepared?
Raising Cane’s, like the popular burger chain, uses fresh ingredients and a secret sauce. The chicken is fried fresh and made to order, so it lacks the greasy texture that you might find elsewhere.
What does Raising Cane’s fry their chicken in?
All of Raising Cane’s fried foods are cooked in an all-vegetable, trans fat-free blend of soybean and canola oil. According to the FDA, highly refined soybean oil is not allergenic and should not be labeled as such. If you have a food allergy, please notify the Manager.
Why Is Raising Cane’s Chicken so tender?
Raising Canes is a popular restaurant for its chicken fingers. Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders are the best because they use fresh, never frozen chicken that is hand battered and fried in 100% vegetable oil. This one tenderizes and flavors the chicken with buttermilk, egg, and garlic powder.
More alternative Raising Cane’s Chicken recipe:
Cane’s Chicken Recipe Air Fryer
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are delicious! These homemade breaded chicken strips are marinated in buttermilk to make them extra tender, and they have a crispy flavorful crust seasoned with my KFC-inspired spice blend.
See Recipe
How to Make Cane’s Sauce
Raising Cane’s Dipping Sauce is a tangy, creamy, peppery, and addictive dipping sauce that goes with almost anything. It pairs well with french fries, chicken tenders, and burgers.
View Here
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