For Crispier Crust On Chicken, Use Tortilla Chips Instead Of Breadcrumbs

If you're the type of chicken lover to continuously be on the hunt for the ingredient that gives your tenders the perfect crunch, then you've probably tried a million and one coating options. Maybe you've used actual breadcrumbs, or added cornflakes to the batter, but you're still on the hunt for a more satisfying crunch. Enter tortilla chips.

Although cornflakes and breadcrumbs sometimes do the trick, tortilla chips aren't as lightweight, so they give the chicken a truly crispier crunchy crust every time. With their salty, light corn flavor, tortilla chips add subtle flavor to chicken, making it pair perfectly with a variety of Tex-Mex recipes.

The coating process with tortilla chips is no different from any other. After crushing or blending the tortilla chips into your desired consistency, coat the chicken in flour. Next, dip it in egg wash, and then into the tortilla chips, then fry, bake, or air fry the chicken. Enjoy the tortilla-coated chicken with a salsa dip or on its own.

For crispy chicken that tastes as standard as possible, regular corn tortilla chips should do the trick. There will be a slight difference in flavor, but nothing that's extremely noticeable, especially if eating the chicken on a sandwich or with a dip. However, you can switch things up by choosing flavored tortilla chips. Whether they're salsa-flavored, infused with chiles, or have a hint of lime, they'll make the chicken good enough to eat on its own.

The extra flavors will also make the dishes you prepare with the chicken much more interesting. Chicken coated with lime tortilla chips can bring zesty flavor when eaten with cowboy caviar. Cover the chicken with salsa-flavored tortilla chips and slice it for a crunchy addition to taco salad.

If you just want normal chicken strips, get creative with the dipping sauces. Scoop up a freshly made mango salsa with the chicken strips or whip mayonnaise, sour cream, blended chipotle peppers, and lime juice together for a creamy, spicy chipotle ranch dressing.