Do you love Raising Cane’s Chicken fingers? Then try making this crispy canes chicken recipe in the comfort of your own home! We’re sharing all the tips on how to make cane’s chicken including the famous Cane’s sauce.
Raising Cane’s is a fast food chain founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1996. Today they have 570 locations across the country. While the menu is limited to fried chicken fingers, many people would argue these are the best ones money can buy.
If you don’t have a location nearby or want to save some money, simply follow this raising cane’s copycat recipe! Many people will say these chicken tenders are better than KFC or Chick-fil-A!
What’s So Good About Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers?
Raising Cane’s mission is to create the very best chicken fingers using fresh, high-quality ingredients. They use only 100% premium chicken tenderloins with no fillers or processed ingredients. Best of all, these fingers are never frozen, so you can be sure to get fresh, juicy and tender chicken every time.
How Is Raising Cane’s Chicken Prepared?
Raising Cane’s chicken is prepared using fresh chicken breasts that are marinated, hand battered and then deep fried in 100% vegetable oil to crispy perfection.
What Is Cane’s Chicken Made Of?
Here are the ingredients needed for Raising Cane’s chicken fingers:
- Chicken: You want to use boneless skinless chicken breast
- Milk
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed
- Sugar: White granulated sugar
- Cornstarch: This powder is crucial for getting a crispy exterior.
- Salt & pepper
- Breadcrumbs: This recipe uses a mix of Panko and regular breadcrumbs
- Flour: All-purpose flour is what you want to use
- Onion powder: A key seasoning in the canes recipe
- Vegetable oil: This an affordable all-purpose oil for deep frying. Canola oil is another excellent option.
The Raising Cane’s sauce ingredients include: mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
How to Make Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
- Cut the chicken breasts against the grain to make strips about 1-inch wide. Place the strips into a zip-top bag and set aside.
- Make the Marinade by whisking together milk, lemon juice, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Then add cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Pour the marinade into the zip-top bag and gently shake until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
- Add oil to a large pot or deep fryer and heat to 350˚F.
- In the meantime, combine Panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Remove chicken strips from the bag a few at a time. Add them to the breadcrumb mixture and coat them thoroughly.
- Once the oil is ready, carefully add a few chicken strips into the pot, and fry for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken tenders before frying: Taking the time to marinate your chicken will result in juicier and more tender fingers. Marinating prevents the meat from drying out or becoming chewy when fried.
- Use vegetable oil such as canola oil for deep-frying: Using oil with a high smoke point is best for deep frying chicken. We recommend using vegetable or canola oil.
- Keep the oil between 300-350˚F: Be sure to keep the temperature of the oil between 300 and 350˚F. If the oil is too hot, the chicken will burn and if it’s not hot enough, your fingers won’t be crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot: To allow all your chicken fingers to cook properly, avoid overcrowding your pot. Cook a few pieces at a time for best results.
- Drain the chicken fingers briefly on paper towels after frying: To prevent your chicken fingers from being too greasy, be sure to drain them on paper towels after frying.
How to Make Raising Cane’s Sauce
Some say Cane’s sauce is the best part of the Raising Cane’s experience! They claim it’s a secret, but we’ve got it figured out.
If you’ve ever wondered what is in Cane’s sauce, start by combining mayonnaise, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Then stir in garlic powder, ground black pepper and salt. It’s tangy and creamy, yet satisfying! This Cane’s sauce recipe has all the details.
How to Cut Chicken Correctly for Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers?
The best way to cut the meat when making chicken fingers is to slice against the grain. Look at the meat and you’ll notice faint lines across the surface. You’ll want to cut perpendicular to these lines. This small step has a huge impact in how tender your chicken will be.
Raising Cane’s chicken fingers are usually served in box combos with crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw and Cane’s dipping sauce. The combos also famously include Texas toast – warm, buttery toast seasoned with garlic.
You can recreate these sides at home to recreate the full Cane’s experience.
Raising Cane’s uses vegetable oil that is a blend of soybean and canola oil. Home cooks can approximate this using either vegetable oil or canola oil.
Raising Cane’s chicken is deep fried until crispy. It is not baked.
Other Copycat Recipes You May Like:
- KFC Crispy Zinger Burger
- KFC Donut Chicken Sandwich
- Chipotle Fajita Veggies
- Jack in the Box Tacos
- Burger King Onion Rings
- Popeyes Buttermilk Biscuits
- In and Out Animal Style Burger
- Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
- McDonald’s Sausage Egg McMuffin
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Recipe Copycat
Ingredients
For the Chicken Fingers
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
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 cup regular breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut chicken fingers: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Cut them against the grain into 1-inch wide strips to make chicken tenders. Place into a zip-top bag and set aside.
- Make the Marinade: Whisk together milk, lemon juice, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Marinate the chicken: Pour the marinade into the zip-top bag and gently shake until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. (No more than 1 hour.)
- Heat the oil: Add about 2-inches of oil to a large pot (or a deep fryer) and heat to 350˚F.
- Make the coating: In the meantime, combine Panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken: Remove chicken strips from the bag a few at a time. Add them to the breadcrumb mixture and coat them thoroughly. I recommend pressing the coating lightly onto the chicken with your hands. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
- Fry the chicken fingers: Once the oil is ready, carefully add the chicken strips into the pot, and fry for about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t over-crowd the pot. Remove the fried chicken fingers from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack with parchment underneath. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
- Serve hot with Cane’s sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Taking the time to marinate your chicken will result in juicier and more tender fingers. Marinating prevents the meat from drying out or becoming chewy when fried.
- Using oil with a high smoke point is best for deep frying chicken. We recommend using vegetable or canola oil.
- Be sure to keep the temperature of the oil between 300 and 350˚F. If the oil is too hot, the chicken will burn and if it’s not hot enough, your fingers won’t be crispy.
- To allow all your chicken fingers to cook properly, avoid overcrowding your pot. Cook a few pieces at a time for best results.
Chaz says
I WANT TO TRY MAKING DUPLICATING THESE TENDERS.I HEARD THEIR TENDERS ARE AWESOME
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY OUNCES IN EACH TENDER RAISING CANES USES ?
AND PANKO BREAD CRUMBS WAS A SURPRISE ?
WHY CUT AGAINST THE GRAIN ? THOUGHT CUTS WERE TOP TO BUTTOM ?
THANK YOU
Kelly says
Absolute Best, thank you for publishing
Tina says
Husband loved these!! Picky eater!! I have tried many copycat recipes this is the first time I had to show him the jar of sauce I made. He swear I bought it! Thank you !!