Crispy Breaded Chicken Goujons with Hazelnuts

Crispy baked chicken goujons, strips, or tenders wrapped in a hazelnut and breadcrumb coating served with a simple & spicy hot dipping sauce.

These simple chicken "nuggets" will go from your fridge to your table in around 25 minutes, and I give instructions for cooking in both the oven and an air fryer.

Baked crispy chicken strips with spicy dipping sauce

Call them what you will, chicken goujons, chicken strips or plain old chicken nuggets, they spark a smile in us young and old.

I simply could not omit a recipe for them on my site!

So here are my favourite crispy chicken bites and a foxy but simple spicy sauce to go with them.

I like my crunchy chicken tenders coated in breadcrumbs, so I use the classic pane technique.

Simply dip in seasoned flour, then beaten egg, and finally into breadcrumbs. It's a technique I use in everything from my perfect chicken Kyiv, prawn katsu and air fryer chicken cordon bleu to my crispy calamari rings and fish goujons.

But I add hazelnuts into this crumb to change things up and add a nutty flavour to my crispy chicken goujons.

They can be baked or cooked in an air fryer. I prefer chucking them in the oven, but I have instructions for both.

You could even change this up and add some cornflakes into the mix, as I do with my Cornflake chicken breast!

Finally, whilst they are baking, I like to make a spicy dipping sauce to finish them off.

Frequently Asked Questions

What on earth is a goujon?

It’s nothing more than a strip of meat or fish… It is also a fabulous retro name!

Can I use other types of nuts?

Yes, walnuts, brazil nuts and pecan nuts are particularly good.

I find peanuts and cashews burn too quickly, and pistachios are just too expensive!

Can this be prepared in advance?

Yes.

The tenders can be dipped in breadcrumbs up to 8 hours in advance. Put them on a plate or board and wrap in cling film before placing in the oven.

The dipping sauce will last in the fridge for weeks. I always make extra as it is great for slathering on burgers or chips (fries for my American readers).

Do you have to use chicken tenders to make chicken goujons?

No, not at all, you could use any other boneless part of the chicken. You will just need to cut them into even, uniform shapes and sizes.

I use tenders because they are the perfect size, and I usually have some in the freezer.

I always buy whole chickens and cut them up as the video shows below. It saves money and gives me lots of bits of chicken to cook with, and the stock – be still my beating heart!

Serving Suggestions

Aside from my homemade spicy dipping sauce, I usually serve my crispy chicken goujons with potatoes of some description.

It's the whole breaded chicken nuggets and chips thing, I was raised on it. Sure, the nuggets were frozen and the chips fried, but food nostalgia is a powerful thing.

My go-to choice is potato wedges, as they can all go into the oven together.

Although I sometimes serve these with my crispy fried potatoes or even my cheesy polenta chips, they are glorious with this sauce.

Sticking with a similar theme, they would work equally well with some sweet potato fries.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven or air fryer.
• 3 bowls to place the ingredients in to coat the chicken strips.
• A bag or tea towel and a rolling pin to break up the nuts.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
• Kitchen tongs.