Maple Brined, Chicken Fingers

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup maple syrup, grade b, dark amber
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, butt kickin' blacken, jamaican jerk
• 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, cap'n ron's butt kickin' blacken, to taste
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Recipe

• 1 slice the chicken into 3 thin pieces, then cut each piece in half.
• 2 make the brine by combining the first 5 ingredients. place the chicken in a plastic bag, add the marinade, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but 24 hours is ok. leaving the chicken in the brine overnight will give the chicken enough time to absorb the flavor of the maple syrup.
• 3 mix the flour and seasonings together in a large flat pan like a jelly roll pan (i use a half chafer pan 'cause of the high sides. take the chicken out of the bag with tongs, lay in the flour mixture then turn over. take 3 legs and 3 thighs out to coat with this flour mixture. rub the flour into the chicken with your hands, don't shake off the excess and place in a pan to get ready for frying.
• 4 heat the oil to about 300°f in a black frying pan, and place the chicken in being careful not to splash the oil.
• 5 leave the chicken alone for 10 - 12 minutes. when you start to see some blood being forced out of the chicken (this means that the chicken is cooking), carefully turn them over. leave another 10 - 12 minutes. the second side should be well colored.
• 6 place them either on paper towels, or on a rack in a sheet pan, and season immediately with salt and a little more butt kickin' blacken.