Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers with Tangy Dipping Sauce

I've been doing a lot of baking lately to put together some of our families' favorites recipes, and I've been trying to balance out all that decadence with some lighter meals. Luckily, I have a wealth of cookbooks and cooking magazines at my disposal to give me ideas, such as this one from Cuisine at Home.

This recipe makes some genuinely crispy, oven-baked chicken fingers, and my little brother loved them. Of course, he drenched his with the homemade sauce, which tastes like a sweeter buffalo wing sauce.

Note that these are a bit time-consuming. Had I read through the recipe thoroughly, my dinner guests wouldn't have been subjected to those two extra episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while waiting for their food. (Of course, I also doubled the recipe.)

Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers with Tangy Dipping Sauce
Makes 4 servings

Chicken fingers
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound, total)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 egg whites
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil

Dipping sauce
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of celery seed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice each chicken breast in four strips, lengthwise.

2. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and paprika in a dish.

3. Dredge chicken fingers in the flour mixture and place on a wire rack.

4. Add panko to remaining flour mixture.

5. Whip egg whites to soft peaks in a bowl, using a hand mixer. (I tried a whisk, and after a few agonizing minutes, I switched to the mixer.) Whisk in buttermilk and Tabasco.

6. Dip each floured strip in the egg white mixture, and then in the pank and flour mixture. Return strips to rack.

7. Heat oil in a large baking sheet for 5 minutes in the oven.

8. Arrange chicken in a single layer on the hot baking sheet. (This starts crisping up the bottom of the chicken right away, so it doesn't get soggy.) Roast for 10-15 minutes, flip strips over, and roast an additional 10-15 minutes, until chicken is crispy and cooked through.

9. Meanwhile, simmer all sauce ingredients except butter over medium-low in a saucepan for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and swirl in the butter. Serve sauce warm with the chicken.