Honey Mustard Chicken Strips

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts, about 1.5 lbs.
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup mustard, any variety
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• To taste salt and pepper
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, garlic powder, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper. Once the mixture is smooth and even, taste it and add salt to suit you. Divide the sauce into 2 portions. One half is for marinating the chicken, and the other half is for serving, so make sure they stay completely separate. Refrigerate the sauce until you need it.
2. Cut away any excess fat from the chicken breasts, then slice them on the diagonal into strips 1/2 inch thick. You should end up with about 14-16 pieces. Add the chicken to a bag or bowl with one half of the honey mustard sauce, turning it so every piece is coated. Chill it for at least 30 minutes or over night.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Set up your coating area by covering a large baking sheet with foil, then setting 2 wire cooling racks over it. The racks raise the chicken as it cooks, helping the underside crisp instead of steam. Spray the racks with non-stick spray. Put the panko crumbs in a wide, shallow bowl.
4. Working with one strip at a time, press the chicken into the panko crumbs. Leave the extra honey mustard sauce on the chicken; it helps the crumbs stick. As each strip is breaded, set it on the wire rack. Repeat until every strip is covered in panko crumbs. Throw away the honey mustard sauce used for marinating.
5. Bake the chicken strips in the oven until the crumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. To fry them instead, warm about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stopping when the top of the oil begins to ripple. Cook a few strips at a time, turning so each side becomes golden brown and crispy. Move them to a paper towel-covered plate to drain.
6. Serve warm with the reserved half of the honey mustard sauce.