There’s a lot of chopping and breading and frying involved with this recipe, given to us by Scott Youkilis of San Francisco’s Maverick restaurant, but we found the results to be well worth it.
What to buy: Youk’s Hot Sauce is Scott Youkilis’s own recipe and can be purchased online. The classic Frank’s RedHot is a great substitute and can be purchased nationwide in supermarkets.
The tender is the tubular, rich-tasting inner muscle found just under the chicken’s breast. Tenders are often found in packages, but regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into fingers, are a suitable substitute.
Panko is coarse Japanese-style breadcrumbs, available in many grocery stores.
Game plan: This recipe is great to make if you’re hosting a potluck. You can fry the chicken tenders in batches as you need them, for maximum crispness. If you’re transporting the food, just allow the fried chicken tenders to cool uncovered, and then reheat them in a 350°F oven and toss with the sauce.
This recipe was featured as part of both our Modern Potluck story and our Bar Snacks photo gallery.
For the chicken tenders:
Beverage pairing: Kühl Riesling, Germany. A challenging set of flavors—salty, pungent, sharp, hot—requires a wine that quietly abides in the background. With a name that translates as “cool,” this modest German Riesling does the job, delivering bright fruit and acid to balance the cheese and vinegar, while finishing with a touch of sweetness to tame the heat.