On my honor, I will try - Girl Scout Thai Chicken Fingers

It’s Girl Scout Cookie Season!

During these few months out of the year, it’s the only time we can stock up on all of our favorites. Buying multiple boxes of each as to ration them until next February. You probably still have some Thin Mints leftover from last year in the back of your freezer. No? Just me? 

Starting with this post, I am going to be doing something different. I will be creating original or adapted recipes for my delicious enjoyment and hoping you enjoy them too. This month, I am all about Girl Scout cookies. Below, you can find the recipe for Thai Chicken Fingers made with Do-si-dos.

I hold a special place for Girl Scout Cookie Season as I was a Brownie when I was a kid. The first journal I ever got was as a reward for my cookie sales. It was white with the Girl Scout symbol on the front and a gold lock. I was so excited. After I filled in the first couple of pages, I loved what I wrote so much I showed everyone. Obviously, at age 8, I didn’t understand the concept of a diary. Over time, I had learned that not everyone wants to know my thoughts and feelings. 

What has always made Girl Scout cookies so special is that they are only available for a limited time. You have to know someone who has a child in the scouts or stakeout your local grocery store on a sunny Saturday morning. Due to COVID, this year has gone virtual. You now need a link to a specific girl scout’s selling site so they can get the credit. As the Girl Scouts use this time to teach about entrepreneurship, this makes a lot of sense. We are living in a digital age, after all. 

My cookie hook-up this year is Isabella Ginocchio, the daughter of a chef friend of mine. If you would like to order from her and show your support, click here.

Girl Scout Thai Chicken Fingers

Serves 4

Ingredients List

Breaded Chicken Tenders:

1 lb chicken breast cut into strips

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 eggs

2 TBS milk

1 cup of pulverized Do-si-dos Girl Scout cookie crumbs (filling removed)

Sauce:

2 tsp peanut butter filling from cookies 

2 TBS brown sugar

½ cup soy sauce 

½ cup water

1 TBS cornstarch

1 TBS fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 clove minced garlic

½ tsp red chili pepper flakes

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil then spray with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Whisk eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Remove the peanut butter filling from about a sleeve and a half of Do-si-dos Girl Scout cookies and add the cookie to a food processor. Process until fine crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Reserve the filling.
3. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the flour in a separate bowl then toss the chicken fingers until coated. One by one, shake the excess flour from the chicken fingers then dip into the egg mixture until covered, and then roll in the cookie crumbs, pressing to make sure crumbs stick. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let breading fully adhere. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Spray tops of chicken fingers nonstick spray then bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway until chicken fingers are golden brown and cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, combine ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Feel free to adjust the peanut butter filling, lime juice, or red pepper to taste.
6. Dunk the baked chicken fingers into the sauce and place them back onto the baking sheet. Bake for another 4-5 more minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. Serve and enjoy!