Food and Prop Styling Shiri Feldman
Photography Hudi Greenberger

Doable and delicious, these chicken fingers are bursting with gorgeous color and incredible flavor. Wine pairs with berries to create a fabulous dipping sauce; drizzle it over the chicken or serve it on the side.

SERVES 6–8

• 1½ lb (680 g) chicken tenders
• ⅓ cup Gefen Cornstarch

Batter

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup oil
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tbsp vodka
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp paprika

Wine-Berry Sauce

• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 5½ Tbsp sweet red wine
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• scant ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• dash salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2–3 Tbsp water, or as needed

Preheat oven to 550°F (285°C), or as high as your oven goes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Place tenders in a resealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch and shake well to coat.

Combine batter ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Working with one piece at a time, dip chicken into batter and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is battered. (The pieces don’t have to be entirely coated.) Spray chicken generously with cooking spray and bake for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, place all ingredients for the sauce in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until berries soften and mixture thickens a bit (about 15 minutes), stirring to break up the fruit.

Remove chicken fingers from oven and serve with wine-berry sauce.

Note

If not serving immediately, reheat the chicken separately on low heat and serve with warmed sauce.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 859)