Preheat the oven to 375º F. This ensures that your chicken will cook evenly in the oven later.
Butterfly the chicken breasts by cutting them in half horizontally. This helps them cook more evenly. After that, cut each half into strips, aiming for about 6 to 8 strips per breast.
Prepare the buttermilk mixture by pouring buttermilk into a shallow dish. Add Sriracha sauce and whisk together until combined. This adds flavor and moisture to the chicken.
In another dish, combine the dry ingredients: flour, thyme, cayenne pepper, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Whisk them together thoroughly to ensure an even coating.
Coat the chicken strips by dipping each one first into the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then into the flour mixture. Make sure each strip is well-coated for maximum crunch!
Let the coated strips rest on a kitchen sheet pan while you prepare to cook. This helps the coating stick better during frying.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. You’ll know it’s ready when it shimmers slightly, and water dropped into it sizzles.
Carefully place a few chicken strips into the skillet, depending on its size. Avoid overcrowding to ensure they cook evenly. Fry until browned on one side, about 3 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for another 3 minutes.
Once browned, remove the chicken strips and place them onto a clean kitchen sheet pan. Repeat until all strips are cooked.
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake for about 12 to 18 minutes until the juices run clear when pricked with a knife. This helps finish cooking and keeps them juicy.
Allow the strips to rest for about 3 minutes before serving. This helps the juices redistribute, making them even more succulent!
