Baked BBQ Fried Chicken

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

This baked BBQ fried chicken is a tasty, crispy Southern treat everyone will love! You can also serve the chicken without the barbecue sauce as well.

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup salt
5 teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons dry mesquite flavored seasoning mix
4 cups oil for frying, or as needed
3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
1 teaspoon butter
1 (12 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

Directions

1 Set up a batter station: Whisk together eggs, water, milk, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 tablespoons pepper in a large bowl with a fork until smooth. Stir together flour, 1/4 cup salt, 5 teaspoons pepper, garlic, and mesquite seasoning in another large bowl.
2 Fill a large heavy skillet or wok halfway full with oil. Heat to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C).
3 Coat chicken in batter: Use a fork to pick up one chicken strip at a time and dip it into the egg mixture, then into the flour mixture, back into the egg mixture, and into the flour mixture again.
4 Place coated strips into the hot oil to fry. Cook in batches without crowding. Once chicken is browned on one side, flip over and brown on the other side.
5 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Butter a 12x20-inch glass baking dish, or two 9x13-inch baking dishes.
6 Pour enough barbeque sauce into the prepared dish to coat the bottom. Arrange fried chicken strips in rows in the dish. Pour remaining sauce over the top.
7 Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is caramelized onto the chicken, 10 to 15 minutes.