Kombucha battered Chicken Strips

/

I've never been a fan of fish and I used to be allergic to it.  I can eat fish now (not shellfish, though), but I still haven't developed a taste for it.  So my dad used to make the most amazing beer-battered chicken for me.  It was my "Kelly is visiting so we'll make her favorite meal" request.  Obviously, going gluten free, I quit consuming beer whether to drink or in a meal.  I've made flour dipped chicken strips and oh trust me, they're delicious, but I missed that puffed up flakiness of a battered and fried meat dish.  Now, is this healthy and should every week?  Absolutely not, but hey, at least it's paleo and won't cause a huge flare-up.  Plus, if you have weekend visitors who are gluten-loving and not friendly to your "lifestyle choice" (as I so often deal with/defend my "choice"), it's a great fake-out option.   I chose Kombucha as it has that fermented and bubbly quality that can somewhat mirror beer, and it's alcohol-free (for the most part...it can contain trace amounts due to the fermentation).  

Kombucha Battered Chicken

  • 4 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts

  • Oil or lard for frying

 
Dry Ingredients:

Wet ingredients:

  • 2 pasture raised eggs (beaten) 

  • 3 cups water

  • 2 cups lightly flavored kombucha (we used our home brew made with a light herbal tea and scoby from @getkombucha) 

Directions:

Place a large pot (I used a spaghetti pot) on the stove on medium-high filled 1/3-1/2 of the way full with oil or lard.  You can adjust this as you see fit, the oil/lard just needs to cover the chicken.  Allow it to get hot - you will see striations on the bottom of the pot when it's heated.  Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix together. The mixture can be stored in the fridge overnight. Cut chicken into strips. Dip the chicken strips into the batter. Place the battered chicken into the hot oil. When crispy, flip over to allow bottom side to finish frying - it may stick to the bottom of the pan - that's ok.  Use tongs to remove when the outside is crispy and a dark tan color. Coloring may vary due to fat/oil used. Place on a paper toweled covered plate.

Pair with your favorite side and veggie and enjoy! We paired with a broccoli slaw and roasted sweet potatoes.  You may also want to dip some onions in the batter to make onion rings!

*You could also use fish for this dish instead of chicken