Slice: Cut the chicken breasts into even 1-inch strips. Uniformity is key to ensuring all pieces cook through at the same time without drying out.

Whisk: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of flour, the egg, water, chili powder, and salt.

Texture Check: The batter should be thick enough to heavily coat a spoon. If it’s too thin, whisk in an extra tablespoon of flour.

Submerge: Place all chicken strips into the wet batter and stir until fully coated.

Dredge: Lift a strip, let the excess drip for a second, then toss it into a shallow dish of dry flour.

Press: Firmly press the dry flour into the wet batter to create "nooks and crags"—these become the extra-crunchy bits once fried.

Heat: Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with oil and heat to 350°F.

Fry: Carefully drop 4–5 strips into the oil at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan, as this drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy chicken.

Time: Fry for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the crust is a deep golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.

Drain: Place on a wire rack to maintain the crunch while the excess oil drips off.