Everyone will love this crispy oven fried chicken recipe – it’s so simple to make but so full of flavor. Serve it with the sides of your choice for a new family-favorite dinner!
Strips of boneless and skinless chicken breasts are breaded with breadcrumbs and baked to crunchy perfection on a tray with butter. Simple to make, this might not be healthy food but it’s a lot healthier than getting KFC.
Serve with your favorite sides as a comforting family dinner your kids will go crazy for.
What’s in this post:
★ What you need for this recipe
★ Things to watch out for when making this crispy oven fried chicken recipe
★ The video instructions and the printable recipe (scroll to the bottom of the post to get them!)
A few years back I loved getting chicken from KFC as a Sunday night tradition.
Now that I have my own family I prefer to cook at home. And I especially prefer to have less greasy traditions!
I’ve been oven-frying our chicken for a long time, but it never occurred to me to post it on here. Yes, I shared how I make Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets and how I pan-fry Crispy Garlic Chicken to perfection.
But the at-home KFC experience? Terribly left behind.
So when I planned to make it again last Sunday I realized I should absolutely post it on the blog, and that’s what I’m doing today!
What You Need to know about how to Make This Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
★ Equipment
A dark pan
When I got my cute enamel pans a few weeks ago and made this incredible Greek Style Easy Baked Chicken Dinner, I wanted to use them for everything.
I’m not one to purchase anything “just because”, so when I do get something new I want to get the most use out of it. But lots of things just wouldn’t come out right.
Basically anything that was supposed to be dry and crispy on the outside turned into a soggy mess. When I changed back to my normal, dark roasting pan (it’s actually the lid of a roasting pan, so handy!) all my problems were solved. If you don’t have a dark roasting pan yet, you can find one here on Amazon*.
And don’t line it!
Another mistake I’ve been making for years is lining my tray with parchment paper because I don’t like cleaning sticky pans. While I avoided the cleaning, I had to deal with soggy chicken!
Bottom line: dark pan & no parchment paper = crispy chicken
★ Ingredients
I love using partly breadcrumbs in the coating. While it makes the chicken less like traditional fried chicken, it does give it a nice crunch.
I use regular breadcrumbs, not panko, because I don’t feel like chasing down ingredients and I know I can get regular breadcrumbs in every store!
It’s also not everyone’s favorite to use chicken breast only, but between a toddler and trying to eat healthier – it’s just the easiest way. You can use whatever pieces you want, though.
There’s quite a bit of seasoning in the coating as well, but don’t think it will be overpowering! If you don’t use enough, the chicken will be bland and won’t taste of much.
I’m using dried onion, dried garlic, paprika, salt and pepper here. I find that works really well for a basic and simple oven fried chicken, but you can easily add a bit of chili powder for some heat!
So if this is oven fried chicken – baking powder? What?
I use baking powder in the flour mix, because I find it helps for the crust to puff up nicely (together with the natural lift from the eggs). This adds like a little air pocket between the chicken and the coating, so the juices from the chicken don’t soak as much into the breadcrumbs, giving you a much nicer crisp.
What to Watch Out For When Making This Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
★ It’s better to not use your fingers here
I do often pledge to do things by hand if you really want to get to know a recipe. But when I coat anything in egg and flour or breadcrumbs, I really don’t feel like getting my fingers into that sticky mess.
That’s why I always use either two forks or a spoon when breading anything, as you can see in the video below.
★ Don’t leave it too pale
If you don’t broil the chicken enough, you’ll end up with soggy chicken. Don’t be afraid to give it some extra color, but watch carefully so it doesn’t burn!
★ Timing
Timing is everything with oven fried chicken. Straight out of the oven it will seem like it’s not crispy at all. That’s because the butter is very hot and melted!
A minute or so later, the coating will have crisped up nicely and the chicken is ready to be served. But you don’t want the chicken to stand around for too long either, because then the moisture from the chicken will come through the coating and make it soggy.
★ High Expectations
While I do love this recipe 100% (I wouldn’t have shared it otherwise!) it is important to me to tell you that you shouldn’t expect the same results from baking as you should from deep-frying.
This recipe here does make a crispy oven fried chicken, but it’s not identical to regular deep fried chicken.
It’s very yummy though and your family will probably fight for the last crunchy oven fried chicken piece. I know mine does 😉
Watch the Crispy Oven Fried Chicken recipe video:
Here’s the printable recipe for crispy oven fried chicken:
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk 80ml
- 1 cup all purpose flour 125g
- 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into strips (I do 3-4 per breast), 900g
- 1/4 cup butter 60g
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Place a dark-colored roasting pan (a baking tray works as well) in the oven to heat up.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and the milk.
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In a separate bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder and seasoning together.
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Dip the chicken pieces in the flour, coating evenly and shaking off any extra flour.
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Next, coat the chicken pieces in the egg mixtures. Then, dip them into the flour again, this time coating very well.
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Take the baking tray out of the oven and melt the butter on it. Place the coated chicken pieces on the tray.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, carefully flip and bake for another 5-10 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken pieces are). Finish by broiling the chicken until it turns golden brown and crispy.
* I make a commission for purchases made through these links.
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Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel
Oh, this looks WAY better than KFC!! There’s nothing better than good, crispy chicken. And since I hate making a mess frying on my stovetop, I love that this is done in the oven. Yum!
Nora
I agree, Jess! Thanks for stopping by!
Keith @ How's it Lookin?
Looks great. Fried chicken is a treat, thanks for the idea
Val
Tried it, Loved it.. Will continue to use this recipe.?
Nora
I’m very happy to read this, Val! Glad you enjoyed the chicken 🙂
Diana G
Thank you! I used cashew milk in place of regular milk. My husband loves this and ate the majority. So excited to have found a recipe I can do correctly. I’m not the best cook, but it he recipe was super easy to follow and it came out delicious.
Nora
How wonderful, Diana! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed the chicken – and that my recipe actually makes sense 😉 Thank you for taking the time to review, I appreciate it!
Zach
Loved this Recipe! I made it for my wife and myself and we both loved it!
I changed it a up a little by adding in some ground mustard and used honey bunches of oats instead of breadcrumbs. It really brought out this honey undertone flavor.
Thanks and I will definitely be making this again.
Nora
Thanks so much for your positive comment, Zach! I’m glad you and your wife enjoyed the recipe, and I love the changes you experimented with! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave a review.
Chris
I loved this! I made it tonight and was really impressed at how good it is. Baked chicken can so easily be boring, or soggy, or dry – and this was none of those! I even cheated and used less butter than recommended (which is so risky) and it still turned out perfect. Thanks for the recipe, we’re keeping this one for sure 🙂
Nora
Thanks so much for your nice comment, Chris! I’m happy the chicken turned out well for you, put a big smile on my face 🙂
Lisa
Excellent recipe! Thank you!! We loved it!
Nora
I’m so happy to read this, Lisa! Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe – I appreciate it so much!
AWC
This was great. I added a little paprika but other than that made it as it is written. Thanks so much for a good recipe!
Nora
Thank YOU for making it, and for taking the time to review. I’m so happy you liked it – and what a great idea with the paprika!
david
Loved the recipe! Tried others, made all kinds of adjustments trying to doctor it up, but your recipe came out great the first time! all i did different was used panko break crumbs and butter flavor shortening instead of butter and used half the amount. Thank you, this is a keeper!
Nora
That’s so wonderful to read, David! I’m glad the recipe turned out well for you, and thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe. I appreciate it!
Lashanta
Never put the chicken on foil…. does not turn out good. It stuck and I couldn’t flip the chicken ?
Nora
I’m sorry your chicken stuck to the foil. I frequently make this with all sorts of different proteins, and I never experienced it, so I have no idea what might have happened with yours 🙁
Nicole
I never expected to like oven fried chicken, but this recipe has made me a believer. I might play with the spices in the flour mixture, but I love this recipe after just one time!
Nora
I’m very happy to read this, Nicole! And isn’t that the beauty of cooking? Tweaking things to make them your own. This puts a big smile on my face, I love when my recipes inspire people! Thanks for taking the time to comment – I appreciate it so very much. xx Nora
Brigette
Hi, Nora! Can I make this recipe using frozen chicken breasts for this recipe? If yes, I assume I need to thaw the chicken first, yes?
Nora
Hi Brigette, yes! You can make it with frozen chicken breasts if you defrost them first 🙂 Hope that helps!
Cee
Can i do this recipe without using a broiler?
Nora
Sure you can, Cee! It just won’t crisp up as much, but it will still be delicious.
Dave DeLosa
I made this for my wife, and we both loved it. Chicken crisped up without using the broiler. This is being put into our dinner rotation. Seasoning was perfect.
Nora
So happy to read this, Dave! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe, I really appreciate it.
Erin
LOVED it!!! Didn’t finish with the broiler the first time and wish I would have as I like my chicken extra crispy. Me and the hubby still loved it but tonight we’re trying with the broiler. This is a keeper!
Nora
I’m so happy to read this, Erin! Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe, I appreciate it very much. Hope you love the chicken even more with the broiler 🙂
Lisa
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit with both the honey and the kiddos! Loved the flavor and the crispness and no frying! It’s definitely on the favorite list! Thanks for sharing!
Nora
I’m so happy the recipe turned out well for you, Lisa! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment – I appreciate it very much.
Boyan Minchev
Just amazing 🙂 Great chicken recipe, the way I like it. Thank you for sharing with us.
Mary Mullin
YUM! This will be in my recipe book so I can make it over and over!
Nora
Glad you like it, Mary! Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe – I appreciate it so much.
Cimarron
I just flipped my ratio of flour and breadcrumbs and it still came out awesome. I make it every week now! So easy and delicious!
Nora
I’m so glad to read this, Cimarron! Happy you like the recipe, and thanks for leaving your comment!
Belle
I made this fabulous chicken for dinner tonight. It was amazing, will make again and again!
Thanks for sharing!!
Nora
Thank YOU for making it, Belle! I’m very happy you enjoyed the chicken – it is always an honor when my recipes bring joy to someone’s life. Thank you for taking time out of your day to come back and leave a review, I appreciate it so much.
Trixie
Loved this recipe. My only issue was when the pieces were done cooking there was still flour present. Anything you’d recommend I do next time to avoid this?
Nora
Hi Trixie – I think what might have happened is that there either wasn’t enough fat in the pan OR not enough egg on the chicken. Were the pieces a bit irregular? Then it sometimes happens that they don’t touch the melted butter in those places. You could try making a little more of the egg mixture (especially if your eggs are on the smaller side, definitely use one more next time!) and see if that helps the flour to cook more evenly all around the chicken. Hope that helps!
Susan
Can u use thighs as well
Nora
Hi Susan, I have not tested it yet with thighs, but it’s on my plan. I’m sure it works (especially if you’re using boneless thighs) – hope you try it, let me know how you like it!
Joy
Can you make this recipe with a whole cut up chicken with skin on and still on the bone?
Would the cooking time change?
Nora
Hi Joy, I have not done so myself, but I don’t know why it shouldn’t work. You can make regular fried chicken with all the parts of a chicken, after all! If you go ahead and try it, please let me know how it turned out for you – I’m curious!
Arnold Evans
This recipe matches some of the best I’ve ever used. Everyone liked it and I will definitely make it again.
Nora
Thank you so much for your nice comment, Arnold! I’m very happy to hear the chicken turned out well for you – thank you for taking the time to review the recipe, I appreciate it so much.
Karen Allen
This was absolutely fabulous!! The kids and my husband loved it! Definitely marked down for make-again! Very flavourful!!
I made it with homemade mashed potatoes and caesar salad.
Thanks!!
Nora
Karen, your side dishes sound perfect! I’m very glad your family enjoyed the chicken – thank you for taking the time to leave a review, I appreciate it. – Nora x
Dezeree
Made this tonight…..WONDERFUL!!! I used drumsticks and bone in thighs. SO much flavor…
Not going to lie, I wondered how I could get good old crunchy fried chicken baked???
Well was I wrong…..so crunchy so delicious!!!!!!
No more greasy fried chicken for this family!
NOTE: with the drumsticks I turned onto their sides after the initial 2 turns and I added some more butter after the second turn.
Thank you for posting this recipe!
Nora
Oh that sounds delicious with the drumsticks and thighs, Dezeree! I’ve been meaning to try twitch other cuts of chicken, glad to hear it workout fine. Thank you smooch for rating my recipe – I appreciate it so much! – Nora x
Sharon
This is a fantastic recipe!! We are a family of 8 and any recipe that all 6 of my kids love and ask for is a good one! Thank you so much for sharing!
Nora
Sharon, your comment is making me so happy! Glad all your kids enjoy this chicken – mine do, too! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience, I appreciate it so very much.