This is my way of making oven fried chicken – and I think it is the best method out there to get it crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Better than KFC!
A few years back I loved getting chicken from KFC as a Sunday night treat. Now that I have my own family, I much prefer to stay home and cook a homemade meal. And I especially prefer to have less greasy traditions! That’s why I figured out how to make “fried” chicken at home.
Everyone will love this crispy oven fried chicken recipe – it’s so simple to make but full of flavor! We love to serve it with mashed potatoes, potato wedges or a quick mac and cheese, plus a vegetable on the side. But it’s also delicious in a burger or a sandwich!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Chicken parts: I usually use skinless, boneless chicken breast because it’s easiest for me to make and everyone will eat it. You can use whatever pieces you want, though – many readers have successfully made it with thighs and drumsticks!
- Buttermilk: It’s not mandatory to use actual buttermilk. If you don’t keep any on hand, feel free to use either just regular milk or regular milk with 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar stirred in.
- Breadcrumbs: I use plain breadcrumbs because I always have those on hand, but Panko is also very delicious and yields amazing results.
- Salt and spices: I reduced the salt by half from a previous version because some people felt it was too salty; if you’ve made this before and the saltiness was right for you, feel free to increase. And I know it sounds like a crazy amount of spices… But trust me here, your chicken will turn out bland if you don’t season it enough. If you want to add some heat, try using some cayenne pepper or chili powder.
- Baking powder: This helps the breading to puff up a little and behave more like a batter fried in oil. I know it sounds like a strange ingredient in oven fried chicken, but please don’t skip it!
- Butter: While this is a baked recipe, it still needs fat to crisp up and brown right. If you prefer to stay away from butter for whatever reason, I have also made this with canola oil before and it turned out well.
How to make Oven Fried Chicken
1. Start by heating the oven. You want to place your baking sheet in the oven as it preheats, it needs to be hot when you add the breaded chicken later for best results.
2. Prepare the breading ingredients: Whisk the buttermilk and egg in a medium bowl, and combine all of the dry ingredients in a shallow dish (I use a small-ish baking dish so there’s enough room to properly coat the chicken).
I also cut the chicken into pieces (about 2-3 per breast). If you leave yours whole or leave chicken thighs whole, you’ll need to increase the baking time.
3. To bread the chicken, proceed as follows:
- Toss the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture (I do them all at once for more efficiency).
- Shake off any excess flour, then coat with egg wash (again, I do all of the chicken pieces together here because it’s faster and works just as well).
- Finally, thickly coat each chicken piece with dry mix again (this needs to be done for each piece individually). You’ll want to pack on a lot of breading and then pound it onto the chicken with kitchen tongs or a large spoon to make it stick.
4. Melt the butter on the prepared, pre-heated pan (careful, hot, use oven gloves and keep kids/pets away!), then add the chicken.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, then very carefully flip. Add more butter if need and finish baking for another 8-10 minutes. I always finish the chicken under the broiler for 1-2 minutes for the ultimate crispy result!
Recipe tips
- Use a dark pan: A dark pan reflect the heat best, which results in the crispiest chicken. A silver pan is acceptable and yields good results, too.
- Use kitchen tongs plus spoons: Use kitchen tongs to toss the chicken in the flour mix initially, and to pound on the breading. Use one large spoon to stir the chicken in the egg mixture and to remove single pieces to drop back into the dry mix (this is your “wet spoon”). Then use a second, separate spoon to pile breading mix onto the chicken (this is your “dry spoon”). This is the easiest way to keep the mess to a minimum.
- Breading: Do not skip pressing/pounding on the dry flour mix in the final step of breading. This is very important to help the breading stick to the chicken and to keep it from flaking off during baking.
- Flip it VERY carefully: Use a spatula to slide underneath the chicken and very gently release the chicken from the pan before flipping/serving. If you just rip it off with tongs etc, the breading will fall off.
- Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes before serving, but don’t let it sit around for longer than this. Otherwise, it will start getting soggy.
In full disclosure: 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 delicious though (I do really do like it better than KFC!) and your family will probably fight for the last crunchy oven fried chicken piece. I know mine does 😉
Reheating leftovers
If you have leftovers, you can easily reheat them in the oven. The chicken won’t be quite as juicy as freshly baked, but it’s still good.
Check out my step by step instructions for reheating fried chicken here!
Freezer instructions
Either freeze the breaded, unbaked chicken OR the fully baked and cooled chicken. Flash-freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet for ~1 hour before transferring to freezer bags (flash freezing is mandatory for the unbaked chicken, but also very much recommended for baked chicken).
Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing. Label the bag or container with the contents, and the use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months). Place the flash-frozen chicken in the bag and freeze.
Reheat the frozen chicken for 20-30 minutes at 375 in the oven, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You don’t need to defrost it before reheating.
Side dish ideas
Finally, I want to show you just how versatile this recipe is. There are lots of ways to have fried chicken and these are some of our favorites:
- Sautéed green beans and mashed potatoes
- In a bun topped with sliced avocado and coleslaw on the side (I had this at a restaurant with regular fried chicken and it was so good!)
- Corn on the cob, baked beans and sweet potato fries
- Baked Potato Wedges and Cucumber Salad
Really, this is THE recipe you’ve got to try. It’s what my kids want for their birthday dinner every single year, so you know it’s a good one 😉
Watch the recipe video
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
Recipe details
Equipment
- roasting pan (dark colored)
Ingredients
For the egg mix:
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup buttermilk OR regular milk; see notes
For the breading:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs Panko or Italian seasoned work as well
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into strips (I do 2-3 per breast)
For the pan:
- ¼ cup butter or more as needed
Instructions
- Prep: Heat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Place a dark-colored (or at the very least a silver metal) roasting pan (a rimmed baking sheet works as well) in the oven to heat up.
- Prepare breading: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and the milk. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder and seasoning together.
- Bread the chicken: Toss the chicken pieces in the flour, coating evenly and shaking off any extra flour. Next, toss the chicken pieces in the egg mixtures. Then, dip each into the flour mix again, this time coating very well – press the breading well on the chicken to make it stick.
- Place chicken on pan: Take the baking pan out of the oven and melt the butter on it. Place the coated chicken pieces on the tray – leave enough space in between, I usually bake it in two batches.
- Oven fry: 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.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Chicken parts: I usually use skinless, boneless chicken breast because it’s easiest for me to make and everyone will eat it. You can use whatever pieces you want, though – many readers have successfully made it with thighs and drumsticks!
- Buttermilk: It’s not mandatory to use actual buttermilk. If you don’t keep any on hand, feel free to use either just regular milk or regular milk with 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar stirred in.
- Breadcrumbs: I use plain breadcrumbs because I always have those on hand, but Panko is also very delicious and yields amazing results.
- Salt and spices: I reduced the salt by half from a previous version because some people felt it was too salty; if you’ve made this before and the saltiness was right for you, feel free to increase. And I know it sounds like a crazy amount of spices… But trust me here, your chicken will turn out bland if you don’t season it enough. If you want to add some heat, try using some cayenne pepper or chili powder.
- Baking powder: This helps the breading to puff up a little and behave more like a batter fried in oil. I know it sounds like a strange ingredient in oven fried chicken, but please don’t skip it!
- Butter: While this is a baked recipe, it still needs fat to crisp up and brown right. If you prefer to stay away from butter for whatever reason, I have also made this with canola oil before and it turned out well.
Recipe tips
- Use a dark pan: A dark pan reflect the heat best, which results in the crispiest chicken. A silver pan is acceptable and yields good results, too.
- Use kitchen tongs plus spoons: Use kitchen tongs to toss the chicken in the flour mix initially, and to pound on the breading. Use one large spoon to stir the chicken in the egg mixture and to remove single pieces to drop back into the dry mix (this is your “wet spoon”). Then use a second, separate spoon to pile breading mix onto the chicken (this is your “dry spoon”). This is the easiest way to keep the mess to a minimum.
- Breading: Do not skip pressing/pounding on the dry flour mix in the final step of breading. This is very important to help the breading stick to the chicken and to keep it from flaking off during baking.
- Flip it VERY carefully: Use a spatula to slide underneath the chicken and very gently release the chicken from the pan before flipping/serving. If you just rip it off with tongs etc, the breading will fall off.
- Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes before serving, but don’t let it sit around for longer than this. Otherwise, it will start getting soggy.
Reheating leftovers
If you have leftovers, you can easily reheat them in the oven. The chicken won’t be quite as juicy as freshly baked, but it’s still good. Check out my step by step instructions for reheating fried chicken here!Freezer instructions
Either freeze the breaded, unbaked chicken OR the fully baked and cooled chicken. Flash-freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet for ~1 hour before transferring to freezer bags (flash freezing is mandatory for the unbaked chicken, but also very much recommended for baked chicken). Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing. Label the bag or container with the contents, and the use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months). Place the flash-frozen chicken in the bag and freeze. Reheat the frozen chicken for 20-30 minutes at 375 in the oven, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You don’t need to defrost it before reheating.Nutrition
More recipe information
Recipe first published in 2016. Updated with new video, photos, step-by-step photos and better text on 03/21/2021.
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Bertie says
I’ve been cooking for quite a few decades and I have to say that this is the best “knee slapp’in good” fried chicken recipe I’ve ever found. I was looking for something using less cooking oil and stumbled upon your recipe. It turned out better than fantastic! (I did put some heavy shakes of “Slap Ya Mama” Cajun seasoning in the flour ’cause that’s how we roll here in SE Texas, but otherwise followed your directions to a “T”. Oh, and I definitely went the Panko route … I LOVE Panko crumbs!) There’s always time and room for a new “best-est favorite recipe”. Great job, Nora! It’s so dang good I’m gonna have to fight with myself to admit it’s not MY recipe! Blessings to ya …. this is the best!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Bertie! Thanks for your glowing review – and what a great idea with the seasoning, sounds like such a great match for this recipe.
Roxanne says
Great recipe.
Nora says
I’m glad to hear it, Roxanne!
Sandy S says
Excellent. The chicken was very moist and everyone loved it. This is a keeper!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Sandy!
Lynn Hellers says
I recently made this recipe and was quite impressed with the results. The chicken was crispy and not at all dry. I will tweak the recipe to suit my family’s taste but a definite do again dinner!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Lynn! And I’d love to hear your tweaks when you make this next time. It’s always good to get new ideas for switching up an old favorite 🙂
Marcia Brown says
Any suggestions to adapting for bone-in pieces? Sounds yummy.
Nora says
Marcia, bone-in pieces just tend to need a little longer in the oven. If you own a meat thermometer, I suggest using it to check your chicken for doneness.
Christa says
So excellent without all of the fat from frying. The time to make it is well worth it!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Christa!
Jamie K says
I’m definitely making this again!
Nora says
I’m glad to hear it, Jamie!
Carole Meads says
This was really good and the coating browned and got a little crispy just like I hoped it would. Thank you. I will use this recipe often.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Carole!
Jude Garvey says
Thank you Nora for this receipe I will try
It this week, I can’t wait to taste it 😋
Nora says
I hope you’ll enjoy it, Jude!
Chuck says
This chicken recipe is the bomb! My son was tearing it up! He loves him some fried chicken. When I told him it was oven fried, he was like, “Get the f**k outta here. Seriously?!” So thank you very much for putting it out. My family really liked it.
Nora says
Ha, now that’s some great feedback 😉 I’m so glad, Chuck!
sally d. says
I have made this so many times over the last few years, more than I could ever count. It’s an absolute staple for our family, even my teenage sons can prepare it by themselves now. thank you for the recipe!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Sally! And thank YOU for trusting in my recipe, it’s always an honor.
karen meyerhoff says
There is not an oven temp anywhere in the recipe I could find. Please let me know temp to cook chicken with. Thank you
Nora says
Karen, the oven temperature is the first line in the recipe card instructions? “Prep: Heat the oven to 410°F (210°C). ” I didn’t put the temperature in the post because most people use the post as detailed tips with lots of helpful photos to read through, then cook from the card (most print the recipe). Would it be better to include the temperature in the post, too? Let me know, I’m always happy to hear feedback.
Mojoblogs says
Looks really good. I am excited to try this! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
judy says
Made this recipe tonight with thin chicken breast steaks. Shortened the cooking time a little but the seasoning was amazing! Absolutely make this again.
Donna Peretic says
I made this recipe today for about 26 people (made around 40 lbs) and it was absolutely amazing! I received so many compliments that it was so flavorful and so crispy, very, very close to pan fried! I will definitely make this again! Thank you for sharing😊
Sandy Moran says
Delicious! I do not change anything but use 1/4 cup hot and spicy breading from House of Autrys as a replacement for flour. We love spices! I have pork chops in the oven right now and I use this recipe too! Thanks so much
Cheryl says
Really good flavor and loved the crust. Will definitely make this again!
Nora Rusev says
I’m so glad, Cheryl. Thanks for your review, I appreciate it!
Debbie says
does it have to be real butter? I use margarine made from yogurt. or can possibly use olive oil?
Nora Rusev says
Debbie, it depends. Make sure to read your margarine container to see if you can use it heated. Olive oil only if it says it’s for cooking – raw olive oil shouldn’t be heated this much. Hope that helps!
Terri says
Wonderful! A bit on the greasy side because I didn’t know how much to butter the pan, but good flavor. Didn’t have bread crumbs so I substituted Ritz crackers in the same amount. Worked well. Will make again
Wendy says
Loved it!!!!
Lori says
Exceeded my expectations. I will definitely make this again. I added a little cayenne pepper for a kick!
Nora Rusev says
Love your addition of cayenne pepper, Lori! I’ll have to try that sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Esha says
What a great recipe! Completely delivered as promised. Crunchy and not bland (I added some extra paprika and oregano in the flour). So so good – really provides the satisfaction of fried chicken.
Reem says
So easy and so delicious, thank you for sharing. Definitely a staple here!
Nora Rusev says
I’m so glad to hear it, Reem!
Chinazor says
This recipe is so amazing and totally different from the oven fried chicken I used to know.
Family dinners will never be the same again.
Can I replace all-purpose flour with almond flour instead?
Sara says
I tried the recipe using the rack as a previous reviewer did, without using butter. Mistake! The flour coating was crispy, but unappetizing in (flour) color at the end of cooking, even after a stint under the broiler! (and was the flour sufficiently cooked w/out the butter?) Desperate, at the end, I browned the chicken briefly in butter in the skillet to brown the coating. I had also added cayenne pepper. Delicious!
Nora Rusev says
Sara, I’m sorry that didn’t work out for you! I guess people who bake it this way must use some kind of cooking spray on it? I’m glad you figured out how to fix it and ended up enjoying the chicken!