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overhead close up view of garlic parmesan oven fried chicken piece on black pan
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4.81 from 82 votes

Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

This is the BEST Garlic Parmesan Oven Fried Chicken recipe! Full of flavor and the crispy coating actually sticks to the chicken - try it for yourself tonight.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 457kcal
Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

For the egg mix:

  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅔ cup buttermilk must be thick buttermilk; see notes for substitutes

For the dry mix:

  • 1 cup white flour
  • ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt or less to taste
  • 2-3 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the chicken and the pan:

  • 2 pounds chicken tenders
  • ⅓ cup butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 410°F (210°C). Place a dark-colored roasting pan WITHOUT non-stick coating (a rimmed baking sheet works as well) in the oven to heat up.
  • Prepare egg mix: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk.
  • Prepare dry flour mix: In a separate bowl, mix flour, parmesan, breadcrumbs, baking powder and seasoning together.
  • Bread chicken:
    First toss all chicken pieces in dry ingredients to lightly coat.
    Then, toss chicken pieces in egg mixture to generously coat.
    Finally, coat each piece individually with dry ingredients again, but this time in a thick layer. Make sure there is enough mix underneath the chicken piece, else it sticks to the dish. Generously spoon flour mixture over top of chicken. Use the back of a tablespoon to pound breading onto the chicken, flattening the chicken pieces lightly to create a uniform thickness and a thick layer of breading.
  • Bake: Take hot pan out of the oven and melt ⅔ of the butter on it. Place breaded chicken pieces on pan, dot with remaining butter.
    Bake for 10-15 minutes until bottom is golden and crisp, CAREFULY flip (use an offset spatula to slide under chicken, otherwise breading may fall off!) and bake for another 5-10 minutes (depending on how thick chicken pieces are).
    Finish by broiling for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  • Rest: CAREFULLY remove chicken from pan and onto a cooling rack. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe. Readers have reported great success using chicken thighs, even bone-in. Chicken tenders work wonderfully to make homemade chicken fingers. Just keep in mind, different pieces will require different baking times (see further below for time suggestions).
  • Buttermilk: You need old-fashioned buttermilk for this recipe (the thick kind, not the “modern” runny kind). If you don’t have any available, use half buttermilk, half natural Greek yogurt.
  • Parmesan cheese: I use finely grated cheese from the store. If you want to grate your own, please make sure to grate it VERY finely.
  • Breadcrumbs: I make this with regular breadcrumbs, because that’s what I always have on hand. Panko works great, though! Italian seasoned breadcrumbs can work in a pinch, if that’s all you have.
  • Butter: I know this seems like an odd ingredient, but it just works best here. If you want to avoid butter, use a neutral vegetable oil instead. It does turn out best with butter, but oil still yields fine results.
  • Salt: Please be mindful of the exact salt you use. A table salt is "saltier" than something like kosher salt and sea salt, so adjust the amount of salt accordingly.

 

Recipe tips

  • Follow the breading instructions in the recipe exactly! It's crucial for a crispy coating. See the step by step photos in the post for more visual guidance.
  • Use a dark pan WITHOUT non-stick coating. This one is VERY important. A dark pan reflects heat differently than a white or silver colored pan would. A non-stick coated pan tends to yield soggy chicken with the breading falling off. I also preheat the pan before I add the chicken, that way it turns out extra-crispy!
  • Baking time for different chicken pieces: Chicken tenders take 18-20 minutes. Thicker pieces like drumsticks or bone-in thighs take up to 35-40 minutes. To be safe, make sure the internal temperature of your chicken reads 165° Fahrenheit at the thickest part.
  • Air fryer instructions: Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes on highest setting. Add a single layer of breaded chicken to the basket, dot each piece with butter. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) until golden brown and crispy on top (8-10 minutes for thinner chicken breast or cut up chicken breast, 10-12 minutes for thicker chicken breast, 12-14 minutes for chicken thighs, 6-8 minutes for chicken strips, 10 minutes for drumsticks). Carefully flip chicken, dot with remaining butter and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for the same time as before again, until breading is golden and crispy and chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).

 

Tips for leftovers

If you have more chicken than you can handle, and you want to eat the leftovers a day or two later, you can easily re-heat it in the oven.
It will crisp back up if you follow my method I shared here, but it will not be as juicy as when you first make it.

 

Freezer tips

You can both freeze it BEFORE baking, and AFTER baking.
If you freeze it BEFORE baking, place the raw breaded chicken pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet without touching. Flash-freeze until solid for a few hours, then transfer to a freezer bag.
To cook, place the frozen chicken pieces on the hot, buttered baking pan and bake for around 20 minutes. Flip, then finish baking for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the chicken.
If you freeze it AFTER baking, let it cool completely. It’s a good idea to also flash-freeze it baked on a lined baking sheet until solid (otherwise the breading could fall off). Then transfer to a freezer bag.
To reheat, place the FROZEN chicken pieces on a wire rack. Bake at 400°F for around 20 minutes, then flip. Finish baking for another 10-20 minutes, or until crispy and heated all the way through.
Please keep in mind:
  • Wait for the cooked chicken to cool completely before freezing it (otherwise your freezer could heat up too much and affect the other frozen goods in there).
  • Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
  • Label the bag or container with the contents, today’s date AND the use-by time.
  • Do not use previously frozen chicken if you’re planning on freezing this recipe. Only use fresh chicken!
Finally, please make sure your chicken is properly heated and piping hot all the way through when you cook it after freezing!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 1698mg | Potassium: 752mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 744IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 2mg