Oven Fried Chicken

Looking to put a healthy spin on deep-fried chicken? This oven fried chicken recipe provides the crispiest breading while keeping the meat inside tender and juicy. 

Baking chicken is one of my favorite ways to cook this protein, as it never fails me. But I crave a deep-fried breaded chicken every once in a while (hello, KFC).

If you’ve tried our air fryer fried chicken before, you’ll love this oven baked version. The skin is crispy, while the meat is moist and juicy. The best part? There is no deep frying, so it has a fraction of the oil of traditional fried chicken. 

Table of Contents

1. Why you’ll love this recipe
2. Ingredients (and substitutions)
3. How to make oven fried chicken
4. Tips to make the best recipe
5. Flavor variations
6. Serving suggestions
7. Storage instructions
8. Frequently asked questions 
9. More delicious chicken recipes to try
10. Oven Fried Chicken

Why you’ll love this recipe

For me, frying chicken in the oven is one of the best ways to get crispy chicken without fuss and mess. It’s also a healthier alternative to deep frying. My family ADORES fried chicken, so I love making this as a delicious alternative. 

• It’s super crispy. The flour cornstarch coating yields crunchy results even when the chicken is baked and not fried. Cornstarch is key- make sure you don’t skip it. 
• It’s a lot healthier. Like air fryer chicken thighs, this recipe makes crispy breaded chicken without added oil. If deep-fried chicken is your jam, our fried chicken wings are always a hit. 
• It’s mess-free. I hate how deep-frying chicken turns my stove into an oily mess. Oven ‘frying’ omits all of that. 

Ingredients (and substitutions)

If you’ve made our spicy or hot honey chicken sandwiches before, you’ll notice the ingredients are quite similar but the major difference is that none of the oil is needed! Here is what you’ll need. 

• Chicken pieces. I like to mix bone-in and boneless chicken thighs, drumsticks, and wings. If there is one cut you prefer over another, you can use all of that. If you like white meat, use chicken breasts or chicken tenders instead. These cuts take less time to cook, so adjust the cooking time. 
• Buttermilk. Thanks to its acidic properties, buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken. If you don’t have buttermilk, use regular milk and add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar per cup. 
• Salt and pepper. Add to taste. 

For the breading:

• Flour. All-purpose flour works well for the breading. Swap it with gluten-free all-purpose flour if you can’t eat gluten. I also tried this with standard bread crumbs and they didn’t add much to it, so stick with flour.
• Cornstarch. The secret ingredient that yields a super crispy golden crust. 
• Salt, pepper, smoked paprika. I feel like this crispy baked chicken doesn’t need any more seasoning. 

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How to make oven fried chicken

As with any recipe that uses some form of breading, you need some order to keep things neat and easy. Here’s the easy way to cook them up.

Step 1- Prepare your workstation. Add the buttermilk, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and let them sit in the buttermilk for 10 minutes.

Step 2- Bread the chicken. In a shallow bowl, mix your breading ingredients. When it’s time for breading, use a pair of tongs to remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk. Allow the excess liquid to drip off. Dredge the chicken in the breading mixture, ensuring they are coated on all sides.

Step 3- Bake. Grease a baking tray with oil. Parchment paper can prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Arrange the breaded chicken on the baking tray, leaving some space around each piece. Bake the chicken for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Tips to make the best recipe

• My #1 tip when cooking any meat, but especially chicken is to always use a meat thermometer to check the doneness. This saves you from having to check the chicken every few minutes to know when it’s cooked. As per the FDA requirements, chicken is fully cooked at 165F.
• If you have time, you can marinate the chicken thighs in buttermilk for up to 24 hours. The long marinating time will yield juicier and more tender results. 
• When baking the chicken, place a wire rack set inside the baking tray. This creates hot air circulation around the chicken pieces, making them crispy on all sides. 
• For the crispiest results, start with a very hot oven. Turn on the oven as soon as you start the chicken preparations.

Flavor variations

The texture of this oven fried chicken is what makes it shine. But if you want to pump up its flavor, here are some ways I’ve tested it out to change things up:

• Use more spices and herbs. Chicken is one of the most versatile ingredients when it comes to seasonings. You can add a variety of spices and herbs to the breading to change up the flavor of the fried chicken. Some spices and herbs you can use are onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and dried herbs like thyme, basil, and oregano. 
• Add hot sauce to the buttermilk mixture. Be generous with it if you want some seriously hot chicken, and add only a drop or two if you want some subtle heat. 
• Switch the breading. Use panko breadcrumbs instead of flour. Doing this will give the chicken a more texturized crunchy finish (it’s similar to Chicken Milanese or cutlets).

Serving suggestions

Like any good chicken dish, the sides you can pair with it are pretty much unlimited. Here are some ideas:

• All the potatoes! My personal favorite, but our family adores some air fryer French fries or sweet potato fries. You can keep things simple with a simple baked white or sweet potato. 
• Salads. Any simple green salad works, or something more elaborate like a green goddess or orzo salad. 
• Sautéed vegetables. While the chicken is baking, quickly saute some green beans, broccolini, Brussels sprouts, carrots, or asparagus. 
• Starches and grains. Simply steamed basmati rice is great, as is sushi rice for something a little different. You can keep the carbs down by trying it with cauliflower rice. 

Storage instructions

To store. Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

To freeze. For the best results, flash-freeze the crispy chicken first. Then transfer it to an freezer bag, push out the excess air, and freeze for up to 6 months. Allow the chicken to defrost in the fridge before reheating it. 

To reheat. Reheat the leftovers in the oven preheated to 350F degrees until heated through. Turn on the broiler for the last few minutes to make the breadcrumb coating extra crispy. Don’t reheat breaded chicken in the microwave, as it will become soggy.

Frequently asked questions 

More delicious chicken recipes to try

• Sous vide chicken thighs
• Pollo Asado
• Peruvian chicken
• Chicken Adobo
• Chicken tikka masala

Recipe originally posted April 2023, but updated to include new information and a recipe video for your benefit.