This oven fried chicken recipe is so good, you’ll want to skip fast food for good. This oven-frying technique is closest to deep frying but without all that grease. Get a crunchy golden crust on your chicken with no extra fat.
Table of Content
My kids love KFC-style crispy chicken. I love it too, but we can't indulge in that often so I decided to figure out a way to give my kids the same crispy wonderful chicken but without all that extra fat. Best part? I get to enjoy it too.
Why make this fried chicken?
- It is healthier than deep-fried chicken which means you can eat it as often as you want.
- Most of the ingredients in this recipe are easy to find or simple pantry staples
- The secret to making these oven fried chicken legs crispy is the use of rice flour, cornstarch, and semolina along with the breadcrumbs. Rice flour and cornstarch, when combined with the marinade, bake hard. The semolina works wonderfully in adding a nice crunch, while the breadcrumbs make sure it's not too hard.
- The recipe can be quick or not depending on the time you choose to marinate it. You can marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge and bake an hour before serving.
- I am using chicken legs for this recipe but you can use skinless bone-in chicken thighs, chicken wings, chicken breasts, and other pieces too.
- These are delicious on their own or serve with a side of mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, or rice such as turmeric rice or rice pilaf with fruit and nuts.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for a few days. You can even freeze them in freezer bags for a month.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken - It is best to use chicken thighs or chicken legs for this recipe as it is the most desired piece by all but of course, other pieces work too.
- Yogurt - While buttermilk is the obvious choice I like to use thick Greek yogurt to keep the amount of liquid in control. It also helps tenderize the chicken.
- Egg yolk - Helps bind all the ingredients together and keeps the crust from breaking apart when baked. You can use a large whole egg if you prefer too.
- Herbs - I like to use dried Italian herbs, which is a mix of basil, oregano, thyme, and a few others along with some freshly chopped parsley. Do not use too many fresh herbs or it will weaken the crust once baked.
- Flour - Helps to add body to the marinade. And, when combined with the egg yolk, it helps the marinade stick to the chicken.
- Rice and cornflour - Rice flour is capable of making the crust crispy. So, if possible I highly recommend using it.
- Breadcrumbs - I've used a mix of both coarse and thick panko bread crumbs. This helps give us that uneven texture, which gets brown and crisp.
- Spices - I like using paprika but you can also use cayenne pepper for both the egg mixture as well as the flour mixture. You can also use onion powder, lemon juice, and hot sauce to dredge the chicken for flavor.
Oven fried chicken
- Marinade - Place all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.
- Marinate - Add the chicken pieces and combine well. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate for 30 minutes on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
Pro tip - long marination will make the chicken tender and juicy but up to overnight only.
- Coating - In a large bowl, combine all the coating ingredients.
Pro tip - the flour tends to settle a the bottom so keep tossing it around during coating. - Oven - Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F / Gas Mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
Pro tip - spraying the parchment paper will prevent the chicken from sticking to the parchment during baking.
- Coat - Use a fork to pick the drumstick from the marinade and add it to the breadcrumb coating. Coat it generously with the breadcrumbs. Shake off excess.
- Tray - Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and spray generously with cooking spray.
- Bake - Transfer to the oven on the center rack and bake for 40 to 45 minutes turning them over to cook evenly. Spray with cooking spray again too.
Pro tip - spraying will give the chicken a nice golden color otherwise they will be baked but with a very pale breadcrumb color - Cool - Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Crispy chicken makes perfect freezer meals
I usually make more than what I need for one meal, so I can put the extra pieces in the freezer for busy days.
- Cook them as we do above. When they are cold, just place them in a ziplock bag. These make amazing sandwiches and wraps. If you have teenagers (who are always hungry) these are great to have on hand. Just thaw as many as you need in the microwave.
- You can also freeze them uncooked. Place them in a ziplock bag, remove as much air, and lay them flat in the freezer until frozen. Once they are frozen you can stack them up and store them away in the corner of the freezer until you need them.
To re-use just thaw them in the fridge for a couple of hours and cook them as we do above.
Tips for Success
- Let the chicken marinate for a longer time as this will tenderize the chicken and make it more flavorful.
- Use spices and herbs for flavor and generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- It is best to overseason and flavor the breadcrumb flour mixture as a lot of it will not be used.
- It is best to use a baking tray as compared to a baking dish. This helps with air circulation around the chicken preventing excess moisture accumulation.
- Preheat the oven for no less than 30 minutes. This will ensure the chicken goes into the hot oven and fewer juices will pool on the baking tray. If you prefer you can also place the chicken on a wire rack to increase air circulation.
- Use a cooking spray or high-smoking oil to coat the chicken. This will give the chicken a nice golden color which looks very appetizing and impressive to serve. For a deep darker golden crust you can also brush with melted butter.
- The chicken must be cooked until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
- If you don't get a nice golden color on the chicken, put the broiler on or heat the top heating rack for the final few minutes.
How long will this crispy oven fried chicken keep?
This crispy chicken is best made fresh when the crust is nice and crispy. But, leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
What side dish works best with crispy fried chicken?
This is a very versatile dish and can pair with almost any veggies. For example, try sautéed green beans or asparagus, baked butternut squash, or carrots. You can also try a side of simple salad like celery, carrots, cabbage, etc.
What else can I use for coating the chicken?
You can also use crushed cornflakes and crushed cereal for coating the chicken. Make sure to give it a good oil spray to ensure you have a nice golden color.
Oven Crispy chicken vs Deep fried chicken
Both deep-fried and oven-crispy chicken have their own unique taste and texture.
Deep-fried is considered more flavorful and crispy on the outside. Tender and flavorful on the inside. However, deep fried is also considered unhealthy and loaded with calories and saturated fat.
On the other hand, oven-baked crispy chicken is a healthier alternative. It is still delicious, crispy, and not greasy. You can see the left chicken in this picture is deep fried and the right is oven baked
Can I make this chicken in the air fryer?
Yes!! It is a healthier version of this crispy fried chicken. Once you've coated the chicken with flour, give it a generous spray with cooking oil. Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F, then place the chicken in there and cook for 20 to 25 minutes turning once in between.
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Printable Recipe
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 283kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings
Description
Crunchy and crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, these crispy oven fried chicken drumsticks are baked not deep-fried. A few simple tricks are all you need to make these in a little over an hour.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Marinade
- 8 (2 lb) Chicken legs (drumstick or thighs) (skinless bone-in )
- 4 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Mustard
- 1 large Egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika (smoked hot or sweet)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs (dried)
- 4 tablespoon Flour
- 2 tablespoon Parsley (or cilantro finely chopped)
Breadcrumb coating
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Semolina
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- ¼ cup Rice flour (or cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoon Parsley (or cilantro, finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian herbs (dried)
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan (finely grated)
- 2 tablespoon Cheddar (or similar finely grated)
Instructions
- Marinade - Place all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.4 tablespoon Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon Mustard, 1 large Egg yolk, ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Paprika, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian herbs, 4 tablespoon Flour, 2 tablespoon Parsley
- Marinate - Add the chicken pieces and combine well. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate for 30 minutes on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge. Pro tip - long marination will make the chicken tender and juicy but up to overnight only.8 Chicken legs (drumstick or thighs)
- Coating - In a large bowl, combine all the coating ingredients. Pro tip - the flour tends to settle a the bottom so keep tossing it around during coating.½ cup Breadcrumbs, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup Semolina, ¼ cup Cornstarch, ¼ cup Rice flour, 2 tablespoon Parsley, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Pepper, ½ teaspoon Italian herbs, 2 tablespoon Parmesan, 2 tablespoon Cheddar
- Oven - Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F / Gas Mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray. Pro tip - spraying the parchment paper will prevent the chicken from sticking to the parchment during baking.
- Coat - Use a fork to pick the drumstick from the marinade and add it to the breadcrumb coating. Coat it generously with the breadcrumbs. Shake off excess.
- Tray - Place the chicken pieces on the baking tray and spray generously with cooking spray.
- Bake - Transfer to the oven on the center rack and bake for 40 to 45 minutes turning them over to cook evenly. Spray with cooking spray again too. Pro tip - spraying will give the chicken a nice golden color otherwise they will be baked but with a very pale breadcrumb color
- Cool - Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Let the chicken marinate for a longer time as this will tenderize the chicken and make it more flavorful.
- Use spices and herbs for flavor and generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- It is best to overseason and flavor the breadcrumb flour mixture as a lot of it will not be used.
- It is best to use a baking tray as compared to a baking dish. This helps with air circulation around the chicken preventing excess moisture accumulation.
- Preheat the oven for no less than 30 minutes. This will ensure the chicken goes into the hot oven and fewer juices will pool on the baking tray. If you prefer you can also place the chicken on a wire rack to increase air circulation.
- Use a cooking spray or high-smoking oil to coat the chicken. This will give the chicken a nice golden color which looks very appetizing and impressive to serve. For a deep darker golden crust you can also brush with melted butter.
- The chicken must be cooked until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
- If you don't get a nice golden color on the chicken, put the broiler on or heat the top heating rack for the final few minutes.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 283- kcalCarbohydrates: 27- gProtein: 19- gFat: 10- gSaturated Fat: 3- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2- gMonounsaturated Fat: 4- gTrans Fat: 0.03- gCholesterol: 98- mgSodium: 517- mgPotassium: 263- mgFiber: 2- gSugar: 1- gVitamin A: 414- IUVitamin C: 3- mgCalcium: 94- mgIron: 2- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Pritha
Dear Veena , Amazing Crispy baked chicken . I tried this , and it turned out to be great . The chicken was so delicious - just the right texture and juicy. I think this recipe is a keeper . I follow your blog and recipes - so helpful for me ! Wish you all the best.
Sorry i could not click any pictures - the chicken was eaten off in a jiffy !
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Pritha. So happy to hear that.