This easy Oven-Fried Chicken turns out perfectly crispy and juicy every time! The special seasoning blend tastes just like KFC, but it’s made with wholesome ingredients in your own kitchen.
This recipe has been updated and republished since its original debut in 2014.
Table of Contents
Perfectly Crispy “Fried” Chicken in the Oven
I seriously love chicken.
Whether it’s One Pot Chicken Lo Mein, Caprese Chicken and Rice, or this simple Slow Cooker Chicken Breast… you name it, we love it.
This year, since I really got into using my Instant Pot, I’ve been especially enjoying making chicken breasts in there (check out my tutorial on how to cook chicken breasts from frozen!). But one thing the Instant Pot cannot do is produce crispy, oven-fried chicken.
And that’s why we’re here 🙂
This oven-fried chicken breast recipe is perfectly crispy and juicy, without fail. It captures that KFC, special-herbs-and-spices flavour, without all of the deep frying and processed ingredients that go into the fast-food version.
Most of all, this is a recipe our family loves, and that we make over and over again. The last time I made it, it got rave reviews from our newest taste tester: our 10-month-old daughter! I know it’s a good one when she bounces up and down in her high chair, saying, “Mmm, mmm, mmm!” (and becoming upset when it’s not on her tray fast enough).
What You’ll Need to Make Oven Fried Chicken
For this recipe, I use chicken breast, but you could substitute chicken thighs, chicken tenders, chicken wings, or even legs. The seasonings and crispy coating are always delicious! Just remember that the cooking time will vary according to the cut of chicken.
- Chicken Breast: One batch of this recipe makes about 3-4 chicken breasts, or around one and a half pounds, cut into strips. One chicken breast equals about three strips, the way I cut them.
- Buttermilk (optional): you can soak your chicken in buttermilk to help the coating stick more.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter is fine.
- Flour: All-purpose flour, or you could use gluten-free flour if you prefer.
- Panko: Panko breadcrumbs give the chicken a crunchy, crispy coating. Original or pork rind panko are fine.
- Salt and Pepper
- Seasoned Salt: This versatile seasoning goes with everything! I use Lawry’s brand.
- Paprika: Made from dried, ground peppers, paprika isn’t spicy, but it adds depth of flavor, a slight sweetness, and lots of colour.
How to Make Oven Fried Chicken
Depending on the size and thickness of your chicken pieces, you may need to adjust the cooking time, so always check your chicken for doneness before diving in. The safest way to do this is with a meat thermometer. The chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest part.
- Get the Oven and Baking Sheet Ready. To get started, preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet (10×15) with parchment paper, and brush the butter over the surface of the parchment. It might seem like a lot of butter, but that’s fine. It will help to crisp up the chicken coating!
- Bread the Chicken Breast Pieces. Soak the chicken in buttermilk (you can skip this step if you like, but it helps the coating to stick!). Combine the flour, panko, seasoned salt, salt and pepper, and paprika in a large paper or zip-top bag. Add the chicken to the bag, and shake the bag to coat the chicken pieces.
- Bake. Place your chicken on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a space between each strip. Bake the chicken for 10 minutes, flip carefully with a spatula, and bake for another 10 minutes. (Note: if the parchment is dry when you flip the chicken, add a drizzle of oil, to the to ensure the bottom pieces of chicken get crispy.)
- Check for Doneness. Check to make sure your chicken is cooked (165°F), as the thickness can greatly affect baking time. You want it to be done, but not overdone and dry. If it’s not yet up to temperature, bake for another 4-5 minutes at a time, until it’s cooked through
Why is my baked chicken not crispy?
While baking chicken isn’t always known for crispy results, this recipe really does deliver a crispy “fried” main course right out of the oven! Still, I wanted to add some tips that might help, if you find that your chicken is not as crispy as you’d like.
- Use Dark, Non-Stick Pans. Dark pans heat to a higher temperature than light-colored pans, which will help with getting a crispy coating.
- Use Moist Chicken. I keep my chicken breasts in the freezer, and then thaw them in the fridge. So they’re quite moist when it’s time for me to bread them, and a lot of the coating sticks to them easily. If you’re working with fresh chicken breasts, you’ll want to soak them in milk first (or buttermilk, which adds great flavour!).
- Use Butter, Not Cooking Spray. I know you might be tempted to bake the chicken with cooking spray instead of butter, but unfortunately, this just doesn’t work as well. The fat in real butter makes a lot of difference in crisping up the chicken! If you need a healthier substitute, try margarine or reduced calorie margarine.
- Watch the Parchment: When you flip the chicken, you may find that the parchment paper is a little dry. I recommend drizzling more butter or oil onto the parchment to help crisp up the bottom of the chicken as it cooks.
- Serve with Care: As the chicken sits on a plate, the underside may get a little soggy from condensation. Therefore, I recommend serving immediately. If you’re not serving right away, place the chicken on a rack, a plate lined with paper towel, or just keep it warm in a 225°F oven.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes! You can make the breading mixture and bread the chicken pieces, and then “flash freeze” them on a tray in the freezer until frozen solid.
From there, transfer the breaded frozen chicken to freezer bags, and keep for up to 3 months frozen. There’s no need to thaw them before baking, but you will need to add more cook time (around 2 to 5 additional minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken).
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving oven-fried chicken breast, I like to go with classic, comforting sides. Here are some of our family favorites:
- Glazed Carrots: These simple Honey Glazed Carrots are made with honey, brown sugar, butter, and garlic. They add a sweet touch to the dinner table, and go perfectly with crispy, well-seasoned chicken.
- Mashed Potatoes: These easy, creamy mashed potatoes come together in the slow cooker, which makes them almost completely hands-off! Try Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes once, and you may just find yourself making them every week! (Looking for something even more indulgent? Try my Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes)
- Baked Beans: A beloved potluck favourite, sweet and savory Instant Pot Baked Beans come together quickly, but taste like they simmered all day.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
To refrigerate leftover chicken, allow it to cool on a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate. Then transfer the cooled pieces into shallow, airtight containers. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze, place the chicken in a single layer on a tray in the freezer, until frozen solid. Then transfer the frozen pieces to freezer bags, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat oven-fried chicken, place chicken pieces on a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 250 degrees just until heated through.
The Best Oven-Fried Chicken
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts (about 3-4) cut in strips — I get about 3 out of one breast
- 1 cup buttermilk (optional)
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp seasoning salt I use Lawry’s
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into thick strips and soak in buttermilk.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a large piece of parchment paper on the rimmed baking sheet (10×15) and brush butter over the parchment. It might seem like too much butter, but you need it to crisp up the coating!
- Combine flour, Panko, seasoning salt, paprika and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat **
- Place your chicken on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a space between each strip. Bake 10 minutes, flip gently with a spatula, and bake another 10 minutes. (If the pan is dry when you flip the chicken, add a drizzle of oil to ensure the bottom crisps as well)
- Be sure to check to make sure your chicken is cooked (165°F), as the thickness can greatly affect baking time. You want it to be done but not overdone and dry. Bake another 4-5 minutes if needed.
- Remove to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess grease. Serve immediately. To keep warm until serving, place on a wire rack on a baking sheet in a 225°F oven.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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debs says
Far too much salt. And never give this to a ten month baby!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing your opinion! We enjoy it just the way it is 🙂 Feel free to adjust the recipe to your tastes.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m sorry to hear that! It works for me every time.
Em says
The number of comments to this day and the fact this post pops up everywhere I hunt for Fried Chicken says it all! I’m really looking forward to making this some time this week.
I’m SURE you’ve addressed this at some point amongst the hundreds of questions across your posts, but just a thought in case you hadn’t. You’ve mentioned a few times you use a dark nonstick pan – but what size and shape?
If everyone is using a dark pan with the same amount of butter, but in varying sizes and shapes, they’ll definitely be getting very different results! This could explain some of the sogginess or lack of “fried chicken texture” mentioned as if they’re using a smaller pan the chicken might be swimming in butter, and if they’re using a larger pan, it might barely be getting enough to crisp it up!
I’d love to hear what size you are using for the best results, or even how deep should the melted butter be. Just coating the bottom? A few mm’s deep or more?
Thanks so much!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Em! That’s a great point! The pan I usually use is about 10×15″ and 1″ deep. I would say the butter on the point should thoroughly cover it, but doesn’t need to be too deep. Let me know how it goes!
Em says
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, I’ll definitely keep you posted!
Ashley Fehr says
No problem! Thanks!
Krystal says
How long should it cook for?
Ashley Fehr says
The cook time is right in the recipe
Marie Czarnecki says
@Em: Get a life, try deep frying. Do you have anydecent cook books??? Go relate to them..
Ashley Fehr says
Not everybody likes deep frying — that’s okay! All that matters is that you find what works for you.
Shelley says
Best chicken I’ve ever made!! I hate chicken I have to force myself to eat it but not this one 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Shelley! And thank you for coming back to leave a comment!
mc says
gravy!
Amber says
Has this recipe changed since last june? I have made this a few times before and this time i made it tonight and it didnt have as much flavor as it did when i made it last year. I pinned this a long time ago
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Amber! No, the seasoning mix hasn’t changed. I’m not sure how that would have happened!
Loopst says
What are Panko breadcrumbs please?
Ashley Fehr says
They are a Japanese style bread crumb that is a bit larger and gives a great crispy texture — you should be able to find them at any grocery store!
Marie Czarnecki says
@Loopst: They are Asian bread crumbs, you can get in any grocers in the Asian isle..
Loops says
What are Pablo breadcrumbs?
Susan says
I made this last night and it was both easy and delicious. Oven fried chicken is something I’ve had trouble with in the past, so I was pumped! Thanks for the recipe!
Stephanie says
This just came out of the oven. We had an Oven Fried Chicken Recipe that we liked already, but this just took it’s place! It came out much crispier, which I’m guessing is thanks to the Panko, since the only other different thing is that I didn’t soak this in buttermilk first. Thanks for the recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Stephanie! So happy to hear that! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Eric says
Ashley – regarding the “soggy” coating some have been having a problem with…a lot of fresh chicken is injected with a solution to help retain moisture, add weight (more $ for the supplier)and to keep the meat from drying out. Solution amounts can range from 3 – 18%. It could be that the people having the problem are using (unknowingly) chicken with a high solution amount added. It’s puzzling that it works for some and not for others. Anyway – just my 2 cents.
If this was addressed earlier I apologize – I haven’t read entirely through the comments.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Eric! That’s a great point! I usually use frozen chicken that’s been thawed, so it’s pretty moist to begin with but maybe not the same. Good point!
Helen says
In my experience, even pan or deep-fried chicken can be soggy on the bottom if placed on a plate or paper towel. I put mine on a cooling rack inside a cookie sheet. I normally do this when I fry chicken and other meats, and place in the oven @ 200 degrees to keep it hot until serving (usually because I have to fry in batches, and don’t want the first batch to get cold (or soggy). On the other hand, my mom used to make shake and bake chicken, which always has a soggy bottom, and for that reason, I like it that way! I’m going to try this recipe, and if the bottom is soggy, I won’t mind!
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great tip Helen! Ours never lasts very long so it doesn’t get soggy, but I love the cooling rack at 200 degrees tip — great for keeping it warm and crisp a little longer!
Helen says
🙂
Marie Czarnecki says
Helen: I cook chicken all the time, oven or deep fry, my chicken is never soggy on a plate or paper towels . Don’t know what you ar or how you are cooking chicken!!
Ashley Fehr says
It does get soggy on the bottom if left sitting — an easy solution is just to eat it right out of the oven! 😉 Haha
Stacy says
Hi Ashley, I am trying to make cold chicken breast sandwiches for a Masters party this weekend. Have you ever refrigerated the chicken after cooking and served it cold? If so, wondering if it still stays crispy and how long in advance I might be able to prepare them. Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Stacey! I have refrigerated the chicken and we’ve eaten the leftovers but I think you’d have difficulty keeping any chicken crispy in the refrigerator, regardless of the recipe you use. If you do give it a try I’d love to hear how it goes!
Leon says
The title of this article is no exaggeration – this is absolutely the best oven-fried chicken I’ve had. Based on some of the comments posted here, I made 3 modifications: (1) used a half-and-half mix of flour and cornstarch instead of just flour, (2) used clarified butter to eliminate any chance of burning the butter, and (3) prior to flouring the chicken, I dabbed the chicken pieces with the clarified butter using a small basting brush. At the flipping step, I also used the brush to dab butter on any exposed flour areas. I made whole pieces of dark meat, so they baked for 55 minutes and still no burning! Thanks for a great recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Leon! Thanks for those notes! Glad you liked it!
Charles says
Thank you for the recipe.
Some things I wondered when reading the comments about it being soggy… Would the type of flour make a difference? (all purpose vs cake and pastry) Also, the location of the oven rack from the heating elements could be an issue. In some ovens the top or bottom elements do not provide the same even heat. A third issue could be that some frozen chicken breasts are seasoned in a brine so they may need to be patted dry a bit before coating.
I don’t know if you have tried this: I heard the secret to getting the KFC flavour (Canadian spelling) is bacon fat. I plan to fry some bacon strips and use the pan drippings in place of the butter in your recipe. I would also reduce the salt a bit as bacon fat is salty. Other herbs that may enhance the taste are savory,marjoram and onion powder.
I look forward to trying it myself. I trust it will be finger-licking-good!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Charles! I look forward to hearing what you think about the bacon fat — that’s something I’ve never tried! I wouldn’t pat the chicken dry before coating though as it’s the moisture that adheres the coating to the chicken.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Maria, I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you! Given that I’ve done a complete separate post on tips and tricks along with this one, and I have another tips section at in the post before the recipe, I don’t feel that there’s anything missing from the instructions. I have never had any problems with the recipe as is and we have it often.
Marie Czarnecki says
Ashley: Some people don’t know how to follow directions as she said she did, but as I am going to say some people just are not cooks, I say take a class!!! Recipes are great.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Marie! It’s hard to say why some things don’t work for some people, but there are lots of different things that could be happening. It all just takes practice!
Sharon says
The area of the country has something.to do with it. You will need to adjust cook time and temp. Sea level and humidity. Use med size cast iron skillet to fry anything.
Sonia says
I wasn’t expecting the chicken to turn out to be anything like the pics…..rarely does ? BUT did this surprise me!!!! The BEST chicken I have ever had, I mean the BEST!!!!!! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for coming back and letting me know!
Catalynn says
Hi there,
Tried this recipe last friday night and everyone loved it!
I followed your directions… it turned out perfectly crispy, brown and deeeeeelicious!!!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Laurie Rae says
I’ve been making this chicken for months now and it’s still a favorite. Very tasty and easy to make. I love that the ingredients are items that I already have in my pantry. I jokingly call it mom chicken since my mother always request I make it.
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! I love that! Thank you so much for sharing Laurie!
Shannon says
This chicken recipe is fantastic! The coating was delicious, and the chicken was very moist. I followed the recipe exactly, but I used a pound of chicken tenders instead of cutting breasts into strips. I soaked the chicken in milk for two hours, then shook off the excess milk before dredging it in the flour mixture. I removed the baking sheet from the oven before it finished preheating, so the butter melted, but did not burn. I baked the chicken for ten minutes on each side, and put the chicken on a plate with paper towels as soon as I removed it from the oven. The results were perfect!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Shannon! So glad to hear it was enjoyed!
Holly Prince says
I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. I had been looking for a recipe for chicken that was healthy and we do not eat fried foods ever so this was perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for coming back and commenting Holly! I’m so glad to hear it turned out well!
cindy says
Today I was looking to a new recipe for chicken breast so I found yours. I used two full boneless chicken breast pounded them until they were uniformed size. Put butter on the pan in the oven, chicken in flour/season/panko mixture, cooked for 20 mins, tested with thermometer and they came out fine. Only problem is the butter did smoke and turn very dark before they were finished. but will try recipe again in the future. note: instead of salt used garlic powder
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Cindy! I’m glad to hear they turned out for you! My butter does usually turn a bit dark on the pan by the time they’re done cooking, but only where the chicken isn’t covering it.
Melissa says
I made this recipe last night for my fiance and his son, it turned out perfectly! I sprayed the dark nonstick pan with a light layer of canola oil first and then added 4 tbs. of butter, melted it and then I thought there was too much. So I dumped out about half of it, so there was just enough to coat the pan. It wasn’t soggy at all, perfect! I also dredged it through my dry ingredients then egg, then the flour mixture again. I also used Italian seasoned bread crumbs. I copied your picture and made corn and red mashed potatoes with it and to top it off, mozzarella cheese bombs. It was oh so amazing! Definitely keeping this recipe! Thank you so much!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Melissa! I’m so happy to hear it turned out for you!