Description
Crispy golden oven-fried chicken emerges as a healthier twist on classic Southern comfort food. Perfectly seasoned and baked to golden perfection, this recipe delivers irresistible crunch and flavor you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and position a wire rack on top. Heat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk, allowing them to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour, preferably overnight for enhanced flavor absorption.
- Create a crispy coating by combining flour, panko breadcrumbs, and a blend of spices including paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a separate mixing container.
- Carefully extract chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then meticulously coat each piece in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Strategically position the breaded chicken pieces on the prepared wire rack, maintaining space between each piece for optimal air circulation.
- Lightly mist the chicken with cooking spray or delicately drizzle olive oil over the surface to promote golden browning and extra crispiness.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, rotating the tray midway through cooking to guarantee uniform crispness and thorough internal cooking.
- Once achieved a deep golden-brown exterior and internal temperature reaches 165F, remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes, enabling juices to redistribute and maintain maximum moisture.
Notes
- Marinate chicken overnight in buttermilk to ensure maximum tenderness and flavor penetration.
- Use a wire rack on the baking sheet to help air circulate, creating an extra crispy exterior that mimics deep-fried texture.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs to maintain the same crunchy coating.
- Experiment with spice blend by adding smoked paprika or dried herbs like thyme for an unexpected flavor twist that elevates the classic recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 354 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg