Baked Crispy Breaded Chicken Breast
Looking for a delicious and easy dinner recipe? Try this mouthwatering Baked Breaded Chicken Breast.
With a crispy panko coating and juicy, tender chicken, this dish is a crowd-pleaser that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
This oven-baked breaded chicken has quickly become a reader favorite around here. I’m not surprised, because it’s truly scrumptious!
Even without deep-frying, using panko breadcrumbs results in a crispy and golden chicken that’s sure to satisfy your crunch cravings.
What’s even better is that this recipe can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the freezer, providing a hassle-free dinner solution for those busy weeknights.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Golden, crispy texture: the crunchiness will satisfy your taste buds and leave you wanting more.
- A healthier alternative: traditional fried chicken can be high in calories and unhealthy fats. By baking the chicken instead, this recipe provides a healthier alternative that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Easy to make:this recipe is quick and easy to make, making it a perfect choice for busy weeknights when you don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen.
- Freezer-friendly: prepare a batch of chicken ahead of time and freeze it for later use. It’s a great option for meal prep.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this crispy baked chicken with a variety of side dishes, such as mashed cauliflower, pasta salad, sweet potato fries, or Hasselback potatoes.
More serving options:
- Pair it with air-fried broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, or grilled vegetables.
- Serve it on a homemade bun for a great chicken sandwich.
- Cut it into strips and serve with dipping sauces like honey mustard, BBQ, or ranch.
- Make it into a chicken parmesan by topping it with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and baking until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Chop it up and add it to salads.
Ingredients & easy swaps
Here are a few notes about the ingredients for this recipe:
- Chicken breast: boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise work best. They’ll cook through faster and be extra crispy. You can also use boneless, skinless thighs or chicken tenders, but cooking time will vary depending on their size and thickness.
- Egg: helps the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken. Mayonnaise can be used as an egg substitute.
- Panko breadcrumbs: these breadcrumbs have a coarser texture than regular breadcrumbs and give the chicken a unique crunchy texture. You can find panko breadcrumbs in the grocery store with other breadcrumbs, in the Asian food aisle, or online.
- Seasoning: the recipe calls for paprika, grated lemon zest, salt, and pepper, but feel free to experiment with any herbs and spices you prefer. For a spicy kick, try adding red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. You could also try dried parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, or rosemary for a different flavor.
- Cooking spray: olive oil cooking spray or any neutral oil spray can be used to coat the chicken before baking.
See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.
How to make baked breaded chicken cutlets
Tips for success
- Cut your chicken evenly — this is a must! Thin chicken breasts will cook quickly and evenly, and they won’t release too much moisture.
- Use kitchen tongs: handling breaded chicken can be messy, but using kitchen tongs can help keep your fingers clean and make the process easier.
- Avoid overcrowding the baking sheet; otherwise, the chicken will steam instead of fry, and the coating will become soggy. Leaving some space between each piece will ensure that they cook evenly and have a crispy texture.
- Make sure the chicken is fully cooked. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature of cooked chicken should reach 165°F (75°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, cut the chicken and make sure it’s white inside. Eating undercooked or raw chicken is unsafe and can put you at risk for salmonella.
- Don’t overcook the chicken — overcooking the chicken will result in dry and tough meat.
Storing, freezing & reheating
To store: although this recipe is best enjoyed freshly baked, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat: for best results, reheat leftover chicken in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes or until heated through. This will help maintain the crispy texture. Alternatively, you can use an air fryer at 400°F (205°C) for 3-5 minutes.
To freeze: place the unbaked chicken breasts on a plate and freeze them for at least 2 hours or until solid. Then, transfer them to a large ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Recipe FAQs
1- Pat the chicken dry before breading it.
2- When breading the chicken, shake off any excess flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
3- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. Overcrowding can cause the breading to become soggy and fall off.
Yes, you can prepare the breaded chicken ahead of time, but it’s best to bake it just before serving to ensure maximum crispiness. To prepare ahead, bread the chicken as directed in the recipe and refrigerate it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, and then bake it as directed in the recipe.
You can use mayonnaise as an egg replacement.
To make this recipe gluten-free, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
More easy chicken dinner recipes to try
Have you tried this crispy chicken recipe yet? Did you make any modifications or put your own spin on it? Share your feedback with us in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear from you! And if you have any questions, we are always here to help!
How To Make It: Baked Breaded Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast cut lengthwise
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup (80 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- zest of 1 lemon grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- oil spray
Garnish (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
- lemon slices or lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees (220 degrees C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bread the chicken
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. In another shallow dish, beat the egg. In a third shallow dish, place the panko breadcrumbs.
- Working one at a time, coat the chicken breasts in flour, dip them into eggs, and then dredge them in panko, pressing to coat.After each step, make sure to shake off the excess.
- Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and spray with oil on both sides.
Bake
- Bake for 10 minutes, turn each piece over, and continue baking for an additional 12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly golden. Baking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts.
Garnish and serve
- Garnish the crispy baked chicken breasts with a slice of lemon and chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Chicken: you can also make this recipe with chicken tenders or with boneless, skinless thighs.
- Panko breadcrumbs: panko is usually found in the Asian section of supermarkets.
- Storage: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Reheating leftovers: I recommend re-warming in a 300F oven for about 10 minutes, until crispy again.
- Scaling the recipe: you can easily double or triple the recipe. Simply click on the number of servings in the recipe card and slide the toggle that appears to the number of servings you want to make. The ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
great recipe, thank you! My family loved it.
This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks for posting this recipe. It is very good.
Thank you for the feedback, Ellen!
Absolutely loved this. Could not be easier! Very little clean up! Very tasty!
I salted and peppered my chicken before I put them in flour to make sure the seasoning sticks.
Served mine with Waldorf Salad. I think I would also eat this on top of a salad with a vinegar/oil dressing.
I used different spices (roasted garlic and pepper) but the breading recipe was absolutely perfect. Not that I’ve been trying breaded dishes for a long time but this was the best one I have ever made. Nice and crispy on the outside and very juicy on the inside. Definitely a keeper. Thank you (and Happy New Year)!
Thank you for the feedback, Hyke! Happy New Year! :)
Sooo good! I cut my chicken breasts into about 3 or 4 inch “strips.” I used zest from two lemons and a bit of salt and pepper directly on the breasts before coating. I have a gas oven and 425 for 12 minutes on each side (pieces were thick… a good two inches). Done perfectly. Very juicy yet thoroughly cooked. I served them with sauteed carrots and cranberry sauce. For the carrots: par boiled baby cut carrots in sugar sweetened water for 8 minutes; drained and sauteed on high heat for about 3 minutes with lemon infused olive oil, a pinch of ginger, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of dry thyme. Goes very well with this chicken.
I can’t wait to try your sauteed carrots. Thank you for the recipe, Mary!
This is a keeper…so very good.
Have made this twice! My family LOVES it. I cut my chicken breasts into filet size first. Sometimes add some HV powdered ranch dressing to panko bread crumbs and some white wine to casserole before baking. Thank you for this great recipe. It keeps my daughter from drive through chicken nuggets. we serve with rice and a salad!
Thank you for the feedback, Marguerite! Happy to hear your family loved this recipe :)
Super easy to make and versatile, which is great during a pandemic when you don’t always have tons of fancy ingredients. I can already see different ways to play with this recipe. Very yummy too, sure to be a staple! Thanks!
So glad you liked it, Rachel! Thank you for the feedback!
Fantastic recipe. Reminded me of a lemon-pepper chicken we used to get at a favourite Italian restaurant which has now since closed. It’s amazing as written and I made a few modifications to suit our taste. I toast the Panko In the oven before I bread the chicken. I also added about 1/2 a cup of fresh shredded parmiggiano reggianno to the Panko before breading. Both the original and my twist make fantastic chicken strips too! Very family friendly. We served with mashed potatoes and fresh steamed green/yellow beans. Thrilled to have found this recipe! Thank-you for sharing.
I have 2 relatives who must eat gluten free. The GF Panko is extremely bland, so I use Breton Gluten Free Herb and Garlic crackers. They crumble very easily, have salt, taste and go nicely with this recipe.
Thank you for the tip, Drina! :)
This was the absolute best chicken we have ever had! It was crispy without frying. The chicken breasts were so juicy! I made 4 pounds of chicken breasts, so I adjusted the ingredients. These are the changes I made: I did take another person’s advice and I added Parmesan cheese to the Panko breadcrumbs. The only seasonings I used in the flour were salt, pepper, garlic. and paprika. I used melted butter instead of olive oil and sprinkled with parsley before baking. When I flipped the chicken breasts for cooking, I added more butter on top. Thank you for this great recipe!
Thank you for the feedback, Mary! :)