Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts
Crunchy and golden on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, these crispy baked chicken breasts are way better than the fried version. And, of course, healthier!
I like my chicken super crispy, and usually that requires deep frying. But with panko (a Japanese-style breadcrumbs), you get crispy chicken even if you bake it.
The recipe is very easy. Start by breading the chicken breasts with flour, egg, and panko, place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, and bake for 20-25 minutes. When they are done, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve!
The baking time depends on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Mine took about 22 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, I flipped them over and baked for another 12 minutes.
You can make several batches ahead of time and stick them in the freezer. They’re perfect for nights when you are out of groceries, or when you are just too tired to cook. Pull them out, bake them from frozen, and have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!
To freeze them, place the breaded chicken on a plate and freeze for at least 2 hours. Remove them from the plate, place in a large ziplock bag and store in the freezer.
These crispy baked chicken breasts are a quick and easy weeknight meal everyone will love! Enjoy!
Give this quick but delicious recipe a try, and let me know what you think! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and share it on my Facebook page or tag it #aseasyasapplepie on Instagram! I love seeing what you come up with!
Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts
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 Japanese-style bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- zest of 1 lemon grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees (220 degrees C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a shallow plate, combine the flour, paprika, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Beat the egg in another shallow plate.
- Place the Panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow plate.
- Working one at a time, dredge the chicken breasts in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in panko, pressing to coat.
- Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and spray with olive oil on both sides.
- 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 thickness of the chicken.
- Garnished the crispy baked chicken breasts with a slice of lemon and chopped parsley, if desired.
- Enjoy!
