Baked Crispy Breaded Chicken Breast
Looking for a delicious and easy dinner recipe? Try this mouthwatering 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 easy oven-baked breaded chicken has quickly become a reader favorite around here. I’m not surprised, because it’s truly scrumptious!
Using panko breadcrumbs gives you a crispy, golden chicken without the need for deep-frying.
And the best part? You can make this ahead and freeze it for a convenient dinner on busy weeknights.
Why I 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. This recipe provides a healthier alternative that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Quick and simple: make this baked fried chicken in no time, ideal for busy weeknights when you’re short on kitchen time.
- Freezer-friendly: prepare a batch ahead of time and store it in the freezer for convenient and hassle-free meal prep.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this baked panko 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.
- Get creative and turn it into a mouthwatering chicken parmesan. Top it with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, then bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Chop it up and add it to salads.
Ingredients & easy swaps
Here are some helpful 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. You can use mayonnaise 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 you can try other herbs and spices like red pepper flakes, dried parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, or rosemary for different flavors.
- Cooking spray: before baking, coat the chicken with olive oil cooking spray or any neutral oil spray.
See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.
How to make breaded chicken breast
Tips for success
- Cut the chicken evenly: this is a must! Use thin chicken breasts for even cooking and to avoid excess moisture.
- Use kitchen tongs to handle the breaded chicken, making the process easier and keeping your fingers clean.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet; otherwise, the chicken will steam instead of fry, and the coating will become soggy.
- Check for doneness: use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C) inside. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut the chicken and check for white, fully cooked meat to avoid any risk of salmonella.
- Avoid overcooking the chicken to prevent dry and tough meat.
Storage, freezing & reheating
To store: store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s best to enjoy the chicken freshly baked.
To reheat: for crispy results, reheat the leftover chicken in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes until it’s heated through. An air fryer at 400°F (205°C) for 3-5 minutes is also a good option.
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 baked chicken breast yet? Share your feedback or variations in the comments below. If you have any questions, feel free to ask – we’re 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 degrees F (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.Shake off any excess after each step.
- Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and spray with oil on both sides.
Bake
- Bake the chicken for 10 minutes, then turn each piece over and continue baking for an additional 12 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and has a slightly golden color. 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. Just adjust the number of servings in the recipe card, and the ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
Made this the other night for dinner, turned out really good. Super easy directions!! I didn’t have parchment paper, but it still turned out great. Will do this again!
Thank you for your feedback, Melissa! I am glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
Ok, I’m a poor, semi retired physician who is trying to “healthy up” my cooking for my wife and I.
This fits perfectly. The idea of baking, rather than frying is appealing.
Taste is great. I added a beurre blanc for flavour. Not the healthiest but growth is incremental!
Enjoy
Doug
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Doug! :) Your version with beurre blanc sounds incredible.
Made this tonight and YUMMMY! I can’t cook – yet these were quick and easy. Thank you, thank you!!
Thanks for trying the recipe, Kelsey. I’m glad it came out great for you! :)
Great dinner!
I’m glad you liked it, Jason. Thanks for reporting back!
These look delish. I live alone and wonder if I made one chicken breast at a time would I change the cooking time? I’m a cooking noob.
The cooking time will be the same. I hope you will like this recipe, let me know if you have any more questions! :)
This looks delicious! I make a variation of this but you have a few ingredients that I don’t use, like lemon and paprika. I will give this a try. I’m so glad you didn’t say to pound the chicken flat. I feel that it has been through enough already!
I hope you will like it! :)
My husband and I loved this recipe. It turned out a little crunchier than I would have expected but hubby loved the crunch
I am glad that you liked this recipe, Jessy! :)
These were awesome!!!! Im from Alabama l, so this was very new for me . Im use to everything being fried lol. Now that I’ve found this recipe, I think I’ll be sticking with this.
I am glad you liked this recipe, Janae! :)
Fabulous! Thank you. The kiddos gobbled it up, with some honey mustard sauce. Yum. Will be a go-to :)
Thank you for your feedback Regan! I love honey mustard sauce :)
made this tonight and my family loved it. excellent healthy alternative and does not feel like you are sacrificing a thing. will definitely make this again and again. thanks for the recipe!
I am glad you they liked it! This is one of my favorite recipes for chicken breasts :)
This is the 3rd time I’ve made these. They come out perfectly each time! Prep is not only quick and easy, but really avoids the huge mess I always make when frying chicken cutlets. I even like them the next day cold with a little salt, or reheating the leftovers to top a salad or to make a sandwich. I don’t think I’ve fried chicken cutlets since I’ve tried this recipe!
So glad to hear that, Tim! Thank you so much for the feedback!
These were absolutely wonderful!. The crispiness, the freshness of the lemon, and it wasn’t deep fried. I would suggest maybe some parmesan cheese with the panko. Everyone loved it. Thanks so much for this recipe (:
Thank you for your feedback, Jennifer! It’s a great idea to add parmesan cheese. :)
Hi Elena! This is an amazing recipe. I made this today and everyone in my family loved it! Will share it in my blog soon and link it back. I really can’t thank you enough for sharing this!
These were so tasty and easy to make!
Yum! These were crispy and delicious! Can’t wait to make them again!
These are absolutely incredible!
Thank you Shauna!