Oven Fried Chicken Recipe (Super Crispy & So Easy!) - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published January 17, 2019. Updated April 20, 2020

This Oven Fried Chickenhas all the flavors of the deep fried chicken without all the extra fat and oily mess! These chicken thighs are coated with a seasoned Panko and baked until golden brown and perfectly crisp! You wouldn’t believe how close they come to the real thing. This is how you do comfort food.

Deliciously Satisfying Baked Fried Chicken

I’ve always loved deep-fried chicken, but we all know it’s loaded with fat and calories. This version skips the frying and is coated with lightly oiled panko, then cooked in a hot oven instead of a pot of vegetable oil.

It’s deliciously flavorful and you’ll be swooning over the crispy breading and perfectly tender chicken.

I tested several different ingredients for the coating. I’ve tried melba toast, cornflakes, and Panko, and Panko is my favorite here. Then, I opted to leave out the flour for dredging because it works fine without it here, the egg whites are the perfect “glue” on their own.

I added some spices and herbs to the Panko to build flavor and mimic color (the paprika helps give it a nice orange shade). And you’ll love the light kick from the cayenne.

And this crispy oven fried chicken really isn’t difficult to make. The hardest part here will just be waiting for it to bake in the oven!

Oven Fried Chicken Ingredients

The best part about this oven baked fried chicken recipe is that is requires just pantry staples!

• Panko bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Seasonings(paprika, thyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, S&P)
• Egg whites
• Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs(trimmed of fat)

How to Remove the Skin from Chicken Thighs

Removing the skin is actually really easy (and necessary for this recipe, you don’t want the extra oils). The skin mostly just pulls away then in areas where it sticks trim away with a sharp knife (HERE is a quick video that shows how).

How to Make Oven Fried Chicken

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large wire rack with non-stick cooking spray and place in an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet.
• Pour Panko into a shallow mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss and rub with fingertips to evenly moisten.

• Sprinkle in paprika, thyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste then toss.
• In a separate shallow mixing bowl whisk together egg whites, salt and pepper until slightly frothy.

• Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip both sides of chicken in egg white then transfer to Panko mixture and dredge both sides in mixture while pressing crumbs to adhere, sprinkle some over top as well and press.

• Transfer to prepared wire rack spacing evenly apart.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and cooked through (center of thickest portion should register 165ºF on an instant read thermometer), about 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Can I Use Boneless Thighs or Chicken Breasts?

I personally prefer the bones because they add flavor, plus they take longer to cook with bone-in so you end with a really crispy coating that has a nice golden brown color. But boneless thighs or chicken breasts will work fine too.

How Long do You Cook Oven Fried Chicken?

• Chicken thighs with bones (about 5 – 6 oz each, after removing skin) will take about 50 minutes at 400 degrees F.
• If using boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each), cook time should be about 20 – 25 minutes.
• Boneless thighs (about 4 – 5 oz) should take about 25 – 30 minutes.

Can I Use Regular Breadcrumbs?

No, I don’t recommend using regular breadcrumbs for this oven fried chicken recipe. Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, and they’re what make this baked fried chicken so crispy.

What to Serve with Fried Chicken

This healthy fried chicken pairs nicely with your favorite side dishes. A few of my favorite fried chicken sides include:

• Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
• Roasted Vegetables (or this other blend)
• Apple Cranberry and Almond Coleslaw
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Macaroni Salad
• Steamed veggies (asparagus, green beans, broccoli, etc.)

Tips for Making Oven Fried Chicken

• If your oven generally browns more than average and you find the Panko coating is getting darker than you’d like, you can drape a sheet of foil over the chicken when needed and continue to bake through.
• This baked breaded chicken is best enjoyed right away as it loses its crispness over time.
• If you love heat, feel free to add more cayenne pepper.

More Comforting Chicken Dishes to Make:

• Creamy Lemon Romano Chicken
• The Best Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Marsala
• Chicken Piccata
• Skillet Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter Sauce