I still vividly remember developing this baked fried chicken recipe. We were newly married and didn’t have a lot of money to eat out. We wanted crispy, restaurant worthy chicken, but at home and somehow healthier. This oven fried version came to life and I’ve been making it ever since. This oven fried chicken recipe is seasoned and breaded, then baked until crispy.
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What’s in this Easy Baked Fried Chicken Breast recipe?
I love that you only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this easy, crispy, flavorful oven fried chicken. It’s one of my husband’s favorite recipes to this day, but now, it’s also a favorite for our two boys. It’s so easy to make, and it comes out better than fried (and healthier too). Serve it for dinner tonight, or any night of the week!
- Chicken: Use skinless, boneless chicken breast for this oven baked recipe.
- Buttermilk: Soak chicken in buttermilk before breading and baking. The acidity tenderizes the meat and creates the crispy texture we want. This is the secret ingredient to crispy fried chicken!
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to coat and bread the chicken.
- Seasoning: We use a mix of paprika (adds that delicious hint of heat), all-purpose seasoning, and salt and pepper.
- Butter: Butter is melted and spread on the bottom of the baking pan to help crisp up the breading.
Pro tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own! Measure 3 cups of milk, then remove 3 tablespoons and mix in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar (this adds acidity). Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
Variations using thighs, drumsticks, or wings
Absolutely! If you want to make oven fried chicken with thighs, drumsticks, or wings, you can use those pieces too. Just coat them and bake as directed. If you use bone-in pieces, you will need to increase the baking time. Be sure the internal temp reaches 165°F.
If you are using a variety of pieces, check the breasts and take them out as soon as they’re ready. They’ll dry out the fastest, whereas thighs will need a bit longer to cook.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container or resealable bag, and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
I recommend wrapping each piece in foil, or layering pieces with paper towels to soak up any moisture that might collect in the fridge. This will help to keep the breading nice and crispy.
To reheat, place pieces in the oven at 350F until fully cooked through.
How to Freeze
To freeze, wrap pieces of chicken in foil, then place in a freezer-safe, resealable bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This easy chicken breast recipe goes with any and all of your favorite side dishes. When my family is in the mood for a classic fried chicken kind of dinner, I make these potato wedges or some creamy mashed potatoes. I find that corn casserole, creamed green beans, and coleslaw make great sides too.
And don’t forget these homemade buttermilk biscuits, served with honey butter. It’ll be the whole family’s favorite meal!
Looking for more crispy chicken recipes? You’ll love this Air Fryer Fried Chicken, and this copycat KFC recipe!
5-Star Reviews
“I made this last night and it was the moistest chicken we’ve ever had. A bit of crispy and the flavor was wonderful. I didn’t have buttermilk and did add lemon juice to 1% milk. I am making it again today. Thank you for this recipe.” – Dawn
“This was the juiciest and tastiest chicken breast recipe I have ever had. No buttermilk on hand, I used 6 oz yogurt and 2 oz water, marinated for 30 minutes, seasoned per instructions. Comfort food night..smashed potatoes fried in Naples garlic olive oil, seasoned with kosher salt, and fresh corn. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe…Amazing!” -LAClarke
Baked Fried Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 cups buttermilk (see note)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground paprika
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning such as Lawry's
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (½ stick)
- ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley optional
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts in half, lengthwise, to create 4 even portions.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Place chicken in a large bowl and marinate in the buttermilk for about 20 minutes.3 cups buttermilk
- Mix together the flour, paprika, all-purpose spice, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon ground paprika, 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Place parchment paper on a 9×13-inch baking sheet. Melt butter and pour onto the parchment, coating the bottom of the pan/parchment.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pat each chicken breast with a paper towel to remove excess milk before dipping. Dip each chicken breast, one at a time, in the flour mixture. Coat both sides. Place in pan.
- Repeat with all four chicken breasts, making sure there is a small amount of room between each breast in the pan. This will allow them to crisp while baking.
- Bake at 400ºF for 35-40 minutes (or until the breading is golden brown and the juices run clear), flipping each breast after 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with parsley if desired. Enjoy!¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley
Video
Becky’s Tips
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by measuring 3 cups of milk, removing 3 tablespoons, and mixing in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
After marinating the chicken in buttermilk, coat all sides in the seasoned flour mixture. The buttermilk should help the flour stick.
Marinating the chicken breast in buttermilk helps break down enzymes so that the meat becomes more tender. It’s common practice to soak chicken in milk when making Southern-fried chicken, although sometimes it’s marinated overnight. 20 minutes is enough for this quick and easy recipe! The milk also helps the flour mixture to stick.
Bake chicken breast in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 400°F to make it crispy. Flip it over halfway through cooking time.
Yes! Even when baking instead of frying, you still want to do the flour breading and all the spices to create a delicious crispy skin on your chicken.
This seasoning blend typically contains salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and other things like parsley and paprika. It’s a delicious savory spice blend that works great for chicken!
1. Remove excess moisture from the buttermilk marinade by patting the chicken dry. 2. Leave room between pieces of chicken on the baking pan. 3. Spread melted butter on the bottom of the pan. 4. Flip the chicken over halfway through cooking time.
Chicken breast should always reach an internal temperature of 165°F before consuming.
More Chicken Breast Recipes We Love
- Juicy Pan Seared Chicken Breast
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breast
- Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Tuscan Chicken in Parmesan Sauce
- Creamy Butter Baked Chicken
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Poached Chicken Breasts
- Marinated Chicken Breast
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Honey Balsamic Chicken Breast
- Baked Italian Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
I used your flour and spices but, instead of buttermilk which I didn’t have, I used mayo diluted with a little milk. I know regular milk wouldn’t coat the chicken the way buttermilk does. This was such a happy discovery for me. The flour stuck much better than it would’ve. For those who were having problems with the coating not sticking, I would suggest not patting the excess liquid off the chicken. It needs this for the flour to adhere. Lastly, I cooked the chicken in the air fryer and skipped all that butter. The little mayo I used was enough liquid fat to brown and crisp the chicken. The only thing I will change next time is using less paprika. It was too strong but I can see how everything else would lend to that KFC taste.
Thanks for sharing, Nicole!!
I made this recipe with drumsticks and baked it for an extra 20 minutes and it came out delicious!! I added some bread crumbs to the flour mixture and i would say less butter definitely but super yummy thank you!!
Sounds delicious!
This turned out awesome. This is the only way I make my chicken breast now. I leave my chicken breast marinate in buttermilk overnight.
Thanks for sharing, Jim!!
Mine turned out good, but to achieve a crispier breading, I’m going to put the butter on the pan and put the pan in the oven (without the chicken) when it’s halfway pre-heated, so that it is hot and sizzling when I put the chicken on the pan. I think that will jumpstart the crisp!
Made this recently for a picnic date. It was a huge hit. Didn’t pat it dry enough (was out if napkins & paper towels) so the breading didn’t hold as it would have.) Will definitely make it over & over. So easy! Looking forward to trying the other versions too!
It looks delicious!! What an awesome picnic treat!
In addition to my need for special diets, I also have a want for taste. Additionally, I don’t stock milk so that crucial step was skipped. Still turned out great and was tempted to eat the whole shebang in one sitting…
Thanks for sharing your success with us, Kevin!
Easy and good comfort food. I actually made it on the gas grill.
Sounds delicious, Jean!
Wonder flavor- but I did not manage to achieve crispness. I pounded the breasts thin, and maybe they cooked too fast to 165 degrees before the coating could finish? Help! I really want this to work.
It looks delicious, Stephen!
This was wonderful! I normally make this dish a very different but was looking for a healthier option and this was such a winner. We followed it exactly as directed with the exception of the milk; we only had 2% and it still turned out really wonderfully. (Used Adobo All Purpose Seasoning from Goya) Moist on the inside; nice and crispy on the outside. My husband said “make sure you don’t loose that recipe!”
I love the seasoning addition!
I’ve been making chicken similar to this on my own for couple years–can’t be beat. Don’t know why commenters say breading falls off; mine never does.
Thanks for sharing!