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This oven fried chicken recipe is even better than classic fried chicken, and it’s so much better for you too!

First Published March 2012; Updated August 2020

Oven Fried Chicken Recipe Backstory

My family loves fried chicken. They think there is nothing better than picking up a nice greasy bucket of chicken from a fast food joint. In fact, that has been the kids’ birthday dinner choices for more times than I care to admit. I, on the other hand, am not so happy with the sluggishness and heartburn after eating a few pieces of fried chicken. Now don’t get me wrong. I can put down a few pieces like the rest of them but I really could do without the after effects and extra calories.

Many years back, I found this spicy oven fried chicken recipe from Peanut Butter and Julie and thought, why not try this and bake chicken instead of frying? I became obsessed with oven fried chicken and decided to adapt this recipe to my family’s liking. I can never get enough of this recipe’s crispy spicy coating. It also seemed like a good idea to remove the skin to get rid of a few calories and the coating is so good that no one misses it.

This recipe is definitely a little more work than I can handle if I have a busy night. It takes some time to make but is well worth it. It can also be made in advance and reheated. My husband loves to eat it cold too. It is definitely worth the extra work. There will be no more fast food for birthdays at my house!

Oven Fried Chicken Recipe FAQ

How do I buy the best chicken?

It’s important to look at the “best by” date, but also pay attention to the color.

Your chicken should be a nice, healthy pink hue.

If you’re storing chicken in the fridge, you should use it within 2 days, but you can store it in the freezer for up to six months..

How do I remove chicken skin?

Removing the skin from your chicken pieces should be fairly easy; for the most part, it will pull away with just your fingers.

If there are places where the skin isn’t coming up, just take a knife and do a little bit of trimming.

How should I store my oven fried chicken?

With proper storage, your leftover chicken can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Ensure that the chicken has cooled completely, then store either in a shallow airtight container or wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap, then pop it in the fridge!

Follow the same methods for storage in the freezer. Your chicken will last up to 4 months stored this way.

How should I reheat my chicken?

In order to ensure that the chicken stays crispy, it’s best to allow the chicken to come to room temperature so all of the pieces start at roughly the same internal temperature. It takes about 30 minutes to achieve this.

(From frozen: leave the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, and then follow the above step.)

Place the chicken on a foil lined tray, then cover with another layer of foil. Bake the chicken at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes. More time can be added if you want extra crispiness, but only add in 5 minute intervals or so.

Variations

While the breading on this chicken is delicious, if you’re looking for added flavor, you could try making a sauce to go with it. Something as simple as barbecue sauce or ketchup would be good, or you could get a little fancy and make something like a honey garlic sauce.

This breading and baking procedure could also be used to make chicken tenders or even nuggets. Use chicken breasts and cut into pieces. The baking time gets cut in half!

Of course, if the breading has a bit too much kick for your taste, you can always leave out some of the spices. My kids did not like the curry powder or hot sauce when they were little but now they love them.

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If you like this oven fried chicken recipe, please give it a 5-star rating below!

Print Recipe 5 from 6 votes Spicy Oven Fried Chicken This oven fried chicken recipe is even better than classic fried chicken, and it's so much better for you too! Servings: 6 Calories: 550 kcal Author: Lisa Grant Ingredients 2 cups low fat buttermilk

2 tablespoons curry powder

2 tablespoons hot sauce

2 garlic cloves minced

3 teaspoons salt divided

12 chicken pieces breasts, thighs, and drumsticks on bones, skin removed

1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne Instructions In a large casserole dish, whisk together the buttermilk, curry, hot sauce, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt to blend well. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 1 day, turning occasionally.

Place racks on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and spray the racks with nonstick spray. In a large baking dish, whisk the Panko, cheese, flour, thyme, oregano, paprika, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Add the chicken to the breadcrumb mixture and turn to coat completely. Arrange the chicken on the racks on the baking sheets. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and place oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Bake the chicken until crisp, golden, and cooked through, about 55 minutes, switching positions of the trays halfway through. Nutrition Calories: 550 kcal | Carbohydrates: 21 g | Protein: 80 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 246 mg | Sodium: 1819 mg | Potassium: 973 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 434 IU | Vitamin C: 12 mg | Calcium: 243 mg | Iron: 5 mg

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