Craving crispy fried chicken without deep frying? This oven fried chicken is crunchy, flavorful, and easy enough for weeknights.
This oven-fried chicken delivers everything people love about classic fried chicken—crispy coating, bold seasoning, and juicy meat—without the mess or oil of deep frying. It’s approachable, family-friendly, and reliable, making it perfect for busy weeknights or casual weekend dinners when comfort food is non-negotiable.
Why This Recipe Works
- Uses oven heat strategically to crisp the coating instead of frying
- Layered seasoning ensures flavor in every bite, not just the crust
- Breadcrumb coating creates crunch while protecting the chicken from drying out
- Baking on a rack allows hot air to circulate for even browning
- Simple pantry ingredients mimic classic fried chicken flavor
Ingredients & Why They Matter
** You can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions on the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken pieces – Bone-in or boneless both work; bone-in stays juicier, boneless cooks faster
- Breadcrumbs – Create the crispy outer layer without frying
- Seasoned salt – Adds depth and classic fried chicken flavor
- Black pepper – Balances richness and adds mild heat
- Paprika – Brings warmth, color, and subtle smokiness
- Garlic powder – Builds savory flavor without overpowering
- Eggs – Help the coating adhere and lock in moisture
- Milk or buttermilk – Tenderizes the chicken and enhances flavor
- Cooking spray or melted butter – Encourages browning and crispiness in the oven
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack on top and lightly grease it.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk [paid link] eggs and milk (or buttermilk).
- In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs and seasonings.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs.
- Place chicken on the prepared rack, leaving space between pieces.
- Lightly spray or brush the tops with oil or melted butter.
- Bake for 35–45 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving to set the crust.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip the wire rack—air circulation is key to crispiness
- For extra crunch, toast breadcrumbs lightly before coating
- Avoid overcrowding the pan or the coating will steam instead of crisp
- Let chicken rest briefly after baking to keep the crust intact
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Oven Fried Chicken – Add cayenne or hot sauce to the egg mixture
- Parmesan Crusted – Mix grated Parmesan into the breadcrumbs
- Air Fryer Version – Cook at 375°F for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway
- Gluten-Free – Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed rice cereal
- Herb-Forward – Add dried thyme or oregano to the seasoning blend
Serving Suggestions
Serve oven fried chicken with:
- Mashed potatoes or creamy mac and cheese
- Coleslaw or a crisp green salad
- Roasted vegetables or corn on the cob
- Biscuits or cornbread
New Life for Leftovers
Leftover oven fried chicken is incredibly versatile:
- Slice for sandwiches or wraps
- Chop into salads for extra crunch
- Use in chicken and waffles the next morning
- Reheat and serve over a grain bowl
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer to restore crispiness
- Avoid microwaving if possible, as it softens the coating
People Often Ask (FAQs)
Why does my oven fried chicken turn soggy?
Crowding the pan or skipping the rack prevents airflow, leading to steam instead of crisping.
Can I use chicken thighs or drumsticks?
Yes, both work well. Adjust cooking time for thicker cuts.
Is this healthier than fried chicken?
Yes. Baking significantly reduces oil while still delivering flavor and crunch.
Can I prep this ahead of time?
You can bread the chicken a few hours ahead and refrigerate it until ready to bake.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever thought oven fried chicken couldn’t be crispy, this recipe will change your mind. It’s comfort food done smarter—perfect for busy nights, picky eaters, and anyone craving crunch without the fryer. Definitely one to save, pin, and come back to again and again.
Oven Fried Chicken
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet [paid link]
- Roasting rack
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Chicken pieces (cut up fryer) [See Note 1]
- non-fat cooking spray like Pam [See Note 4]
Wet Dredge:
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk helps the flour dredge stick to the chicken
Dry Dredge Coating:
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Bread crumbs Plain or Italian seasoned
- 1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder [See Note 2]
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
- 1/2 tsp Paprika regular or spicy
- 1 tsp Poultry seasoning [See Note 3]
- 1/2 tsp Celery salt
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Create the Dredge Station: In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs and then whisk [paid link] in the buttermilk.In a separate bowl or shallow dish, combine all the dry ingredients to make the coating mix.
- Prepare the Chicken: Trim the chicken and remove any excess fat. Dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk mixture and then toss to coat in the breading mixture until very well coated. Set aside and allow the chicken to rest for a minute or 2 in the breading mix for the coating to set up. Vigorously shake off any excess breading mix and arrange it onto a roasting rack fitted inside a rimmed baking sheet [paid link]. Excess flour will not brown without a generous coating of cooking spray oilAfter all the chicken is coated, spray each piece generously with aerosol oil or non-fat cooking spray. This helps the coating brown evenly and crisp up in the oven. (Even a generous coat of aerosol oil is still much less oil than deep-frying). Bake for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is well browned, the internal temperature is 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
Notes
- I use a whole cut up fryer chicken. It yields 8 pieces of chicken. You can purchase one precut from the butcher or butcher a whole chicken into 8 parts.
- Be sure to use Baking Powder and not baking soda. This gives really crispy crust on baked chicken. This is a trick I leasrned from Cook’s Country Magazine quite a while back. It’s great for so many baked chicken recipes.
- Poultry Seasoning is so versitile. It’s seasoning combination contains marjoram, sage, ginger and rosemary – the same ingredients in the Colonel’s 11 herbs and spices.
- I use non-fat cooking spray instead of butter to crisp up the chicken. All you need is a light coating. I find using butter in the bottom of the pan causes one side of the chicken to remain soggy. This is also why we use a baking rack fitted inside our rimmed baking sheet. The chicken is up off the pan getting heat on all sides while it cooks.
Nutrition
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this is my go to chicken recipe.
although I put the coating in a large bag and shake it. seems to cover the pieces better.
What is non fat cooking spray? I use olive oil spray and it worked very well! a keeper!
I use a cooking spray like “Pam.” The olive oil spray works well too.
I’ve made this twice and my kids love it. A keeper.
These were delish Sunday so much so I made more this evening with wings(We ate them before I had a chance to take a picture). I also made half the wings in a Sweet Chili BBQ Sauce
I used Bisquick instead of flour. Also added my own spices. The chicken turned out nice and crispy and tender.
You haven’t tried this one – you improvised.
Then ..you didn’t actually make this recipe. 🤔
The racks really make a difference in the fried chicken.
It was a great experience of making chicken…
Hi Ronda, I made this chicken and my family loved….altho, next time I make it, I am going to spray each piece with my cooking spray all over instead of just on the top, yup, that will do it….
Sorry this was a big miss for me. This looked nothing like the picture when done. The flour just stays on the outside, it’s all white and powdery. When you eat it the flour drys it out. The only good thing to note is the rack does help cook the chicken on all sides. I will be trying other recipes with the rack in the future.
Hi Amber,
I’m sorry you did not enjoy this recipe. Achieving a crisp oven chicken takes a little bit of extra work. Unlike deep frying, you have to really shake off excess flour because, as you said it doesn’t brown. Also, you must generously coat the chicken pieces with aerosol oil or cooking spray to achieve the browned skin as in the photos. The raw flour just can’t brown without it. Even a generous coating with aerosol cooking spray or non-fat spray is still much less oil than deep-frying. This technique is very similar to how you would need to set the chicken up to cook in an air fryer. I hope this helps.
if using breast,thigh,wings and legs, they all require the same cooking time? The breast don’t take longer? This will be my first time trying this and want to use all chicken pieces.
Hi Kim,
Yes, we do it all together in the oven just like you’d roast a whole chicken only now it’s cut up. Occasionally, breast meat does require some extra cooking time if the chicken breast is pretty large. This is usually less than 10 minutes more.
Can you use a backing pan if you do not have a baking rack
Hi Nikita,
I use the baking rack nestled inside the pan so air can circulate all around the chicken making it nice and crispy.
You can use just the baking pan but know that the chicken won’t get as crispy from resting on the bottom of the pan.
Hope you enjoy.
As a chef I always used grilling racks so it don’t burn on the bottom. Always burns on a sprayed sheet
Great recipe! The baking powder is key to crispy as well as coating all dry flour with cooking spray.
You can use a “cooling rack” over a sheet pan that fits. That’s what I did before I got a rack/pan combo and it served well. Definitely a keeper!
How can the total time be 2 hrs and 55 minutes when the total prep and cook time equal 55 minutes? About to make this but i’m confused…
Hi Patti,
That was a typo. I have corrected the recipe card.
Yummy oven-fried chicken. I really couldn’t believe it turned out that moist inside. The juices were running down my arms. Thanks for this great recipe! We will be adding this to our rotation.
Very tasty chicken – especially from the oven.
This was excellent. Looking forward to the air fryer version!
Thanks, Hannah! So glad you enjoyed it.
Magnificent chicken! thanks again
Thanks teresa, so glad you liked it!!
Great chicken! We had it for a family dinner. There were no leftovers!!
Thanks, Monte! So glad you enjoyed it.
Got this recipe in my email via your newsletter and happened to have chicken out for dinner. Looked so good we had to try it! So tender and juicy! Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Thanks, Brenda! So glad you enjoyed it.
Happened by this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try – it was amazing! I can’t say as we’ve even had such a moist chicken and we tried the brine which was quite easy too.
Thanks, Roseanne! So glad you enjoyed it.
We really enjoyed this chicken. It had a nice blend of spices and came out so tender and juicy. Winner winner chicken dinner!
Thanks, Trina! So glad you enjoyed it.
Great oven fried hicken. Nice and crispy
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