Do you have meals that you turn to again-and-again? For me, it’s crispy breaded chicken. It’s one of my favorite meals my mom made us growing up—always paired with boiled peas and Alfredo that came from a box. It’s one of those easy-to-throw together dinners that she would make on busy weeknights, and it’s certainly stood the test of time—given that I love to cook this meal often.
Now this crispy breaded chicken recipe is not baked. While some people like to bake a crispy chicken, you’re really going to get that “crisp” factor you want if you fry it in oil. Don’t worry, we’re not deep frying it. Just a light coating of some vegetable or canola oil in your cast-iron skillet does the trick.
For chicken, I like to go for a thinly cut chicken breast. But don’t sweat—if you have a normal chicken breast all you have to do is cut it in half to make two thinner breast pieces. This recipe also works really well if you cut the chicken in tenderloins—or simply buy them that way.
Why thinly cut breast? Because it doesn’t take as long, and you’re guaranteed to actually cook the chicken all the way. You don’t want the breading to get burnt on the outside while you’re still cooking the inside, right? Right. So keep it thin. Oh, and if you buy them thin, you don’t have to do any extra pounding with a meat tenderizer. Cause I’m lazy. It’s a win, win, honestly.
What do you serve with crispy breaded chicken?
Ah, great question (as I sit here pretending like I didn’t just ask that question to myself). Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve this chicken.
- A simple side of arugula topped with flaky sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- On top of waffles for a little chicken-and-waffle action. Don’t forget the syrup—or the spicy honey!
- Cut up and served on a salad—particularly with cherry tomatoes and ranch dressing
- Broiled with a little marinara sauce, parmesan, and fresh mozzarella to make easy chicken parm. Doesn’t need to broil for more than 3 minutes.
- Serve it with your favorite sides. Brussels sprouts, carrot fries, Caprese salad, zucchini fritters
- Or, with the classics—boxed alfredo and cooked peas. Just like mom did.
Alright dear friends, here you go. And don’t forget, I send blog updates immediately to my newsletter followers, so make sure to sign up here so you don’t miss a post.
Crispy Breaded Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb. thinly sliced chicken breasts about 4 in a pack
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
Instructions
- Scramble the egg in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Pour the 1/4 cup of oil into a cast-iron skillet (or some other large skillet) and turn on medium-low heat.
- After 1 minute, with clean hands, dip a chicken breast in the egg mixture, coating it thoroughly. Then dip it in the breadcrumb mixture, coating it well. Turn over twice in the bowl. Once well-coated, carefully place in the hot oil.
- Repeat the previous step for the other chicken, until all of them are in the pan.
- Each chicken breast should cook 3-4 minutes on each side. It will look crispy and golden brown when it's ready to flip.
- Line a plate with a paper towel. Once the chicken breasts are cooked, remove them to the lined plate. Let them cool for 1 minute before serving.
Leave a Reply