Who doesn't love chicken covered in a crispy breadcrumb coating? These 12 recipes give you so much more variety than the standard breadcrumb coating. They're perfect for anyone who wants that golden, crunchy coating on their chicken, with all sorts of different flavors and variations. The best part is they're all simple, full of flavor, and still give you that crunch you're looking for.
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1) Lemon Herb Breaded Chicken
Lemon herb breaded chicken is lovely and warming but also bright and perfect for spring. It gives a classic Mediterranean style flavor. The lemon helps to cut the richness of the crispy fried coating. There are so many different herbs you can use for this: parsley, thyme, oregano. I personally like to add lemon zest and parsley to the breading, but you can also add herbs to the sauce. Be careful not to over bread your chicken or skip letting it rest after, this can lead to a soggy crust. I like to do this in the frying pan, since this always tends to be more crispy, but you can also bake it. Since this is ideal for spring, try to use spring herbs and citrus at their peak freshness.
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Lemon Herb Breaded Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the lemon juice into the beaten eggs.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the lemon zest, parsley, oregano, and salt.
- Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then the lemon egg, then the herb breadcrumbs.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium and cook the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Drain on paper towels and serve with extra lemon wedges.
Notes
2) Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tenders
Parmesan-crusted chicken tenders. Everybody loves these. They have great texture, with a mixture of tenderness from the chicken and crunch from the coating, using parmesan in two ways. I usually like to mix parmesan into the breadcrumb coating, but you can also cook the chicken tenders in grated parmesan, which gives a slightly different texture.
I always opt for fresh parmesan, as pre-shredded has added anti-caking agents and it doesn't melt or crisp as well. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or tray, whether you are frying or baking, since this can lead to steaming rather than crisping, which can keep the chicken from going crispy.
Parmesan is naturally umami to me, so it gives a great savory depth. If you're working to make this a little healthier, you can bake instead of fry; just be aware that you won't get as good a crunch.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the panko, parmesan, garlic powder, and salt together in a shallow dish.
- Dredge each tender in flour, then egg, then press into the parmesan-panko mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the tenders 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Drain on paper towels and serve with marinara for dipping.
Notes
3) Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Buttermilk Fried Chicken is a classic perfect for Sundays. The buttermilk is naturally acidic, and this helps to not only keep the meat tender, but it also helps the batter stick to the chicken. Ideally, you want the chicken to soak overnight, but even a couple of hours will still give good results.
The most common mistake is trying to fry the chicken right from the fridge. The chicken will still be cold and will not only drop the oil temperature, but it will also cook unevenly. Work to get your temperature between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit; this is ideal. Any hotter and you burn the coating before you cook the meat all the way through.
My top tip would be to use the double dredge: into the flour, into the buttermilk soak, and then back into the flour again. This will give you a much crispier crust.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Soak the chicken in the buttermilk for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
- Whisk the flour with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl.
- Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour, pressing to coat well, and let rest 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil to 350F and fry the chicken in batches 12 to 15 minutes, turning, until deep golden and cooked through (internal temp 165F).
- Drain on a wire rack and season lightly with salt.
Notes
4) Honey Garlic Breaded Chicken
Honey-garlic breaded chicken paired with our honey glaze, which is sweet and sticky; it's an ideal combination. I like to make sure that I use a double coating of flour and cornstarch, dipped in egg, then breadcrumbs. This gives a crunchy, glaze-resistant crust. We don't want the crust to turn soggy. Using cornstarch helps to crisp up the chicken better than just using flour on its own.
Be careful with the ratio of honey and garlic in your glaze. If you use too much honey, it will burn, and if you add the garlic too soon, it will turn bitter. Toss the fried chicken in the glaze just before serving. If you do it too far in advance, the chicken will turn soggy.
This is similar to Korean fried chicken, using a sweet and savory glaze over a crunchy fried protein. It always works.
Honey Garlic Breaded Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Dredge the chicken chunks in flour, then egg, then panko.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the chicken 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pan, simmer the honey, garlic, and soy sauce for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the crispy chicken back to the pan and toss to coat in the glaze.
- Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
5) Crispy Panko Chicken Cutlets
Best chicken cutlets cook super quick and get an amazingly crisp crust by using panko. Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs, baked via an electric current, and this gives bigger flakes with more surface area than regular breadcrumbs. This is important because bigger flakes have more surface area, which lowers oil absorption. The result is a crispier, crunchier crust.
For the process, coat the chicken in flour, dip in egg, then dip in panko. Be careful and remember to press the crumbs on properly, otherwise the crust will fall apart in the pan.
Try to use thin cutlets. You can either butterfly your chicken breast or pound it. These will cook very quickly, think two minutes a side roughly. They are very easy to overcook, so keep your eye on them.
I always prefer pan frying, as you get a much crispier coating, but baking will work too, it just won't be as crunchy.
Crispy Panko Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
Method
- Season the flour with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each cutlet in flour, then egg, then press firmly into the panko.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry the cutlets 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
- Drain on a wire rack to keep them crispy.
Notes
6) Spicy Breaded Chicken Drumsticks
This one is for people who love spice. When breading my chicken drumsticks, I always tend to opt for panko breadcrumbs as it's crunchier than regular breadcrumbs. I stick to the same process every time: coating, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs.
You can add heat by using cayenne or chili powder or even hot sauce, and you can add it to the coating by incorporating it in both the flour and breadcrumbs for extra flavor. Drumsticks are ideal for breading. The bone being present will help keep the meat moist.
An important step not to miss is patting your chicken dry before you begin to cook, as the coating can fall off if you skip this step. Baking or frying, I always go for frying, as the result is much crispier.
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Spicy Breaded Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400F and set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
- Dredge each drumstick in flour, then egg, then the spicy breadcrumbs.
- Arrange on the rack and lightly mist with cooking spray.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and cooked through (internal temp 175F).
Notes
7) Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Garlic and parmesan chicken wings with a crispy coating will please everyone you celebrate with. The breading helps to give extra crunch, and don't forget to toss the sauce while your wings are still hot. This will help it stick.
Garlic parmesan sauce is usually made just from butter and minced garlic with some grated parmesan, and I like to add some fresh chopped parsley to mine to brighten it up. I'd always opt for fresh parmesan over a pre-shredded one, as it doesn't melt as well.
Garlic parmesan wings are a semi-dry-coated wing, when compared to saucy ones like buffalo, where you get heat but much more umami here. The key is to double-fry them or bake them on a wire rack. This will help keep the breading crispy under the sauce instead of going soft and soggy.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
- Dredge each wing in flour, then egg, then the salted breadcrumbs.
- Arrange on the rack and bake 35 to 40 minutes, turning halfway, until crispy.
- Stir the melted butter and garlic together, then toss the hot wings in the garlic butter.
- Sprinkle with parmesan and toss again before serving.
Notes
8) Pecan Crusted Chicken Breasts
This one's a bit different, using pecans to turn your plain chicken breast into something a little special. This uses chopped pecans with breadcrumbs or panko, butter, mustard, and some honey, which helps to bind everything together. If you don't use mustard, you can also use egg wash to help the coating adhere to your chicken.
What's the temperature that you cook it at? If it's too hot, you will burn the crust before you cook the chicken in the center. I tend to go around 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is ideal because the pecans have more fat when compared to another nut like walnuts or almonds, so the crust tends to brown quicker but also taste richer.
This crust will go with maple or a bourbon glaze, so you get that sweet and savory combination. Don't forget to pound your chicken evenly so it cooks evenly too, and the crust will stick better.
Pecan Crusted Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the Dijon mustard into the beaten eggs.
- Combine the chopped pecans, panko, and salt in a shallow dish.
- Dredge each breast in flour, then the mustard egg, then press into the pecan mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet and sear the chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the skillet to a 375F oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through.
Notes
9) Herbed Breaded Chicken Thighs
Using herbs with your breaded chicken thighs is a great way to elevate them. Using thighs is key, as their juicier texture is much more forgiving than breasts. Using thighs with the bone and skin on versus boneless and skinless can change the cook time, so be mindful of this.
Avoid sogginess by resting your breaded thighs on a rack before and after frying. When incorporating herbs, dried herbs tend to work better when added to the breading, as fresh ones can burn.
You can also bake them instead of frying. Baking is much less messy and healthier, but frying gives you that really crispy crunch and better color.
Herbed Breaded Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the breadcrumbs with thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt.
- Dredge each thigh in flour, then egg, then the herbed breadcrumbs.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet and brown the thighs 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the skillet to a 400F oven and bake 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through.
- Rest a few minutes before serving.
Notes
10) Coconut Breaded Chicken Strips
Using coconut in your breading in this one makes these slightly tropical, and they will pair perfectly with a sweet dipping sauce. Use shredded coconut and mix it into your breadcrumb coating; this helps give a crispy, coconut-scented breading. These chicken strips will pair amazingly with any sweet and spicy sauce; think of a sweet chili sauce or even a mango salsa sauce.
Be careful when you use coconut; it burns quicker than breadcrumbs, so lower your cooking temperature or fry for slightly less time. The coconut gives some extra crunch, but beware the coating can be slightly less crisp than using just ordinary breadcrumbs. I love the contrast between this sweeter coating and the flavor of the well-seasoned chicken.
Coconut Breaded Chicken Strips
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the shredded coconut, panko, and salt in a shallow dish.
- Dredge each strip in flour, then egg, then press into the coconut mixture.
- Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the strips 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, watching so the coconut doesn't burn.
- Serve with a sweet chili or honey mustard dip.
Notes
11) Classic Breaded Chicken Schnitzel
Everyone loves a classic breaded chicken schnitzel. The key to a good one is to pound your meat. This helps to not only tenderize the chicken but also get it nice and thin for an even and quick fry.
In Austria, we know schnitzel is usually veal, but it's perfectly fine to use chicken as a substitute. Use a standard breading setup, where you go egg wash, then breadcrumbs. I always use panko as it's much more crispy compared to standard breadcrumbs.
Don't forget to let the schnitzel rest after breading. Skipping this can cause the breading to come off when frying. Make sure you get the proper oil temp, around 325 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you go cooler, it turns greasy and soggy; if you go hotter, you scorch the outside while the inside stays raw.
If you don't have a deep fryer, you can pan fry these using a nice oil, but remember to keep an eye on it, as you will need to regularly turn the schnitzel to cook evenly.
Classic Breaded Chicken Schnitzel
Ingredients
Method
- Pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap until very thin and even.
- Season the flour with salt and pepper, then dredge each cutlet in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
- Fry each schnitzel 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown, gently swirling the pan so the oil washes over the top.
- Drain on a wire rack and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
12) Buffalo Breaded Chicken Bites
Buffalo breaded chicken bites are perfect for game day, crispy and tossed in a spicy buffalo sauce. The great thing about the buffalo sauce is it's just a hot sauce; I went to use Franks and some melted butter. Use a standard breading technique and opt for panko to get that extra crispy coating. Don't toss these in the sauce too early, as they'll all go soft and soggy. Doing it right before you serve helps keep everything crunchy.
I like to fry these to get them super crispy, but you can also bake or even use the air fryer. If you're opting to make them healthier, just be aware they will be less crispy.
Don't forget to pair these with a nice cooling side dish like a ranch dip or even celery and carrot sticks; this helps balance the heat. These are quite good for making ahead, as you can bread them and freeze while still raw, then fry from frozen. Once cooked, toss in the fresh sauce, and you're good to go.
Buffalo Breaded Chicken Bites
Ingredients
Method
- Dredge the chicken pieces in salted flour, then egg, then panko.
- Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the bites 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until golden and cooked through.
- Stir the buffalo sauce and melted butter together in a large bowl.
- Add the crispy chicken bites and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve right away with celery and ranch or blue cheese dressing.