The Best Oven-Fried Chicken

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a large piece of parchment paper on the rimmed baking sheet (10x15x1") and brush butter over top (there will be a little extra butter, but you need it to crisp up the coating!)

Step 2

*NOTE: If you're working with fresh chicken breasts, you will want to soak them for 15-30 minutes in milk or buttermilk before coating. This will help the coating to stick. I use frozen, thawed chicken breasts so they are already very moist on the outside.

Step 3

Combine all ingredients besides chicken and butter in a large paper or ziploc bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat.

Step 4

OPTIONAL: For extra crispiness, do a double coat -- simply dunk coated chicken in a little bit of buttermilk, and coat once again in the flour mixture. You would need extra coating mixture for this step

Step 5

Place your chicken on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a space between each strip. Bake 10 minutes, flip gently with a pair of tongs, and bake another 10 minutes.

Step 6

Be sure to check to make sure your chicken is cooked (165 degrees F), as the thickness can greatly affect baking time. You want it to be done but not overdone and dry. Bake another 4-5 minutes if needed.

Step 7

Remove to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess grease. Serve immediately. To keep warm until serving, place on a wire rack on a baking sheet in a 225 degree F oven.