Crunchy Baked Chicken

Name: Crunchy Baked Chicken
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (cut into 10 pieces (you can also use 8-10 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks or chicken breast pieces)); 2 cups buttermilk; 2 Tablespoons table salt; 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon dry mustard; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 2-3 dry bay leaves (slightly crushed); 3-5 garlic cloves (smashed); 6-7 cups cornflake cereal (about 2 cups when crushed); 4 Tablespoons melted butter

31 comments
May 30, 2014

This Crunchy Baked Chicken is juicy and flavorful with a crispy cornflake coating. Brined for extra tenderness, it’s a healthier, delicious alternative to fried chicken.

This Crispy Baked Chicken is my take on the classic recipe that used to be printed on the back of the cereal box, and let me tell you, it’s worth a try. The secret to the juicy, flavorful chicken is the brining process in a buttermilk mixture, which ensures that the meat stays tender and moist. I then coat the chicken in a crunchy, golden coating made from crushed cereal flakes, drizzling it with melted butter to get that perfect crispy texture.

What makes this recipe stand out is how the coating stays crisp, even after baking. The buttery drizzle and spice mix give it tons of flavor, while keeping the chicken light and healthier than traditional fried chicken. The chicken itself is infused with aromatics, ensuring that every bite is packed with flavor from the inside out. Whether you’re serving it hot or enjoying leftovers for lunch the next day, it’s always satisfying and delicious.

This dish is perfect for dinner, meal prep, or even packing in a picnic. It’s the kind of recipe that’s as delicious fresh out of the oven as it is cold, making it a versatile and tasty option for any meal.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces (you can also use 8-10 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks or chicken breast pieces)

2 cups buttermilk

2 Tablespoons table salt

1/4 -1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2-3 dry bay leaves, slightly crushed

3-5 garlic cloves, smashed

6-7 cups cornflake cereal (about 2 cups when crushed)

4 Tablespoons melted butter

How To Make Crunchy Baked Chicken

Cut the whole chicken into pieces, so that you end up with 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks and 2 chicken breast halves that you will cut in half as well, so a total of 10 chicken pieces. Save the chicken wings and the backbone to be used in Chicken Broth. Remove the skin from the chicken. In a medium – large bowl, combine the buttermilk with the salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, dry mustard, ground coriander, bay leaves and garlic cloves. Whisk until the salt is dissolved. Submerge the chicken pieces in the buttermilk mixture. Place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. I don’t recommend leaving it in the salty buttermilk for a longer period of time, since it will be too salty.

This is essentially a brine solution, which not only makes the chicken very juicy, but will also disperse so much incredible flavor all the way THROUGH the chicken, not just on the outside.

This is a bone-in split chicken that is cut in half.

This is a bone-in split chicken breast that is cut in half.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a wire rack into a large rimmed baking sheet.

Crush the cornflakes with your hands, or place them in a ziptop bag and crush them with a rolling pin or even use a food processor. Make sure you have coarse crumbs; don’t pulverize them into a powder. Place the crushed cornflakes into a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Take each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk mixture, letting the excess drain off, and then coat each chicken piece in the crushed cornflakes, pressing with your hands on all sides. Try to cover the chicken completely in crushed cornflakes, without having any bald spots.

Place the chicken on the prepared baking dish, on top of the rack. Drizzle the melted butter over each piece of coated chicken.

Baking the chicken on a wire rack makes sure the the heat will circulate all around the chicken. If you place the chicken directly on the baking sheet, the chicken will be soggy on the bottom and most likely that bottom portion of coating will simply fall off. Drizzling melted butter on top of the coating, will also help to crisp up the coating. You can also use oil instead of butter, but I think butter tastes so much better.

Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until the center of the chicken breast registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer and the dark meat is 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

This crunchy and delicious chicken can be served warm or cold.