I love all the different kinds of fried chicken: fingers, nuggets, Milanese, schnitzel, and Southern fried, to name a few. Many also embrace it when coated in breadcrumbs, crushed pretzels, cereal, Parmesan, or polenta-crusted form. Even drier white meat is succulent when breaded and fried in hot oil. But, whether treating the poultry to the traditional three-step breading process or just dredging it in seasoned flour, all your hard work is in vain if it turns out soggy.
Since the coating is the best part, it makes sense for home cooks to use as much of it as they can. But if your breaded chicken gets soggy, it might be because you used too much of a good thing. And if your drumsticks aren’t golden brown and crispy, it might be because you double-dipped them.
Whether the dredged chicken is going directly into the frying pan or first making a stop in an egg wash and breadcrumb coating, the chicken only needs a thin layer of flour. A thick flour coating will absorb too much oil and prevent the coating from crisping. To eliminate the issue, dredge raw chicken parts (boneless, skinless, or bone-in) in a bag with seasoned flour and shake until the pieces are coated. Remove excess flour before cooking. This layer will fry up crispy or, if youre using breadcrumbs, will prevent them from falling off.
People love fried chicken, but if you don’t cook it right in the oven, it can easily turn into a soggy mess. The moist chicken mixes with the breading, making a texture that isn’t very appealing because it doesn’t have any crunch. If you know what to do, though, you can always get oven-baked breaded chicken that is perfectly crispy.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through each step of the process to help you avoid soggy breading and achieve the ideal crispy texture.
Start with the Right Ingredients
The first key step is choosing ingredients that will promote crispiness
Lean Chicken
Opt for chicken breasts without skin or excess fat. Dark meat chicken thighs or drumsticks can lead to sogginess. The fat renders out during cooking, creating moisture that leads to a soft breading exterior. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are ideal.
Seasoned Flour
Season your flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, or other dried herbs and spices. This adds flavor and helps the flour coat the chicken.
Egg Wash
Beat eggs with a splash of water or milk to thin it slightly The egg wash helps the flour and breadcrumbs adhere.
Panko Breadcrumbs
Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, leading to improved crunch. For extra crispy results, use coarse panko.
Low-Moisture Cheese
Grating parmesan, asiago, or romano cheese into the breadcrumbs absorbs excess moisture.
Proper Breadcrumb Coating Technique
Applying the coatings evenly is imperative for crunchy baked chicken. Follow these steps:
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels
- Coat in seasoned flour, shaking off excess
- Dip in egg wash, allowing excess to drip off
- Press chicken into breadcrumbs, fully covering all sides
- Refrigerate breaded chicken 20-30 mins to help coating adhere
When breading the chicken, don’t handle it too much because that can make the breading dense and compressed.
Prepare the Pan Correctly
Choose the right pan setup to allow airflow:
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Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Air circulates underneath, keeping the underside crispy.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. The chicken won’t stick, and the lining absorbs moisture.
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Lightly grease the pan or rack with oil or cooking spray to further prevent sticking.
Avoid overcrowding. Give each piece of chicken space on the pan.
Preheat the Oven
Always preheat your oven fully before baking breaded chicken. If you want crispy chicken, the oven should be between 375°F and 425°F. When the temperature is lower, the chicken could get soggy from too much water.
Monitor Doneness
Depending on thickness, breaded chicken takes 15-30 minutes to bake. Check frequently and use an instant-read thermometer to test doneness. Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but remove it between 155°F-160°F for the crispiest results.
Allow Resting Time
Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking before serving. This helps set the breading so it remains ultra crunchy. If you start eating the chicken right away, the moisture inside could make the coating less crisp.
Keep it Crispy
Once cooked, here are some serving tips:
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Keep breaded chicken in a warm oven until ready to serve if not eating right away.
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Slice or chop chicken just before serving to prevent steam from building up underneath the breading.
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Avoid wrapping hot chicken in foil or plastic wrap, which causes sogginess.
Store and Reheat Properly
For leftovers:
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Let chicken cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container.
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Reheat in a 400°F oven until hot, not the microwave which makes it soggy.
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Consume within 3 days for best quality and texture.
With this complete guide, you can feel confident baking crispy, crunchy breaded chicken in your oven. Starting with the right prep, carefully breading, and using proper cookware setups and temperatures allows you to avoid the dreaded soggy breading. Follow these tips, and you’ll never have to settle for a soft, mushy exterior again. Enjoy your oven-baked chicken with a shatteringly crisp coating every time.
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Tips for cooking crispy breaded chicken
Once the chicken is coated, a few additional factors can influence whether your fried chicken will be crispy and juicy: the moisture level and temperature. Moisture is the enemy of anything that you want to brown. So, its essential to dry raw chicken before dredging it in flour. If the surface is too wet, the breading wont stick and will burn in the frying pan. Leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator will help dry out the surface. To keep the chicken from getting dirty with raw vegetables, just put it on the bottom shelf and don’t put it next to them.
The temperature of the oil and raw chicken is also critical. Youll want to use a neutral-tasting oil like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil with a high smoke point. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer, adjusting the heat as necessary. If you don’t keep the oil at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the breading will soak up too much oil and get soggy.
It will also lower the cooking temperature if you put cold chicken in hot oil, so let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before dredging and frying it so it doesn’t drop the temperature too much. You can also control it by not overcrowding the pan. Trying to cook too much at one time will make the oil cool. You should fry the chicken in batches and keep the cooked chicken warm until you’re ready to eat.
How do you keep chicken parmesan from getting soggy?
FAQ
How to bake breaded chicken without it getting soggy?
Bake the chicken on a wire rack. Place the chicken on a wire rack inside a baking sheet and raise it up to allow air to flow around it and cook it faster.
How to stop breaded chicken from going soggy?
Placing the fried chicken on an ovenproof cooling rack set inside a quality baking sheet is the best way to keep the coating from getting soggy. Sep 12, 2023.
How do you keep fried chicken crispy in the oven?
To use this method, heat the oven to 375°F and put one layer of fried chicken that is at room temperature in the basket. Cook for about four minutes. The circulating hot air helps remove excess moisture from the outside and restore its crispy texture.
Why is my baked breaded chicken soggy?
A thick flour coating will absorb too much oil and prevent the coating from crisping. To eliminate the issue, dredge raw chicken parts (boneless, skinless, or bone-in) in a bag with seasoned flour and shake until the pieces are coated. Remove excess flour before cooking.
How do you keep breading on chicken before baking?
To keep the breading on chicken when baking, use a wire rack to elevate the chicken on a baking sheet, allowing hot air to circulate around it. Lightly brushing or spraying the chicken with oil before baking also helps to crisp up the breading and keep it in place. 4. Should I let breaded chicken rest before cooking it?.
Should You pat chicken dry before breading?
Pat It Dry: Before you start the breading process, be sure to pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This removes any excess moisture that could prevent the flour from adhering properly. Resting Time: After patting the chicken dry, let it rest for a few minutes. This allows any remaining moisture to evaporate.
What temperature should chicken breading be cooked at?
Too hot, and the breading will burn before the chicken cooks through. Too cool, and the breading will absorb excess oil, becoming greasy and likely to fall off. Aim for an oil temperature of 350°F to 375°F (175°C to 190°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust the heat as necessary.
Should you bread chicken before cooking?
After you’ve covered the meat in breading, pat it down gently on all sides so that every piece sticks to the egg layer. Well-coated chicken is the key to crunchy cutlets, so make sure the breading is patted down before cooking.
Can you bread fried chicken with breadcrumbs?
Then skip the three-step breading process of fried chicken and instead coat them in an egg-mayo mixture before coating them with breadcrumbs. For oven-baked chicken I like a combination of toasted panko and traditional breadcrumbs, but this trick works well with cereal, cracker, or pretzel coating too.
How long do you let chicken rest after breading?
Once you’ve breaded the chicken, it’s tempting to go straight to cooking. But letting the breading set for a few minutes can make all the difference. Resting Time: After breading, let the chicken rest on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. This gives the breading time to stick to the chicken, making it less likely that it will fall off while it’s cooking.