Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken is a mouthwatering dish that brings together the rich flavors of garlic and parmesan in a crispy, golden crust. This recipe offers the perfect balance between indulgence and health by using the oven-frying method, which delivers all the crispiness of traditional fried chicken without the excess oil. The combination of fragrant garlic, tangy parmesan cheese, and a perfectly seasoned breading ensures every bite is packed with flavor. Oven-frying not only makes this dish lighter, but it also simplifies the cooking process, making it an ideal choice for home cooks looking to create a restaurant-quality meal with ease. Whether you’re serving it for a family dinner or a special occasion, this Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken is sure to become a favorite in your recipe repertoire.
Ingredients Overview: Building Blocks of Flavor and Texture
Each ingredient in the Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken recipe plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and crispiness. Let’s dive into the details of each component to understand their importance.
Egg Mix: The egg mix consists of two large eggs and ⅔ cup of thick buttermilk. The eggs provide a binding agent that helps the dry mix adhere to the chicken, ensuring a uniform and robust coating. The thick buttermilk is essential as it clings well to the chicken, allowing the dry ingredients to stick better, resulting in a thicker, crunchier crust. Buttermilk also imparts a slight tanginess, which complements the rich flavors of garlic and parmesan.
Dry Mix:
- Flour (1 cup): The foundation of the breading, flour helps create a crispy exterior when baked. It provides the structure needed to hold the other ingredients together, forming a sturdy crust that browns beautifully in the oven.
- Parmesan Cheese (⅔ cup): Grated parmesan adds a distinctive savory flavor and contributes to the crispiness of the breading. As it bakes, the cheese melts slightly, helping to bind the coating while also forming a deliciously crunchy layer.
- Breadcrumbs (4 tablespoons): Breadcrumbs enhance the texture, making the coating extra crunchy. They also absorb some of the moisture from the chicken, ensuring the breading stays crispy rather than becoming soggy.
- Baking Powder (1 teaspoon): This ingredient lightens the breading, making it airy and crisp when baked. Baking powder helps the coating puff up slightly, giving the chicken a delicate crunch.
- Spices: The seasoning mix includes garlic powder (2-3 teaspoons), paprika (1 teaspoon), onion powder (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (½ teaspoon). These spices add depth of flavor, with garlic powder being the star, providing a robust garlic flavor that complements the parmesan. Paprika adds a subtle warmth and color, while onion powder and black pepper enhance the overall taste.
Chicken Tenders (2 pounds): Using fresh chicken tenders is vital for achieving tender, juicy results. Tenders are naturally more uniform in thickness, ensuring even cooking and consistent texture. Fresh chicken also absorbs the flavors of the marinade and breading better than frozen or pre-cooked alternatives.
Butter (⅓ cup): Butter plays a dual role in this recipe. First, it helps to brown and crisp the coating by providing the necessary fat for oven-frying. Secondly, it adds a rich, buttery flavor that enhances the overall taste of the dish. Melting the butter in a hot pan before baking ensures the chicken cooks evenly and develops a beautiful golden-brown crust.
Step-by-Step Cooking Process
Preparation
The first crucial step in making Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken is proper preparation. Start by preheating your oven to 410°F (210°C). This high temperature is key to achieving the perfect crispiness. Preheating the roasting pan along with the oven is equally important, especially if you’re using a dark-colored pan. Dark-colored pans absorb and radiate heat more efficiently than lighter ones, helping to create a crispy, golden crust on your chicken. Avoid non-stick pans for this recipe as they don’t brown the chicken as effectively.
While the oven heats, prepare your egg mix and dry mix. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and thick buttermilk until fully combined. In another bowl, mix the flour, grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, baking powder, and spices. Preparing both mixes before you begin breading ensures a smooth, efficient process, preventing any delays that could cause the breading to become soggy.
Breading the Chicken
Breading the chicken is a crucial step in this recipe, as it forms the flavorful, crispy coating that makes this dish so special. Start by patting the chicken tenders dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture, which can prevent the breading from sticking properly.
Step 1: Initial Dry Coating
Begin by lightly coating each chicken tender in the dry mix. This initial layer helps the egg mixture adhere better, creating a solid base for the final coating.
Step 2: Dipping in Egg Mix
Next, dip the dry-coated chicken into the egg and buttermilk mixture, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. This step is essential as it acts as the glue that will hold the final layer of the dry mix, giving the chicken a thick, even coating.
Step 3: Final Dry Coating
After dipping in the egg mix, coat the chicken again in the dry ingredients. This time, focus on creating a thick, even layer of breading. To ensure the breading sticks well, press the coating onto the chicken firmly, using the back of a tablespoon to pound it into the meat lightly. This technique not only helps the breading adhere better but also ensures a uniform thickness, which is key to even cooking.
Baking the Chicken
Once your chicken is thoroughly coated, it’s time to bake it to crispy perfection.
Step 1: Melting the Butter
Carefully remove the preheated roasting pan from the oven and place ⅔ of the butter onto the hot pan. The butter should melt almost immediately, creating a sizzling base that will help the chicken brown and crisp up. Spread the butter evenly across the pan to ensure all pieces of chicken will cook evenly.
Step 2: Arranging the Chicken
Place the breaded chicken tenders on the pan, ensuring they are evenly spaced and not touching each other. This spacing is crucial as it allows the hot air to circulate around each piece, ensuring they cook evenly and develop a crispy exterior.
Step 3: Baking Process
Return the pan to the oven and bake the chicken for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the bottom of the chicken should become golden and crisp. After this initial bake, carefully flip each piece using an offset spatula. This tool is recommended because it allows you to slide underneath the chicken without disturbing the breading, reducing the risk of it falling off.
Step 4: Final Bake and Broiling
Bake the chicken for an additional 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tenders. Once the chicken is cooked through, switch your oven to the broil setting for 2-3 minutes. Broiling is a critical step that ensures the chicken’s exterior becomes deeply golden and extra crispy. However, be sure to keep a close eye on the chicken during this time to prevent burning.
Time and Temperature Management
Throughout the baking process, it’s important to manage the time and temperature carefully. Overcooking can dry out the chicken and cause the breading to become too dark, while undercooking will leave the chicken soggy. Using a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is a good way to avoid these issues.
Resting and Serving
After baking, it’s essential to let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, ensuring each bite is tender and juicy. Carefully remove the chicken from the pan using a spatula, taking care not to damage the crispy breading you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Place the chicken on a cooling rack rather than a plate to prevent the bottom from becoming soggy. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken pairs beautifully with a variety of sides. Consider serving it with a fresh green salad, roasted vegetables, or a classic like mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley or a sprinkle of additional parmesan for an extra touch of flavor. For dipping, a side of garlic aioli or a zesty marinara sauce complements the chicken’s rich flavors perfectly.
Tips for Success
Achieving the perfect Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken is easier with a few expert tips. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, a great substitution is plain yogurt. Use a 1:1 ratio, thinning it slightly with water if necessary, to maintain the consistency of the egg mix. Alternatively, you can create a quick buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to ⅔ cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
When it comes to spices, feel free to adjust the levels to suit your taste. If you prefer a spicier kick, increase the paprika or add a pinch of cayenne pepper. On the other hand, if you prefer a milder flavor, you can reduce the amount of garlic powder or omit it entirely.
This recipe is versatile and works well with various cuts of chicken. While tenders are ideal for their uniform size and tenderness, chicken thighs or breasts can also be used. If using thighs, note that they may require a slightly longer cooking time due to their thickness. For chicken breasts, consider pounding them to an even thickness before breading to ensure they cook evenly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with a well-planned recipe, common mistakes can hinder the final result. One of the most frequent issues is the breading falling off during baking. To prevent this, make sure to pat the chicken dry before breading, and firmly press the dry mix onto the chicken during the final coating step. Using an offset spatula to flip the chicken during baking can also help keep the breading intact.
Uneven cooking is another common problem. This can occur if the chicken pieces are of different thicknesses or if the oven temperature fluctuates. To avoid this, ensure all chicken pieces are similar in size, and use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Baking at the recommended temperature without opening the oven too often will also help maintain even cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Yes, you can substitute Parmesan with other hard cheeses like Romano or Asiago. Both cheeses offer a similar sharp, nutty flavor and will work well in creating a crispy, flavorful crust. Romano is slightly saltier, so you may want to reduce the added salt in the recipe, while Asiago provides a milder taste.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make a substitute at home. Combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar with ⅔ cup of milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly, then use it as directed in the recipe. This mixture will provide the same tangy flavor and thick consistency that buttermilk offers.
Can this recipe be made gluten-free?
Absolutely! To make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Ensure that your breadcrumbs are also gluten-free—there are many great options available in stores. The rest of the ingredients should already be naturally gluten-free.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, avoid the microwave, which can make the breading soggy. Instead, place the chicken on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. This will help maintain the chicken’s crispiness. If you’re in a hurry, an air fryer also works well for reheating and keeping the breading crunchy.
Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
Description
Garlic Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken is a delightful and flavorful dish that combines the savory richness of parmesan cheese with the aromatic taste of garlic, all encased in a perfectly crispy breading. This recipe offers a healthier alternative to traditional fried chicken by using an oven-frying method that eliminates the need for deep frying while still delivering all the crunchy goodness you crave. Whether you’re making this for a family dinner or a special occasion, it’s sure to impress with its golden-brown exterior and tender, juicy interior. The addition of a simple egg and buttermilk mixture ensures the breading sticks beautifully to the chicken, while a final broil gives it that extra crispy finish.
Ingredients
For the egg mix:
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup buttermilk must be thick buttermilk; see notes for substitutes
For the dry mix:
- 1 cup white flour
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt or less to taste
- 2–3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the chicken and the pan:
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- ⅓ cup butter
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 410°F (210°C). Place a dark-colored roasting pan WITHOUT non-stick coating (a rimmed baking sheet works as well) in the oven to heat up.
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Prepare egg mix: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk.
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Prepare dry flour mix: In a separate bowl, mix flour, parmesan, breadcrumbs, baking powder and seasoning together.
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Bread chicken:
First toss all chicken pieces in dry ingredients to lightly coat.
Then, toss chicken pieces in egg mixture to generously coat.
Finally, coat each piece individually with dry ingredients again, but this time in a thick layer. Make sure there is enough mix underneath the chicken piece, else it sticks to the dish. Generously spoon flour mixture over top of chicken. Use the back of a tablespoon to pound breading onto the chicken, flattening the chicken pieces lightly to create a uniform thickness and a thick layer of breading.
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Bake: Take hot pan out of the oven and melt ⅔ of the butter on it. Place breaded chicken pieces on pan, dot with remaining butter.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until bottom is golden and crisp, CAREFULY flip (use an offset spatula to slide under chicken, otherwise breading may fall off!) and bake for another 5-10 minutes (depending on how thick chicken pieces are).
Finish by broiling for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
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Rest: CAREFULLY remove chicken from pan and onto a cooling rack. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Buttermilk Substitution: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make a substitute by combining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with ⅔ cup of milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to thicken before using.
- Cheese Variations: Parmesan cheese is recommended for its sharp, nutty flavor, but feel free to experiment with other hard cheeses like Romano or Asiago. These cheeses will also provide a similar crispy texture and deep flavor.
- Gluten-Free Option: To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free breadcrumbs. The texture and flavor will still be deliciously crispy and satisfying.
- Reheating Tips: To keep the chicken crispy when reheating, avoid using the microwave. Instead, reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or use an air fryer for a quicker option.
- Chicken Cuts: While this recipe uses chicken tenders for their uniform size and quick cooking time, it can also be made with chicken thighs or breasts. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly, especially if using thicker cuts like thighs.
