Oven fried chicken is moist on the inside, golden and extra crispy on the outside from a secret ingredient – bran flakes! You can also make it in the air fryer!
Oven Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is my favorite food!! But I never fry at home, so when I crave fried chicken I make this oven fried chicken or in the air fryer! This If you want to eat healthy but not sacrifice flavor, your family will love this! I remove the drumstick, then coat it with a mayo-Dijon mixture that makes it juicy, then a crispy bran flake crumb seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder. For more healthy chicken recipes, try these Baked Chicken Breasts, Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich, and Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
How To Make Healthy Fried Chicken in the Oven
I start by removing the skin, and coating the chicken in a crushed, seasoned cereal like bran flakes. The key to getting the chicken crispy is to set a wire cooling rack on top of a foil- lined baking sheet. That way the hot air can circulate under the chicken to ensure it cooks evenly, and the coating doesn’t get soggy from sitting in the chicken juices.
What to Serve with Oven Fried Chicken
This easy oven fried chicken recipe would be delicious served with corn on the cobb, Loaded Mashed Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cheese Twice-Baked Potatoes, or Smashed Sweet Potatoes. For some veggie ideas, try Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shallots with Balsamic Glaze or Roasted Parmesan Green Beans.
Variations:
- Swap – Swap drumsticks for chicken thighs or breasts.
- Swap – Sub bran flakes for corn flakes.
- No food processor, no problem – If you don’t have a food processor, put the bran flakes in a plastic bag and smash them with a mallet or heavy can.
- Milder palettes – Feel free to omit the cayenne if you don’t want your chicken to be spicy.
- Sodium – This recipe calls for kosher salt, which is less salty than regular table salt. If you’re watching your sodium intake, feel free to reduce the amount, and if you’re not using kosher, start with one teaspoon of regular salt.
- Gluten-free – To make this “fried” chicken gluten-free, sub the bran flakes for Rice Chex or gluten-free panko.
- Air Fryer – To make in the air fryer, cook the chicken in two batches at 400 degrees for 22-24 minutes.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
- Buttermilk Marinated Air Fryer Whole Roasted Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Bruschetta
- Caesar-Marinated Chicken Kabobs
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Peanut-Braised Chicken Breasts
Oven Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 large bone-in drumsticks, skin removed
- 2 1/2 cups bran flakes, 4 1/2 ounces* (use gluten-free corn flakes for GF)
- 3 tsp kosher salt, less if you are using regular salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup Hellman's light mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Oil spray
Instructions
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 400F. Season chicken with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and set a rack above. Spray rack with oil.
- Crush the bran cereal in a food processor or chopper until fine.
- In a mixing bowl combine the crushed cereal with the remaining salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Place in a shallow dish or ziplock bag.
- Combine mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.
- Using a cooking brush, brush onto chicken then coat chicken with crushed cereal mixture.
- Place chicken on wire rack and spray with oil.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through in the center and golden brown on the outside, and reaches an internal temp of 165F.
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Directions:
- Spray the tops of the chicken with oil and air fry 370F 22 to 24 minutes, turning the chicken halfway and spraying the top again, until the crumbs are golden and the chicken is cooked through.
