Fried Chicken Breast (Printer-friendly)
Golden, crispy chicken breasts with juicy interior. Seasoned, breaded, and fried to perfection in 30 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
→ Marinade
02 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
06 - 1 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1 tsp paprika
→ Coating
08 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
→ For Frying
13 - 2 cups vegetable oil (for shallow or deep frying)
# How to Make It:
01 - If the chicken breasts are thick, gently pound them to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch using a meat mallet.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until well combined.
03 - Add the chicken breasts to the marinade, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours for best results.
04 - In a shallow dish, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Drain off any excess marinade from the chicken.
05 - Dredge each marinated chicken breast in the flour-breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure the coating adheres well on all sides.
06 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers and reaches 350°F.
07 - Carefully place the coated chicken breasts in the hot oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
08 - Transfer the fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade does most of the work for you, keeping the chicken impossibly juicy even if you accidentally overcook it by a minute.
- Panko breadcrumbs give you that restaurant quality crunch without any fancy technique or equipment.
- It reheats beautifully in an air fryer or oven the next day, which means you should absolutely make extra.
02 -
- If the oil is not hot enough when you add the chicken the coating will absorb grease instead of crisping and you will end up with soggy breading and a greasy kitchen.
- Do not flip the chicken more than once because each time you move it you risk loosening the crust before it has fully set.
- Letting the coated chicken rest on a wire rack for five minutes before frying helps the breading adhere and reduces the chance of patchy spots.
03 -
- For the crispiest result use one hand for handling wet chicken and the other for handling dry coating so you do not end up with breadcrumb covered fingers that clump and ruin the texture.
- Adding a tablespoon of cornstarch to the flour mixture creates an extra light crispy shell that mimics the texture of restaurant fried chicken.