Crunchy “oven fried” Cornflake Chicken is a lighter, healthier version of a southern classic: fried chicken. This baked chicken dish is much easier to make and clean up without the flour and oil required for deep-frying.
Southern Comfort Food
I don’t eat a lot of fried foods but if there is one thing I crave constantly, its Southern comfort food. Fried chicken and macaroni and cheese are the ultimate comfort foods with their greasy, salty deliciousness. However, my metabolism isn’t what it used to be so I have to get creative with the classics.
Growing up, I have fond memories of my dad making cornflake chicken. Those dinners always stood out to me because we ate chicken that was literally coated in a cereal crust. Who knew? Well, over the years, I have perfected the recipe and it’s one of my favorite chicken dishes to this day.
The Cornflake Chicken Assembly Line
When coating the chicken, it is important to set up an assembly line as follows: chicken, cornflake mixture, egg wash and ungreased cookie sheet. This will help you minimize the damage mess in your kitchen. Designate one hand as your “wet hand” for handling the chicken in the egg wash and transferring to the cornflakes. Then, take over with your “dry hand”. This will help you avoid what Guy Fieri calls “Hulk Fingers” (AKA a total mess).
Once all the chicken has been coated in cornflakes and placed on the cookie sheet, sprinkle the remaining cereal over the top. Apply a little pressure on each fillet with the palm of your hand so the cereal will stick to the chicken. And then, the kicker; drizzle melted butter over the top of each fillet. This move is what I like to call “the Ultimate Crunch Factor”. Okay, I don’t really call it that, but it makes the chicken extra crunchy and pretty to look at!
Follow the full recipe and let me know how you like “Oven Fried” Cornflake Chicken. And stay tuned for a killer Macaroni and Cheese Recipe later this week!
Kelsey Renee
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts
- 4 cups cornflake cereal
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup butter or margarine
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- 2. Split each chicken breast by slicing horizontally into two even pieces. This will give you six thin fillets.
- 3. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken fillets. Set aside.
- 4. To create the cornflake crust, combine cornflakes, parsley, cayenne pepper and garlic powder in a food processor until small pieces of cornflakes remain. Pour into a shallow bowl and set aside.
- 5. Prepare an egg wash by whisking eggs and water in a shallow bowl.
- 6. Set up an assembly line in the following order: chicken, cornflake mixture, egg wash, ungreased cookie sheet.
- 7. Immerse one chicken fillet into the egg wash until it is completely coated. Transfer to the cornflake mixture and cover completely. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat for remaining chicken.
- 8. Once you have finished coating the chicken, sprinkle remaining cornflakes over the top of each fillet.
- 9. In the microwave, melt butter in a small dish or glass measuring cup (about 30 seconds). Drizzle butter over top of each fillet.
- 10. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until completely cooked through.
- 11. Enjoy!
