Oven "Fried" Chicken

An easy alternative to traditional fried chicken that's just as juicy and crispy

This recipe (adapted from Food52) is a great alternative to fried chicken for people who don't like to deep fry. This oven "fried" chicken isn't actually fried at all, but is seared in a pan and then baked in the oven instead. First the chicken sits in a simple brine for a few hours, which helps to flavor the meat and keep it moist while cooking. Then it gets dried off, shaken in a bag seasoned flour, and then browned in a pan of melted butter before making its final trip to the oven. The breading is lighter and thinner than traditional fried chicken, which usually goes through a three-coat breading process, but it stays flavorful and crispy. And I love the mess-free process (and fun!) of shaking the chicken in a bag of flour. This is a great recipe to make for friends and family and I found that leftover chicken reheated well in a hot oven.


Related Recipes:
- Fried Chicken
- Mustard Chicken Milanese
- Chicken Parmesan


Oven "Fried" Chicken:

• Dissolve 1 tbsp. kosher salt in 3 1/2 c. cold water in a large tupperware container.
• Cut up a whole chicken into 8 pieces* so that you have 2 drumsticks, 2 breasts, 2 thighs, and 2 wings and add the chicken to the salted water.
• Let the chicken brine in the fridge for 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat until completely dry with paper towels.
• In a large resealable plastic bag, add in 1 c. all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp. paprika, 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, and 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper.
• Add in a few pieces of chicken at a time and shake the bag to coat the meat with the flour.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp. butter in a large heavy pan over medium-high heat.
• Add in the chicken a few pieces at a time and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is browned.
• Transfer the browned chicken to a sheet pan and repeat until all the chicken is browned.
• Put the sheet pan of chicken in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken is crispy and cooked through.
• Let cool slightly, then serve.

Serves four or more

*Or have a butcher do this for you. You can also make this with all thighs, drumsticks, or breasts if you prefer.