My lightened up oven fried chicken recipe is moist on the inside, golden and extra crispy on the outside thanks to a secret ingredient: bran flakes! Bake it in the oven or the air fryer.
Crispy Oven Baked Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is my favorite food! But I never deep fry at home, so when I crave fried chicken, I make this oven fried chicken, which allows me to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor. I remove the skin, then coat the drumsticks with a mayo-Dijon mixture that makes it juicy, followed by a crispy bran flake crumb seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder. Like my Baked Chicken Breasts and Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, this is a healthy chicken recipe that’s sure to please the whole family!
Why This Oven Fried Chicken Works
This recipe took me a few rounds of testing to get right, but once I nailed it, it quickly became a staple in my house!
I tried a number of different coating options during testing, but bran flakes ended up being my favorite. They add an extra layer of flavor to the chicken, and they also give this oven fried chicken a fiber boost.
To make sure the coating sticks, I use a combination of mayo and mustard. A typical egg-and-milk mixture is much thinner, but you can really get a nice, thick coating of crumbs with the mayo mixture. This helps mimic the crispy texture of fried chicken.
The other key to getting the chicken crispy is to set a wire cooling rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. This 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.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below are the ingredients for this oven fried chicken recipe. See the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Chicken drumsticks: I remove the skin to keep the recipe lighter. If you’d like, you can swap in chicken thighs or breasts, keeping in mind that the cooking time will be different.
- Bran flakes: For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free panko, corn flakes, or Rice Chex.
- Seasonings: Salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne give the coating plenty of flavor. Feel free to omit the cayenne if you don’t want your chicken to be spicy.
- Light mayonnaise helps the coating adhere to the chicken.
- Dijon mustard adds tang and boosts the flavor.
- Oil spray: Nonstick cooking spray also works. This is important for making sure the chicken gets crispy in the oven.
How to Make Oven Fried Chicken
You’ll find the complete instructions in the recipe card, but here’s an overview of the process.
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle the drumsticks with salt and let them sit while you prepare the coating.
- Make the coating: Pulse the bran flakes in a food processor until finely crushed. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the remaining salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. Place the mixture in a shallow dish or large zip-top bag.
- Prepare the chicken: Stir together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Brush the mixture all over the chicken, then coat each drumstick in the cereal mixture.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with oil and arrange the chicken on it. Spray the tops lightly with oil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Or air fry: Spray the coated chicken with oil and air fry at 370°F for 22 to 24 minutes, flipping halfway through and spraying again with oil, until crispy and cooked through.
Oven Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in drumsticks, skin removed
- 2 1/2 cups bran flakes, 4 1/2 ounces* (use gluten-free crushed corn flakes)
- 3 teaspoon kosher salt, less if you are using regular salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons Hellman’s light mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon 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.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Video
Notes
Nutrition
Tips from Gina’s Test Kitchen
- Don’t skimp on the oil spray: A generous coating helps create that fried chicken texture and color.
- Check the temperature: The safest way to know chicken is done is with an instant-read thermometer. Look for the temperature to reach 165ºF.
- Work in batches if needed: If you’re using an air fryer, avoid overcrowding the basket so the chicken crisps properly.
- 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.
- A note about the salt: 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 salt, start with one teaspoon of table salt.
What to Serve With Oven Fried Chicken
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover oven fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Warm in a 375°F oven or air fryer until heated through and crispy again. While the microwave will work too, the coating will be soggy, so I wouldn’t reheat it that way unless you have no other option.
