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:
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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.
So good and so easy!!!! Thank you for all your great recipes!!!
This was delicious and the best new recipe I have tried in awhile. I like bran cereal but was skeptical about it as a coating. I shouldn’t have been, crunchy and yummy. Such moist chicken. Give this recipe a try.
Gina – super delicious!!! My family LOVED it!!! I need to make a triple batch in the future it was gobbled up so fast! The bran flakes make it nice and crunchy, complementing the tasty mayo/Dijon mustard coating! Thank you so much for this winner!!!
So glad to hear Terri!!!
My family loved this! Easy and delicious!
This has been my go-to for chicken drumsticks. I love this recipe!! The exterior is crunchy and it’s a very flavorful taste.
BEST EVER Oven fried chicken
Unfortunately tried to reheat in air fryer and was not palatable?
Any suggestions? Really want to make my go to recipe…
Thanks
I loved this! I am a huge fan of chicken drumsticks so I am always on the lookout for different recipes to try. I’m glad I read some comments on the salt. I seem to only find Morton’s kosher salt so that’s what I used … 1 tsp but it would be better with just 1/2 tsp for my taste. I will be making these again for sure! The coating was nice and crisp after baking … next time, I will try the air fryer.
I have tried a lot of skinny fried chix recipes and this is the BEST. Only change was rice flakes crushed in the bag using a rolling pin. This recipe is part of my forever file!
Thanks Christine!
I’m excited to try this recipe but I realized I don’t have a wire rack to cook the chicken on so I will have to place it directly on a baking sheet. Will that make the chicken soggy? Any ideas how I can still get crispy chicken? I also don’t have an air fryer.
Made this tonight with skin on bone in chicken thighs. Didn’t have bran flakes so just used plain Panko. Loved the mayo/Dijon spread on the chicken. Kept it very moist.
I am GF so I took some GF stuffing and put it in the food processor. Then I added the spices and followed the recipe from there. Worked great.
THIS WAS THE BEST OVEN FRIED CHICKEN I EVER HAD. EVEN MY HUSBAND ENJOYED IT. I WILL MAKE AGAIN WITH THIGHS AND IN AIR FRYER.
GREAT RECIPE GINA THANKS
This was delicious. Air fryer/chicken legs/corn flakes crumbs. Coated the legs with mayo-mustard. Sprinkled the crumb mixture on top. Found this easier than rolling in the mixture. Will certainly repeat the recipe.
I made this last night but I used boneless, skinless chicken breast. I decreased the time from 45 min to 25 min and it was perfect. Crispy coating and the chicken was juicy!
Thanks for another great recipe!
This is super easy, really delicious and very moist, but the salt amount (even for someone who loves salt) is way too high. I used kosher salt and probably could have cut it down to one teaspoon. I also personally need a rack to raise the chicken off the cooking sheet (the bottom layer of coating was soggy). Will make again with much less salt and raised up on a rack.
I also just used one tsp
I’ve got this in the oven now! I could not get my batter to lay flat on the chicken. Kinda clumpy, what’s the trick?
Try putting in fridge for 15 minutes before putting in oven or air fryer.
Did you baste it with the mayo and Dijon mustard?
Grind the crumbs finer.
Made this last night and it was excellent. I did not follow the measurements exactly listed here for the breading – I sort of just eyeballed it and tasted it to make sure it had enough salt/spice/garlic. Cooked in the air fryer, the chicken was moist, crispy on the outside and I couldn’t believe we had a much healthier option than KFC/Popeyes so easily made! Will definitely be making this again.
I wish I had read all the comments about the salt before I made this the first time. I will cut back on the salt the next time I make this. I will make it again.
What could I replace the Mayo with? We have a no-Mayo house. Thanks!
Maybe greek yogurt??
Watch the SALT!
I made this last night and I missed the note on the salt! 3 tsp of regular table salt was way too much! I will definitely make this again as it would have been great without the extra salt.
Omg this was SO GOOD! Best skinny taste recipe so far (and I’ve cooked a few). Thank you Gina for making healthy eating so delicious. I wish you’d open restaurants 😄
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Really good!
To say that I had a “KFC” moment (in a good way) is an understatement. Thank you!
Awesome!!
This recipe is awesome! Our first try is a success! Very juicy. We use Cinnamon Toast Crunch instead because this is what we have. It gives some sweetness which is great. We cut the chicken breast into small pieces like chicken nuggets so the cooking time is about 20 min and easy for my 4 years old to eat.
This was one of the best oven fried chicken recipes I have ever tried. The chicken was moist and tender and thoroughly cooked. I had boneless thighs and drumsticks and both were delish! I will definitely make this again!
Thanks Jill!
Apparently the amount of salt is a problem for some. There is a great difference between Morton Kosher Salt and Diamond Kosher Salt that every cook needs to be aware of. Morton is far saltier than Diamond so less should be used in recipes.
Morton is the only kosher salt sold in our area so that’s what I use, just less of it.
My intent is to try Diamond, it is available on Amazon.
You can always salt at the table and my current crush is to sprinkle on a bit of Maldon
Sea Salt Flakes as a finishing salt. Also on Amazon.
This is very sound advice. I only have Morton available in my area, and I always use half the amount that Gina suggests.
Made this last night and WAY TOO salty! Almost couldn’t finish it, it was so salty. I used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. Will definitely be adjusting the salt and cayenne pepper next time.
This was exactly as described in the recipe notes! We loved it! Served it with some sautéed zucchini….perfect EASY and DELICIOUS dinner!
Does your new cookbook have all the options of different diets, such as Keto, Weight Watchers, etc…?
Never keto but V, GF and WW points for all my books are in the cookbook index here at the top.
How is it with chicken or turkey breasts?
Hi Gina
Love your recipes and looking forward to trying this one. What is the final measurement after crushing the whole flakes in the food processor?
I bought corn flake crumbs for another recipe.
If u used boneless skinless chicken bressts would the points still be the same
Can you use Greek yogurt instead of Mayo.
This so got rid of my fried chicken craving. Even my picky eater husband liked it. Definitely making again.
I have corn flakes. Can I use that?
Just tried it tonight! Used boneless thighs marinated in buttermilk.
Loved it….delicious!
The little bit of dijon adds a wonderful flavoe element to this dish.
I made this using Heritage Bran Flakes.. I had a lot of trouble getting the crushed flakes to stick to the mayonnaise mix on the chicken. Finally got it just right (so I thought) but the bran flake topping fell off a lot of the chicken. Any one have this problem? Was wondering how much of the mayonnaise mixture is applied to each chicken leg? Maybe I did too much? Too little? Chicken was moist and topping was crunchy and tasty. Glad I cut kosher salt in half as it was pretty salty. Make sure you measure the bran flakes before crushing them. 2 1/2 cups whole equals a little more than a cup crushed.
Try using a ziplock bag for your coating and do a sort of “Shake & Bake” method. I do this with pretty much any recipe that has a similar coating. I place all of my coating ingredients in a bag and mix them up well. I then place 1 or 2 pieces of chicken at a time into the bag, close it up and shake! Hope this helps!
Loved the subtle dijon mustard flavor hidden in each drumstick. My granddaughter who can be very picky cleaned her drumstick down to the bone.. A bit hit!
Awesome!
I don’t understand the foil above rack to make crispy comment.can u break it down more
Basically just line a baking sheet with foil and then set your rack on top. That way, the rack doesn’t scratch the pan and collects any grease that drips down from the chicken.
AMAZING!! I’ve never tasted such amazing chicken that was baked in the oven!! Wow!
This is absolutely a family favorite – and we make it often for casual dinner parties!
My drumsticks turned out SO BLOODY! Please include directions how to avoid this, had to look up why it did this, apparently to avoid bloody drumsticks must simmer cook first? Crispiness ruined by blood! Please help for the future (did this in both baking and air frying.)
Since your question is over 2 yrs. old you may have already received an answer somewhere, but in case you haven’t this is my recommendation. This problem is usually caused by cooking the chicken too fast, no matter what technique you are using. I would suggest lowering your temperature and adjusting cook times as needed. Hope this helps!
This is the chicken recipe we use literally every week for our meal prep. Thank you SO much for this!
Gina, not to be a PITA but…what would be the freestyle points if using chicken tenders?
Sorry, I don’t have that info handy.
How can I make this gluten free?
A gluten-free cereal like Rice Chex or GF panko
This was incredible. Made it in the air fryer- first time using the air fryer. However, I put too much chili powder in the mix and boy was that a mistake! LOL. Looking forward to making it again with less chili powder. Great recipe. Love the air fryer!
Can you use corn flake crumbs instead of bran flakes?
sure
Can I use corn flakes instead of bran flakes?
If you wish.
Is this still 5 SP on Freestyle?
Yes
I have an air fryer being delivered today. ???? How would you adapt this recipe for that?
Question marks were supposed to be clapping hands. 🙂
400F 22 to 24 min turning half way. You have to cook the chicken in 2 batches.
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I’m excited to try this one! I love fried chicken but try to avoid it. This seems like a great way to satisfy that craving without the fat and calories! One question: there’s only 2 of us, so we will have left-overs. Any recommendations for reheating the chicken? I worry the microwave will make it soggy but the oven will dry it out.
Thank you so much for making healthy eating exciting and easy!
Hi – we reheat in the oven and I find the left overs reheat very nicely. We very loosely wrap in aluminum foil
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Really delicious but way too salty (yes, I used kosher salt) . I love salt, and it is too much. As a avid cook, I thought it was a misprint when preparing it, but after reading the comments I guess it is not. Based on my experience, 1 tsp is likely the “right” amount for us.
Is there a boneless option for this?
I make it the same way, just swap the legs for boneless thighs.
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I told my husband this is the best chicken I have ever made! And I meant it! Thank you!! 🙂
This is quickly becomming my husband and I's favourite weeknight meal! I have adapted it a bit (seasoning wise) to suit my own tastes, but still, a real winner! Love your cookbook too! 🙂
I have been following your blog for some time now, and decided that I would purchase the cookbook over the weekend. So glad I did. Not only is it a fantastic book, but the pictures and detail are spot on. In addition, I made the chicken and Brussels sprouts last night and it was a HIT!! My husband complimented on how good it tasted over and over again, and he was even more excited that there will be leftovers. My next recipe will be the potato, kale and egg skillet omelette. Keep up the great work and the delicious recipes coming.
My boyfriend and I love this recipe!! I have made it twice now and tonight we made it with the cheesy cauliflower mash and it was amazing! This cookbook was the best thing I have bought in a long time everything I make is a success!
Thank you Gina!!
I hate to bring down the curve on all the great reviews but I made this last night and it was terrible. I would have loved to have the problem some reviewers had of "too salty". That would have at least given it some taste. The chicken itself was tasteless and dry and the coating was not good (and i like bran). And I used chicken thighs which are pretty hard to dry out. I used a meat thermometer and cooked the chicken to perfection and let it rest and it was still dry and tasteless. My husband and I eat healthy and don't need to lose weight but I healthy-up most recipes as a matter of course. His response to this was "you don't ever have to make this again on my account". It was so bad I tried it while he was out walking the dogs and I considered just putting it in a container and not telling him it was even there when he got back! But it's what was there for dinner so I had committed to it. We had to scrape the coating off and shred the chicken and put it in something else to even eat it.
I've tried this Oven-fried chicken thing before with other recipes and it just doesn't work. I agree with another reviewer that said, take your one day a week, or month and eat the real thing if you want it that bad. There are some recipes you just can't healthy-up. Fried chicken is one of them. The other is, sorry, Macaroni and cheese. Out of 10 years of marriage and cooking and trying new recipes at least twice a week, he's liked everything and there's only been the macaroni and cheese incident of 5 years ago that we do not speak of! Until now that was the only one. Now there's this. I guess 2 disasters in 10 years isn't too bad but still….this was just terrible.
can you make the chicken even if you don't marinate it?
I was going to make your Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken with chicken breasts from your cookbook last night, but silly me didn't read to see that I would have to marinate the chicken for 6-8 hours. Luckily I found this recipe and dinner was saved last night! I cut back on the salt and cayenne pepper, which good thing I did bc it still had quite the kick! Hubby was a little skeptical at first after seeing the mayo and how it appeared before putting it in the oven, I told him "but its from Skinnytaste, have faith!"…Once it came out, we devoured it all 🙂 thanks so much Gina, you are so creative!
Just wondering if you think this will work with wheat bran? Instead of the cereal
This is the first recipe from your blog that we didn't care for (and we have tried soooo many). Full disclosure though – I did have to use the All Bran Sticks rather than flakes (can you believe my huge HEB grocery store doesn't carry any plain bran flakes??) but am not really sure that's what made our family not like it. The outside got a little crispy but mostly gummy and something was just off with the flavor. Not our personal favorite recipe, however your blog is still our favorite! 🙂
This looks amazing and I can't wait to try it! However, when you put it into the recipe builder in WW etools (with measurements exactly as stated in recipe), it comes out to 6 PP per serving.
This recipe just did not go ever well at my house tonight. The crust was too sweet for their taste(I don't eat meat but make it for the rest of my family). I almost made it with Panko instead of cereal, but maybe next time I will. I almost always love the recipes on the site, so I will try another one next time!
of course each of Gina's recipes is better than the one before…if that is possible-I tasted just a hint of the bran flakes so I was thinking just to add more garlic or cayenne….you can take the girl out of the south but not the south out of the girl-make this you ll love it….
Remember KFC chicken fried in animal fat? Yeah, this is not that. This is healthy, delicious chicken with a crunchy outside and juicy inside, full of flavor. I halved both the salt and the cayenne, and it was perfect for us. Can't wait for the leftovers!
This was fantastic! I loved it and we be making it again! It was crispy and extremely moist! (P.s. can't wait to eat it for lunch today!)
I left out the cayenne pepper out because I didn't have any and substituted the Dijon for Spicy Brown Mustard. (I didn't use all of the cereal coating (about 1/4 c left) or mayonnaise/mustard mix (about 1.5 tsp left). I cooked it for about 40 minutes on my cooling rack, yep it's a cooling rack, and had no issues! I covered a baking sheet in foil and put the cooling rack right on top and sprayed the rack with oil than place the chicken on top (I did not spray the chicken).
I think for those that didn't like it maybe you're doing something wrong or in general you don't like the cereal brand, so I would recommend using a different brand like Fiber One, etc.
Do you spray the chicken with cooking oil after you put it on the wire rack?
This chicken was so delicious . I will
Be making it many more times. My hubby loves it.
I made this recipe but substituted boneless/skinless thighs as that is what I had on hand and also cornflake crumbs vs Bran cerealcrumbs. Absolutely delicious!!
Those of you who used chicken breasts — can you tell me how long you baked bone-in and boneless? I'm not a big drumstick fan, but I love oven-fried chicken!
Bone-in about 40mins
I made this tonight, and all I can say is wonderful I really enjoy the flavor the texture and the way the looked.. Me encanta tu pagina de aqui aprendo bastante recetas nuevas y sabrosas!!!!
I have to be honest. This was horrible. Anyone saying this is just as good as regular fried chicken are trying to convince themselves. We made a huge batch of this last night. It doesn't taste anything like traditional fried chicken. I didn't care for the taste or texture at all. I've been on Weight Watchers for 2 months and am down almost 20 pounds. My suggestion is if you want fried chicken, then eat fried chicken. Pick one day and cheat and eat something you really want. That's what I do. I've learned to eat healthier, but fact is that many of my favorite "bad" foods do not have a tasty healthy alternative. Just the nature of junk food I guess. No offense to the person who created this meal, but I ended up eating a Smart Ones meal instead, along with the vegetables I had made to go with this meal.
well I can tell you that I loved it…..if you eat a lot of fried unhealthy foods…then yes you will not consider this great, but if you eat clean and healthy -well you will love this as you will not be craving the greasy, fatty true fried chicken-Im from Texas I know fried chicken this stuff was great…keep it up gina
This was super yummy and moist! My husband definitely did not agree with the 1 serving = 1 drumstick. He ate his chicken, the kids' chicken . . . .
Hi Gina,
My husband and I love all your recipes. He has officially lost 50 lbs with WW and your delicious recipes =)
I would like to know if the points for this recipe are still the same today. I have been craving fried chicken and I would love to make this recipe tonight.
Thank you
how long would you cook it for boneless chicken?
Yum! I've madethis twice already, excellent both times!! The second time around I used fat free yoghurt instead of mayo and it was just as good 🙂 Thanks for this awesome recipe
I made this last night and it came out delicious. The only thing was that I used corn flakes and because of that I ran this recipe on the recipe builder – The corn flake came out to less pts than the bran flakes but the whole recipe came out to be 6 pts each drumstick.
Do you think that this is because the chicken pts changed in WW this year?
Thanks. Carmen
Wish I read the comments first! I made tonight and smoked the entire house up because I was a dummy and put the chicken on the actual rack! Ugh I feel like an idiot. Love your blog Gina 🙂
Nessa 🙂
I am assuming that the skin is counted in the 4 points value. do you have any idea what the point value would be if I took the skin off before baking?
what would be the point value if using breasts? also is there any alternative to the bran flakes that would work?
Could I just use regular Corn Flakes? Or would it make it less crispy?
Using chicken breast, I calculate through recipe builder that a 4 oz portion is only 2 points+, that seems very low to me. Did anyone else come up with something else?
I LOVE salty, but this was a little salty for me, I will definitely cut down on the salt by half next time, and amp up the spice factor. Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
Boy, did I ever screw this up. The grocery store nearest me was out of dijon, so I substituted honey mustard. I didnt have a brush to brush the mayo/mustard mix onto the chicken, so i slathered it on using my hands. haha very messy! oh yes, and i used drumsticks WITH skin on them.
so i get them into the oven in a small little baking pan that fits 4 drumsticks very snug. after about 9 minutes, the bran flakes on the top started burning. so i moved them to the lowest rack, and lowered the temp to like 350. it took a really long time to cook.
half way through i saw they were still red in the middle and I was like aww man, this sucks. i realized i should put the fat part of the drumsticks closer to the center rather than the bone part. so i started trying to rotate them in the pan. then all the skin/coating mixtures fell off. well, almost all of it.
in the end, yes it did taste very good, altho i think I really dont like bran flakes.
call me the culinary cripple! Btw i would love a skinny recipe for chicken paprika.. i currently make it by baking the chicken first instead of frying in butter, and i'm considering trying it without the sour cream as well.
I just made this for my husband and he was thrilled. Not only did it taste fried, but the mixture of ingredients was delicious! I've been missing this since starting on my new fitness routine, and I've recaptured it. Thank you Gina! I plan on using the same ingredients to make chicken nuggets next week.
I made this for my family tonight. My two children would not touch it and my husband gave me the face like "nice try dear"!! I think it was the bran flakes that I found at our local grocery store plus I was out of cayenne. In any case, this was the first recipe on this site that I have made that did not come out like I had hoped. I will try this again but will use a different cereal or maybe try Fiber One like some of the other reviewers.
My kids and I had a variation on this recipe tonight. For the coating, I mixed crushed Flax Plus (whole grain) cereal and quick oats with the other spices listed above. It turned out delicious!
My husband and son loved this. I used bone-in breasts, which took about 60-70 minutes to bake, and Fiber One instead of Bran Flakes, because I had them on hand. I might try boneless skinless breasts next time. Thanks.
This is a new staple in my family. My son requests it all the time. I did have to cut back on the salt. The 3 tsp of Kosher salt was too salty for our taste.
Thanks again Gina. I make your recipes at least 3 nights a week!!!
Okay, I tried this last night – it is very good. Like some folks have said, I also found it a bit salty – I did use Kosher salt and carefully measured it – probably just a taste preference. I made with a mix of drumsticks, boneless, skinless thighs and thinly cut breasts. All turned out great – my favorite were the breasts, my wife preferred the drumsticks. I doubled the coating for the larger batch of chicken and still only needed the original amount – I had put 1/2 aside just in case and since I didn't need it, it went into a baggie for next time – it'll be a nice time saver next time around. Thanks for the great recipe.
I'm going to be making this later this week, but I'm curious, do you have a good idea for removing the skin completely from the drumsticks? I was working on that last night and found I just couldn't seem to get it off the end of the drumstick. Does that matter in the calculation of the points? My concern would be leaving any skin on and having it melt fat into the coating over the meat. How do you do it?
Peel off the "easy part" of the skin (over the fat part of the drumsticks) by inserting your fingers under the sin and pulling. When it starts to get difficult, grasp the skin with a dry paper towel and it'll come off easily from there.
"Skin" not "sin". Bad typing AND a funny Freudian slip!!!
This is a WONDERFUL recipe! I made it w/thighs instead and with panko since I didn't have the bran flakes in my pantry. Turned out fantastic. I love your site and have been so happy to find delicious and creative recipes with WW points. Thank you!
Sure, put them in a bag and crush them with a mallet or something heavy like a can.
My magic bullet recently died on me, would you be able to hand crush the bran flakes and achieve a similar effect? Thanks!
Thank you! I'm not really sure, you'll have to run it through recipe builder to be sure.
If I used corn flakes as the coating instead of the bran flakes, do you think it would change the calorie count that much??
Thanks!! I LOOOOVE this blog!!
I have made this recipe a few times now and it is ALWAYS a hit. I use a generic bran flake cereal (store brand) and chicken breasts. I also double the cayenne because we loooove spicy. It tastes amazing!
Thanks so much for this phenomenal recipe.
This was the best recipe we have made! The drumsticks were so tender, not the usual stringy consistency. Flavor was excellent!
Is there points difference when you use chicken breasts?
I never had Fiber One, but I bought no frills bran flakes and they weren't sweet at all.
I'm really anxious to try this, but I once tried Fiber One to bread the chicken and was horrified to end up with SWEET fried chicken! Even with the added spices (cayenne/paprika, salt, etc.), it tasted sweet, I imagine because when you eat Fiber One in a cereal bowl, it's sweet! So I'm wondering if bran flakes taste less sweet? I'm wary of trying them without asking first, since I was so disappointed with the Fiber One. Thanks!
Tell your husband from a fried chicken lover, I thank him!
The chicken was moist and delicious. This is my favorite "fried" chicken recipe and it will definitely become a part of my weekly rotation. My husband is so happy because I have never fried chicken before, he said that it tasted just like fried chicken. He insisted that I let you know how great the chicken was.
So happy you enjoyed it!
Judi said …. Without a doubt this is the most delicious fried chicken we have ever tasted! Thank you so much. We have at least 1 of your recipes every week, never had a disappointment yet. Your sweet potato pie is to die for.
This was scrumptious AND so easy to make!!! I've been so sick of chicken for years but this was so moist and so flavorful, I loved it! I used boneless chicken breasts instead though, and substituted a dash or 2 of chili powder instead of the paprika because I didn't have any. Thanks Gina!
Sure! Use whatever spices you have on hand. Seasoned salt is even good. I personally love the flavor of paprika on my fried chicken.
Can I make this without paprika? Or substitute something else for it?
Angela, I just updated the nutritional facts, after getting the nutritional info, and putting it into the calculator, they came out to 3 points each!
Hi Angela, let me double check that tonight.
Gina, I was wondering about the points for this dish. It says 81 calories/4 points per drumstick. That doesn't seem right. Is it 181 calories? I was just wondering. It sounds great; I would love to try it!
I haven't tried this without the mayo, but maybe yogurt instead?
Gina, would it be possible to substitute something else for the mayo?
I made this last night for my husband and myself. I couldn't believe how delicious it was! My husband is a very picky eater and he went back for seconds! Your recipes are awesome, thank you!
Oh nice! That means I was stumbled!! I love when that happens 🙂
Bran flakes are very high in fiber, but if you have Fiber One, that would work too. The points would be the same. It's a matter of taste.
After 4 grams of fiber per serving, the points remain the same.
For zucchini sticks, I now use whole wheat bread crumbs. 4C sells them if you can find them. I prefer breadcrumbs for this, but try it with fiber one and see if which you prefer. Have fun experimenting!!
Hi! I just was using stumble upon and came across your blog! I love to cook and I love ALL of your recipes. I haven't been through all of them yet, but I really can't wait to try some. I just have a quick question for you: I, too, am a WW member and I'm sure you know that Hungry Girl is a huge staple for a lot of us. She suggested Fiber One for coating chicken (or everything) for faux frying. Would you suggest bran flakes or fiber one? Also, for your zucchini sticks, would you rather people used bread crumbs or fiber one? Just wondering what you think would be best.
You're welcome!! I'm a fried chicken lover so I love this recipe too!
Gina,
I love this recipe, along with all of your other fabulous recipes! Your site has been a savior for me while trying to follow the WW plan. My biggest problem has always been that my fiance doesn't like most healthy foods….well he loves your recipes! He even asks for them!
The first time I made this chicken, I didn't have cayenne pepper so I substituted chili powder and it turned out great! The second time I made it, I used the cayenne pepper and found it too hot for my taste. I'm making it tonight for the third time and I am using the chili powder substitution. I'm trying your cauliflower puree for the first time.
Thanks again for all the time you put into your blog. I love trying all of your recipes. I'm glad you don't lighten things too much. It makes the meals so enjoyable!
Sorry if it was too salty for you, you are the first person to mention that. I usually don't put an exact amount for salt since everyone has different taste in salt. Also, make sure you don't season the chicken with salt before you coat it. That would also make it salty.
AND I used more than 6 drumsticks. I would say to use only 1.5 tsp of kosher salt at the most.
Gina, Nope I used Kosher salt.. it's the only kind of salt I have. It was still way too salty.
Delicious recipe. My wife doesn't like spicy dishes, so I did modify it a bit. We used chicken breast, instead of drumsticks, and instead of the salt and garlic and pepper and cayenne, I added a one and a half tblsp of cavender's greek seasoning. It's a blend of salt, garlic, oregano, and a bunch of other spices. It was savory and delicious. The breading also works great on tilapia
You probably used table salt instead of kosher, which would def. be too salty.
Made this tonight & while it was crunchy on the outside & moist on the inside, it was waaaay too salty for our family. We also thought it was a bit on the spicy side & I only used a 1/4 tsp of the cayenne.. Other than that, it was great! Next time I will just use less of the cayenne & salt, thanks for a great recipe!
This is TERRIFIC
my husband would never guess Fiber one ( I didn't have bran flakes) was the shake and bake, I haven't had this is years because it wasn't good for you, but this is a KEEPER all around 🙂
Thanks for sharing Lori! Basically like chicken cutlets!
I made this tonight with a boneless chicken breasts! Mine turned out not only looking beautiful like your picture, but it tasted delicious. Thanks for all your amazing recipes!!
Good call! I'm ordering right now!
Never thought about that, What about a roasting rack? It's meant to be used in the oven… http://www.amazon.com/Catering-Line-Roasting-Rack-12/dp/B000N52V2M/ref=pd_sbs_k_5
I just used my small roasting pan. I laid tinfoil on the bottom of the roasting pan and sprayed the metal roasting rack. It worked perfectly.
Sorry – here's another question regarding the rack: is a cooling rack safe to use at such a high temp? I've always wanted to do "oven fried" recipes, but generally they all call for this method and I'm scared to use my cooling racks since they always say "not for use in oven"??? Any thoughts?
@Bethany, glad you enjoyed it! Fried chicken has always been one of my favorites since I was a child. This recipe does the trick for me when I'm craving it!!
We made this for Easter dinner using b/s chicken breasts and it was soooo good. Finally, a recipe that makes me not miss the real thing. I actually think this was even better because not only was it extra crispy, but it was also very flavorful!
Yes it's actually called a wired cooling rack, there are tons of them on amazon.
I think this looks great but I am confused on this wire rack. Would I be using a wire rack, say one I put cookies on to cool, and setting it on a baking pan that has foil on it then setting it all in the oven?? If this isn't correct could someone please explain the right way?
This, along with ALL your other recipes, looks phenomenal!
Made this last night but with pounded out skinless boneless chicken breasts……. sooooooooo good! I really think the combo of the mayo mixture and the crust was awesome! A definite keeper!
I made this for supper tonight….crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside..a must do!!!!
Love, love, love this site!!!
Sorry for the confusion, I put the wire rack on my foiled baking sheet. I used my wire rack from my microwave since I didn't have another. My baking pan is farely large with a little lip so it wasn't touching the bottom.
sorry but im confused do I put the chicken on the metal rack, or the lined foiled baking sheet? If i read this right the oil from the chicken would end up at the bottom of my oven, so im guessing i spray the rack and put the lined sheet pan under the rack. Am i correct to assume this?
I haven't but I think it would be great!
Has anyone tried this recipe with chicken breasts? Will it work you think??
Can you substitute the mayonnaise in this recipe for another condiment?
Hi, I'm Conswalia!
I'm at http://4everfab.wordpress.com. I just stumbled over your blog from someone else's site. I love anything that has to do with food! First of all your pictures are beautiful. I've been drooling. I'm adding this to my blog because often people don't realize that they can make delicious, healthy food. I've made oven fried chicken before and was amazed that it had so much flavor. So I'm promoting you on fact that I know first hand that many of these recipes are to-die-for and I think that others should try these healthy alternative (as opposed to the greasy norm) as well. Thank you!
I made these for dinner tonight and they were great!! So much better than my last attempt at bran flake coated chicken. 🙂 I only used half the cayenne and I'm glad I did because even that was pushing it with my kids, but the flavor was really, really good overall. I will definitely make these again!!
@Nati – I am sorry if I didnt clarify. 4 points per serving, so each drumstick is 4 points. If you ate 2, that 8 pts.
@ healthytastycheap – Sorry it toom me so long to respond, I think thighs will work great!
Hello, Gina i came accross your web page last month and i am enjoying every bit of it. i made the oven fried chicken and is delicious; however i ate 2 drumstick and by the formula you gave Julie I divided the points (4) BY serving (6) and i t came out 0.67 so gave each drumstick 1pt. please clarify.
thank you,
Nati
Ooh, this looks great! I've been craving crispy fried chicken, and this should do the trick. I have a package of chicken thighs in the fridge – do you think this recipe would work with thigh pieces, or would the crumbs get too crispy, due to a longer cooking time?
Hai Gina,
Just found your blog, love it!
Willl certainly visit your blog frequently!
Fran
this looks great, i'm going to bookmark it 🙂
Who would have thought Bran flakes!!!looks great!
@julie, I try to put portion sizes whenever possible, but when a recipe like the zucchini carpaccio is hard to measure in cup size, it would just be 4 serving divided equally. I always figure out the total amount for the recipe and divide the points by servings. Hope that helps.
Question… It doesnt say anything about portions in any of the recipes. How do i know how much will equal the point value? – Thankx hope someone can help me out.
p.s i figured that its prob 4 points for a drumstick but other recipes???
Got it! Chicken right on the rack. Never tried that method before, but it's a good one to remember.
I'll have to try this; my family loves fried chicken!
will be making this for sure! yummy!