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Home / Mains

Healthy Fried Chicken

Breaded chicken doesn’t have to be greasy – this oven-baked version is low fat and packed full of flavor!

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

10/24/2020
4.87 from 46 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 12 pieces
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 45 minutes mins
Golden, friend chicken legs and thighs baking on a try and being served on a board.

Three pieces of Easy Oven Fried Chicken speckled with parsley

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This low-fat recipe for healthy fried chicken makes a delicious, crispy coating that’s baked making a healthy alternative to deep-fried.

Serve with a side of  Crispy Roast Potatoes and Garlic & Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts for a meal everyone will love!

Three pieces of Easy Oven Fried Chicken speckled with parsley

Don’t you just love fried chicken?  I know I do, but dragging out the deep-fryer every time I want to make it is not ideal.  Plus, who needs all that fat?

Why This Recipe Works

  • Using skimmed milk instead of egg to coat the chicken keeps the fat content down.
  • Using low-fat cooking spray allows the crispy coating without deep frying.
  • Using legs and thighs assures the chicken is moist and juicy.

The Breading

For the breading, I use a mixture of plain breadcrumbs that I season with oregano, garlic powder, paprika Parmasean Cheese, salt, and pepper.

You can alter the recipe in any way that suits you and your family.  Make it your own like I have or take the shortcut of buying pre-seasoned breadcrumbs from the grocery store.   

How to Healthy Fried Chicken

Put the bread crumbs in a bowl with seasoning.

All of the breading ingredients added to a glass bowl

Mix it together and add it to a large zip lock bag.

The breading mixture added to a plastic zip-lock bag

Add the chicken to a bowl with the milk. This will help the bread crumbs stick to the chicken.

Raw Chicken Wings in a bowl with milk

Then add the chicken to the bag with the bread crumbs. Seal the bag and give it a good shake to seal.

Three pieces of chicken being coated with bread crumbs in a plastic bag.

Place on a baking sheet (I line mine with nonstick foil). and spray with low-fat cooking spray.

A pan of chicken pieces coated with breadcrumbs being spayed with cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

The Fried Chicken fresh from the oven still on the pan

Check to see if the chicken has browned. If needed, spray with more cooking spray and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and rest on paper towels. Enjoy!

Three pieces of Easy Oven Fried Chicken speckled with parsley

Erren’s Top Tips

  • Use Chicken pieces that are uniform in size.  When oven frying chicken, use one cup of chicken or two similar-sized cuts so they have the same cooking time.
  • Always use bone-in chicken pieces with the skin on.  Using boneless chicken without skin will come out dry.
  • Season Generously.  When making oven-fried chicken, season your chicken with salt at every stage. Add salt and pepper to the flour and milk. It’s hard to get any seasoning into the meat, but seasoning throughout the entire process will help ensure it’s extra flavorful.
  • Don’t Crowd the Pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause steam and make your breading soggy.  If necessary, cook on two sheets.
  • Don’t Cover with Foil.  Many people think that covering a pan with foil during cooking will keep it from browning too much, but this will create a seal and cause condensation which will make the chicken soggy.

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

  • Chicken Wings
  • Chicken Cutlets
  • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs
  • Chicken Francaise
Three pieces of Easy Oven Fried Chicken speckled with parsley

Recipe

Healthy Fried Chicken

Breaded chicken doesn’t have to be greasy – this oven-baked version is low fat and packed full of flavor!
4.87 from 46 votes
Print
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr
Serves 12 pieces

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken peices (dark meat)
  • 2 cup skimmed milk
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried paprika
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
  • Put the bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and mix in the oregano, garlic powder, paprika, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper.  Add the breadcrumb mixture to a sealable food storage bag.
  • Add the chicken to another bowl and pour over the milk.
  • Add the chicken piece by piece to the bag with the bread crumbs (three pieces should be added to the bag at a time).  Seal the bag and shake to coat with the breadcrumbs.
  • Place the chicken in a dry 9×13 inch baking dish lined with nonstick foil. Spray with cooking spray.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Check to see if the chicken has browned. If needed, spray with cooking spray and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain on paper towels. Enjoy!

Tips

  • Use Chicken pieces that are uniform in size.  When oven frying chicken, use one cup of chicken or two similar-sized cuts so they have the same cooking time.
  • Always use bone-in chicken pieces with the skin on.  Using boneless chicken without skin will come out dry.
  • Season Generously.  When making oven-fried chicken, season your chicken with salt at every stage. Add salt and pepper to the flour and milk. It’s hard to get any seasoning into the meat, but seasoning throughout the entire process will help ensure it’s extra flavorful.
  • Don’t Crowd the Pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause steam and make your breading soggy.  If necessary, cook on two sheets.
  • Don’t Cover with Foil.  Many people think that covering a pan with foil during cooking will keep it from browning too much, but this will create a seal and cause condensation which will make the chicken soggy.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 316 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 307IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
Created by Erren Hart
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4.87 from 46 votes (28 ratings without comment)

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64 responses

  1. Joanne Travis Avatar
    Joanne Travis
    05/18/2016

    Pinned to try this weekend, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Jan Avatar
    Jan
    12/24/2014

    I used bone in skinless chicken and I follow directions and
    It was good.

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      01/23/2015

      Hi Jan, So sorry for the late reply. I haven’t been well for some time and the app on my phone doesn’t allow me to reply to comments. I don’t like posts to go unanswered though so just wanted to say thanks for the feedback and I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply
  3. Janice Frauenfeld Avatar
    Janice Frauenfeld
    10/27/2014

    Can I use boneless, skinless chicken tenders instead of the chicken thighs, & if so , how many?

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      10/29/2014

      Hi Janice, You can try, but I can’t say how much or for how long to cook them without testing the recipe myself. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  4. veronica Avatar
    veronica
    10/24/2014

    This looks wonderful. Is there a reason you chose to only use thighs? Would drumsticks work?

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      10/29/2014

      Sure, but cooking times vary so keep an eye on them!

      Reply
  5. Anna Avatar
    Anna
    10/04/2014

    I don’t see where you used the milk…

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      10/06/2014

      Hi Anna, you beat the milk in with the eggs.

      Reply
  6. John Katerenchuk Avatar
    John Katerenchuk
    09/14/2014

    don’t you take the skin off that ii make it low fat?

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      09/15/2014

      Hi John, I keep the skin on as it keeps the meet moist. It’s still very low fat in comparison to fried chicken and oven fried chicken recipes that use oil. You can try it without, but if you do, I would dredge the chicken in flour before the egg to give it something to stick to.

      Reply
  7. Edna Avatar
    Edna
    06/18/2014

    Awesome. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      06/19/2014

      So glad you like the recipe, Edna! Please let me know if you try them!

      Reply
  8. Wayne Zanussi Avatar
    Wayne Zanussi
    06/10/2014

    Nice recipe, thanks!!

    Reply
  9. Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! Avatar
    Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry!
    05/08/2014

    This looks delicious! Hard to believe it is low fat! Definitely trying this!

    Stopping by to let you know I am featuring you at #GetHimFed Friday this week! I hope you will swing by and link up again! Have a great day!

    Reply
  10. Kirsten Avatar
    Kirsten
    04/24/2014

    This was SO good!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      04/24/2014

      Thank you, Kirsten 🙂

      Reply
      1. loretta Avatar
        loretta
        08/27/2014

        can I use egg whites instead of whole eggs?

      2. Erren Avatar
        Erren
        08/29/2014

        Hi Loretta! I’ve never done it, but I bet it would work fine as long as you add some milk!

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