Description

Enjoy crispy, juicy oven-fried chicken that tastes like KFC, but with a fraction of the fat! This baked “fried” chicken is marinated in spiced buttermilk, coated in a flavorful panko, flour, and cornmeal crust, and baked to crispy perfection. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauces or classic sides like coleslaw and mashed potatoes for a healthier take on comfort food.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

10–12 chicken tenderloins
1 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Breading:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fine cornmeal

Spice Mix:

1 tbsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder

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Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken:

In a large freezer bag, whisk together 1 tbsp of the Spice Mix, buttermilk, and chicken.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 6–24 hours for maximum flavor.
Store the remaining Spice Mix separately.

2. Prepare for Baking (Recommended):

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line a rimmed baking sheet (18×13-inch) with parchment paper.
Add butter to the sheet and melt in the oven. Remove when melted.

3. Prepare the Breading:

In a large bowl, mix flour, panko, cornmeal, and remaining Spice Mix.
Transfer half of this mixture to a large freezer bag.

4. Bread the Chicken:

Remove chicken from buttermilk, pat dry with paper towels.
Add half the chicken to the breading bag, shake to coat.
Press breadcrumbs into the chicken for a crispy coating.
Repeat with remaining chicken.

5. Cook the Chicken:

To Bake (Recommended):

Arrange breaded chicken on the buttered baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for 5 minutes, or until internal temp reaches 160°F.
Broil for extra crispiness, if desired.

To Air Fry:

Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
Place chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Lightly spray with cooking spray.
Cook for 5 minutes per side, until crispy and internal temp reaches 160°F.

6. Rest & Serve:

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes to reach a final temp of 165°F.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauces!

Notes

For extra crispy texture: Double dip the chicken by coating in buttermilk again, then re-coating in the breading.
No buttermilk? Use 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice (let sit for 10 minutes).
Make it spicier? Add cayenne pepper to the Spice Mix.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2-3 chicken tenders
Calories: 320 kcal
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 680mg
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 32g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 75mg