Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

A healthier version of fried chicken that gets nice and crispy. Easy to make and a family favorite. I double or even quadruple the seasonings and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator and just pour into a ziplock, shake and bake for an easy dinner with almost no prep.

Ingredients

• 6-8 pieces of chicken thighs, wings, drumsticks preferably with skin
• 1/2 cup Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp salt or we like (1/2 tsp garlic salt plus 1/2 tsp seasoned salt)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Steps

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F
• Line a 9 x 12 pan with foil for easier clean up and put a rack inside to keep chicken from sitting in drippings
• Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Pour into a large gallon ziplock and place one piece of chicken at a time, hold top securely and shake until chicken is completely coated.
• Place piece of chicken on rack and follow with the rest arranging so that pieces do not touch each other as much as possible.
• Bake in oven until 180 degrees (approximately 45 minutes). Time will vary on size of pieces and bone in or boneless.
• If you want a slightly crisper skin, simply turn on broiler for 2-3 minutes watching to make sure it doesn't burn.
• See below for pictures of the steps

Low Carb Option

Substitute the bread crumbs with 1 TBS of Baking Powder (NOT Baking Soda). Brush tops of chicken with melted butter and it will crisp up nicely!

Quick Tips

• Need a really quick cooked meal for your children? Cut small boneless pieces of chicken into bite size pieces, roll in dry mixture and bake in a small convection or toaster oven for about 20-30 minutes or until done. Again size will determine how fast it cooks. Cut into pieces to check doneness.

• Use a Digital Thermometer for easy way to check if your chicken is at the right temperature. We love the one below. Just stick probe in chicken and place the thermometer base on counter or stick to magnetic surface like the oven. Set the desired temp and loud alarm will sound. I test a couple pieces with the probe for doneness. So much easier than pulling out the pan and cutting into the chicken.

Please note that the above Nutrition Facts are based on the ingredients listed in the original recipe and any variations may change the values. 

Air Fryer Thighs (Bone In)

This recipe can be used with the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer.

Steps

• Prepare chicken as above.
• Place chicken pieces in a single layer in the crisping basket. Spray with cooking spray.
• Set the Air Fryer to 390 and set the time for 22-28 minutes. Check with thermometer to see that the internal temperature is 165 degrees F for safe consumption. Check the bigger pieces as they made need more time.
• Move pieces around halfway through the cooking process especially if your pieces overlap. If you want a slightly crisper skin, simply turn on broiler for 2-3 minutes watching to make sure it doesn't burn.
• Note that these are instructions for the Ninja Foodi and times and temperature may vary for other brand air fryers.