How to Bread Chicken

How to Bread Chicken

There’s something so satisfying about cutting into a crisp breaded chicken breast cooked to juicy, golden perfection or dipping beautifully breaded chicken tenders in your favorite sauces. Whether pan-fried and finished with a simple squeeze of lemon, or baked into a more intricate recipe like this classic Chicken Parmesan, the success of your dish largely depends on your breading technique. Become a chicken breading pro with this simple step-by-step guide, then try out some of our favorite recipes with your new skills.

Choosing Your Ingredients

Like with all homestyle classics, the first step in learning how to make breaded chicken is choosing the right ingredients for your dish.

Breadcrumbs

Start by choosing your breading. The type of breading best suited for your dish will depend on the flavors you want to highlight and the style of your dish. Craving Italian? Choose Italian-style breadcrumbs and mix with dry herbs and grated cheese like parmesan or pecorino romano to sharpen the flavor. For an Asian-inspired meal, you might choose panko, a Japanese breadcrumb that comes from a white, crustless bread, adding ingredients like dried ginger, sesame seeds and chili flakes to complement your meal.

Keep in mind that panko crumbs are drier and result in a crisper coating, while Italian-style or plain breadcrumbs retain a bit more moisture. Get creative with seasonings for a custom all-over coating. If you’re using a plain or panko breading, experimenting with unexpected dry ingredients like chopped nuts or shredded coconut can add a unique depth to your dish.

Flour or Cornstarch

When pan-frying your chicken, dredging allows your binding ingredient and breading to better adhere to the meat. Dredging in flour or cornstarch can also help lock in some of the flavor from the oil or butter you choose and will give your chicken more of a golden-brown appearance once it’s been fried. To dredge your chicken, simply coat it in flour or cornstarch before moving on to dipping in your binding ingredient.

Both flour and cornstarch can be used for dredging, and they each have their own benefits. Flour will help give your binding ingredient something to adhere to while preserving the moisture in the cut of meat, while cornstarch absorbs moisture from the food and expands to a crispy coating when fried. If you’re unsure which will work best with your dish, you can use a mixture of flour and cornstarch to achieve moist, tender chicken with a crispy coating.

Binding Ingredients

To prepare your chicken for breading, you’ll use a binding ingredient to help your breadcrumbs stick to the meat before pan-frying, air-frying or baking. Eggs are the most common choice for this step, but you can also use mayonnaise or even heavy cream. Using egg will help you get a dense coating of breadcrumbs, while mayo will result in a lighter coating. Heavy cream is a great option for egg-free breading, and the fat content will allow your breading to stick to the chicken.

Preparing Your Chicken for Breading

1. Start by trimming any fat or tendons from your chicken breasts or tenderloins.
2. Prepare a large cutting board by covering completely with plastic wrap. Place your chicken breasts or tenders on the plastic wrap, and cover with another layer. You can also use a zip-top plastic bag for this step, placing your chicken inside and removing any air before sealing.
3. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound the breast to flatten and tenderize the meat. If you don’t have a meat mallet, a rolling pin or other smooth, heavy object will work too. Pounding the chicken will allow it to cook more evenly, ensuring that thinner parts don’t dry out while heartier parts are still cooking. This is especially helpful when frying, since the breading will make it harder to visually gauge the doneness of the chicken.
4. To prepare for your dredging step, fill a large, shallow container with flour or cornstarch.
5. Choose your binding ingredient based on your desired result and dietary preferences, then add it to another large, shallow bowl. If using eggs, whisk lightly until yolks and whites are well combined.
6. Add your breadcrumbs and any additional seasonings to a separate bowl and mix to combine.

Getting to the Breading

Now that your chicken is trimmed and tenderized, and you’ve set your workspace up for success, you can begin dredging, dipping and breading your chicken.

1. Begin by laying each cut of chicken in your flour and cornstarch mixture, then turn to coat evenly and remove any excess mixture.
2. Transfer the coated chicken into the bowl with your egg or other binding ingredient. Turn to coat.
3. Finally, get that chicken into your breading mixture, turning for even coverage.
4. Transfer your breaded chicken cuts to a separate plate until ready to fry, air-fry or bake. If preparing in advance, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Pan-frying Your Chicken

While our breading method can be used before air-frying or baking your chicken, pan-frying is a delicious way to add a golden-brown crisp to your chicken, locking in flavor and moisture.

When choosing an oil, keep in mind the cooking temperature and flavor of the ingredients. You can start with a base of vegetable oil, adding olive oil, toasted sesame oil or coconut oil for more flavor.

1. Once the oil has reached a temperature of around 325°F, add your chicken, making sure to avoid overcrowding the pan.
2. Cook until each side is golden brown and the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
3. Prepare a plate or pan for your fried chicken breasts by lining it with a few layers of paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
4. Set the fried chicken breasts on your plate, then finish with a pinch of salt. You can also brighten your dish with a squeeze of citrus for even more fresh flavor.

Lemon works wonderfully for this, but you can play with other bright, acidic flavors that complement your seasonings.

Looking for More Guides, Tips and Tricks?

Learn more ways to enjoy delicious chicken at home. Whether you’re grilling, smoking or shredding chicken, our how-to guides can help you become a pro. Plus, visit our blog for even more fresh inspiration, including recipes, meal planning and more.