Serves:
4 to 6
Active Time:
20 minutes
Start to Finish:
1 hour Oven-Fried Panko Chicken
For those with a fear of frying, this oven method has all of the crunch, thanks to crisp panko bread crumbs, with none of the mess. It’s a great choice for an easy family dinner or casual entertaining. Even the most ardent fans of real fried chicken will be won over by the moist, flavorful meat.
Ingredients
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 (3 1⁄2- to 4-pound) chicken, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 10 serving pieces (breasts cut crosswise in half)
Instructions
PUT A RACK IN MIDDLE OF OVEN and preheat oven to 450°F.
Stir together panko, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne in a pie plate.
Stir together butter, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, then rub all over chicken. Add chicken, 2 pieces at a time, to crumb mixture and coat evenly on both sides, pressing chicken into crumbs to help them adhere, then transfer, skin side up, to a shallow baking pan.
Bake chicken until well browned and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer pan to a rack and let chicken stand, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp.