Crispy Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Breast Recipe – Best Ever!
No more sad, limp chicken in your kitchen! This recipe for Crispy Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Breasts will have your family coming back for seconds every time.
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It has been said that “God is in the details.” Whoever said it was not, obviously, talking about fried chicken, but it comes to mind with this recipe because this simple method makes quite simply the best Pan Fried Breaded Chicken Breast. Whether you use it as a base for another dish, put it in a sandwich, or eat it like chicken fingers, you’ll always find a use for a batch of these beauties.
Using light Japanese-style panko breading and a buttermilk marinade means that you’ll get the perfect crunch on the outside and tender juicy meat on the inside, every single time.
On Marinades
There are many dishes that require marinating for anything from 30 minutes to a day or more. Often a marinade is designed to impart flavor into an inherently bland ingredient, and is very commonly used in Chinese and Indian meat preparations.
The marinade here is slightly different. Sure, it imparts some flavor, but the main benefit has to do with chemistry. Buttermilk is the liquid that’s left over when cream is churned to make butter, and has a mild yogurty flavor. Its name implies that it would have a high fat content, but it’s virtually fat-free and consists predominantly of whey. The slight acidity of the buttermilk breaks down the long protein chains in the chicken and penetrates the meat, adding moisture between the muscle fibers, which is how this recipe yields such juicy and tender results.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts thinly cut in half
- ½ pint buttermilk
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan shredded
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tsp chicken seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Oil for pan frying
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix
In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk with garlic cloves, zest of lemon, chicken seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Toss
Add the chicken breasts to the bowl and toss until they’re covered.
Marinate
Refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours to marinate. During this time, the chicken will be tender and the meat will be more flavored.
Combine
Combine the panko breadcrumbs with the Parmesan on a deep plate.
Dip
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the panko breadcrumbs. Place it on a flat plate until you prepare the pan with oil
Cook
Put oil in a non-stick pan, about ½ inch, and heat over medium-high heat. Add one piece of chicken and cook for 4 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 2 minutes.
Drain
Fry the chicken one at a time then remove it to a wire rack placed over a tray to drain the oil.
DEVOUR!
Tips and Tricks to Make a Perfect Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Breast Recipe
- Press down lightly on the chicken pieces when you dredge them in the panko to ensure a good even coating. This will seal the juices into the meat to give you a superior result.
- The perfect shallow frying temperature is about 325 degrees F. The trick is to keep the temperature constant to ensure a crispy coating and fully cooked, juicy meat. If the oil is too hot, the breadcrumbs will burn and the meat will remain raw, and if the oil is too cold, the breadcrumbs will soak in the oil.
FAQs
can i make my chicken spicy?
You sure can. It’s actually pretty easy to change the flavor profile of the chicken – add some cayenne pepper to the buttermilk marinade. That way the chicken will soak up the heat and flavor without you risking a burnt panko crust.
what’s in chicken seasoning?
Poultry seasoning is widely available from grocery stores, but you can make your own easily – the main ingredients are ground sage, thyme, rosemary and parsley.
how can i make this gluten-free?
There are excellent gluten-free breadings available. While they don’t have the same texture as panko, they will still give you good results.
what if i’m lactose intolerant?
Parmesan is very low in lactose and can be eaten by most people who are lactose intolerant. If you want to skip the cheese completely just add a little salt to the marinade to make up for it. Lactose-free buttermilk is available in most stores.
can i substitute the buttermilk with something else?
A couple of tablespoons of plain yoghurt mixed with water will make a good substitute for the buttermilk in this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
These are so many ways to serve these delicious and versatile chicken breasts. They are great with a sauce added, though make sure it’s just before you eat them to maintain the crunch. They also work great in a sandwich or as chicken fingers, a favorite among kids of all ages. I like them sliced and placed on top of a salad with a drizzle of honey or balsamic glaze.
Make Ahead and Storage
I don’t think that leftovers are going to be an issue for you because there are so many uses for these. They’ll store in the fridge for a few days but they’ll lose their incredible crunch pretty quickly. I like to make them and use them in short order.
Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Breast Recipe – Best Ever!
Servings 6
Calories 313kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts thinly cut in half
- ½ pint buttermilk
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan shredded
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tsp chicken seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Oil for pan frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk with garlic cloves, zest of lemon, chicken seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken breasts to the bowl and toss until they’re covered.
- Refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours to marinate. During this time, the chicken will be tender and the meat will be more flavored.
- Combine the panko breadcrumbs with the parmesan on a deep plate.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the panko breadcrumbs. Place it on a flat plate until you prepare the pan with oil
- Put oil in a non-stick pan, about ½ inch, and heat over medium-high heat. If the oil is too hot, the breadcrumbs will burn and the meat will remain raw, and if the oil is too cold, the breadcrumbs will soak in the oil.
- Add one piece of chicken and cook for 4 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Fry the chicken one at a time then remove it to a wire rack placed over a tray to drain the oil. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 914mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 2mg
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