Healthy Fried Chicken

Name: Healthy Fried Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 12 chicken peices (dark meat); 2 cup skimmed milk; 1 cup breadcrumbs; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons dried paprika; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; salt and pepper to taste

Breaded chicken doesn’t have to be greasy – this oven-baked version is low fat and packed full of flavor!

Erren Hart

last Updated:

10/24/2020

4.87 from 46 votes

Jump to Recipe

Serves: 12 pieces

Prep: 15

Cook: 45

Three pieces of Easy Oven Fried Chicken speckled with parsley

This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

This low-fat recipe for healthy fried chicken makes a delicious, crispy coating that’s baked making a healthy alternative to deep-fried.

Serve with a side of Crispy Roast Potatoes and Garlic & Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts for a meal everyone will love!

Don’t you just love fried chicken? I know I do, but dragging out the deep-fryer every time I want to make it is not ideal. Plus, who needs all that fat?

Why This Recipe Works

Using skimmed milk instead of egg to coat the chicken keeps the fat content down.
Using low-fat cooking spray allows the crispy coating without deep frying.
Using legs and thighs assures the chicken is moist and juicy.

The Breading

For the breading, I use a mixture of plain breadcrumbs that I season with oregano, garlic powder, paprika Parmasean Cheese, salt, and pepper.

You can alter the recipe in any way that suits you and your family. Make it your own like I have or take the shortcut of buying pre-seasoned breadcrumbs from the grocery store.

How to Healthy Fried Chicken

Put the bread crumbs in a bowl with seasoning.

All of the breading ingredients added to a glass bowl

Mix it together and add it to a large zip lock bag.

The breading mixture added to a plastic zip-lock bag

Add the chicken to a bowl with the milk. This will help the bread crumbs stick to the chicken.

Then add the chicken to the bag with the bread crumbs. Seal the bag and give it a good shake to seal.

Three pieces of chicken being coated with bread crumbs in a plastic bag.

Place on a baking sheet (I line mine with nonstick foil). and spray with low-fat cooking spray.

A pan of chicken pieces coated with breadcrumbs being spayed with cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

The Fried Chicken fresh from the oven still on the pan

Check to see if the chicken has browned. If needed, spray with more cooking spray and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and rest on paper towels. Enjoy!

Erren’s Top Tips

Use Chicken pieces that are uniform in size. When oven frying chicken, use one cup of chicken or two similar-sized cuts so they have the same cooking time.
Always use bone-in chicken pieces with the skin on. Using boneless chicken without skin will come out dry.
Season Generously. When making oven-fried chicken, season your chicken with salt at every stage. Add salt and pepper to the flour and milk. It’s hard to get any seasoning into the meat, but seasoning throughout the entire process will help ensure it’s extra flavorful.
Don’t Crowd the Pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause steam and make your breading soggy. If necessary, cook on two sheets.
Don’t Cover with Foil. Many people think that covering a pan with foil during cooking will keep it from browning too much, but this will create a seal and cause condensation which will make the chicken soggy.

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner