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overhead image of very crispy cornflake fried chicken.
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5 from 2 votes

Cornflake Fried Chicken

Cornflake fried chicken is a delicious dish of crispy fried chicken breast pieces coated with a mixture of cornflakes and seasoning.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating time30 minutes
Course: Chicken Breast, Main Course, Poultry
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 627kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 2 large chicken breast Note 2
  • 1 cup buttermilk 250 ml
  • ½ tablespoon sweet paprika powder
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Cornflake coating:

  • 3 cups cornflakes 2.5 oz/ 75 g, Note 3
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 4.5 oz/ 125 g
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup cooking oil Note 4
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cut chicken:

  • Cut chicken pieces: Place one chicken breast on the cutting board. Hold it firmly with one hand, and cut parallel to the cutting board starting from the thicker end of the breast, and carefully slicing horizontally through the middle, creating two thin fillets.
    Use a gentle sawing motion to maintain an even thickness throughout.
    2 large chicken breasts

Marinate chicken:

  • Marinade: Pour the buttermilk into a baking dish or another container that will hold all the pieces in a tight single layer. Add the spices (and any additional spices you might like) and stir well to combine.
    1 cup/ 250 ml buttermilk + ½ tablespoon paprika + ½ Tbps garlic powder + ½ teaspoon sea salt + ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Marinate: Turn the chicken pieces into the marinade, then nestle them snuggly inside the dish. Marinate them for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Cornflake coating:

  • Combine: Place the cornflakes into a large bowl and crush them lightly with your hands (not too much). Add flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and stir well to combine.
    3 cups/ 2.5 oz/ 75 g cornflakes + 1 cup/ 4.5 oz/ 125 g all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder + ¼ teaspoon salt + ⅛ pepper

Heat the oil:

  • Heat the oil while you coat the chicken; it should be around 350F/180C (oil thermometer).
    Alternatively, stick the tip of a toothpick into the hot oil; if small blisters are forming around it, the oil should be hot enough for frying.

Coat the chicken:

  • Lift the chicken pieces from the marinade, let them drip gently, and place them all on a large plate. This step will allow you an easier second dipping of the chicken into the remaining marinade.
  • Coat: Transfer the chicken to the cornflake mixture, pressing it down gently to help the coating adhere to the chicken. Flip it and coat both sides evenly.
  • Double-coating: Carefully dip the cornflake-coated chicken pieces into the buttermilk marinade again. Then, press them again into the cornflake mixture.

Fry chicken:

  • Fry the chicken pieces in batches; you should not overcrowd the pan.
  • Cook: Carefully lower two or three pieces into the hot oil and fry the pieces, flipping them halfway until golden brown and cooked through; it took me about 8-9 minutes per batch. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 165°F/ 74°C.
  • Repeat with the remaining coated chicken. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. The amount of oil you need depends on the size of the pan; its bottom should be covered with oil. For example, I needed about 1 cup/ 250 ml for a high-sided pan with a 10 inches/ 25 cm diameter.
  2. Chicken: Two large chicken breasts, which need to be sliced horizontally. Or you can buy already-sliced chicken fillets. The whole chicken breasts I used weighed about 8 oz/ 225 g each.
  3. Cornflakes: Plain cornflakes cereal without any added flavors or sweeteners.
  4. Use an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Don’t use olive oil for frying.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 929mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 953IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 8mg