Easy Fried Chicken Breast
Fried chicken breast is a classic dish that features tender chicken breast coated in a crispy, golden-brown crust. The crispy exterior and juicy interior make it an irresistible dinner choice for any day of the week.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 309kcal
Equipment
- Baking dish or shallow container for marinating the chicken
- High-sided pan, skillet, or Dutch oven for frying the chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast Note 1
- vegetable oil for frying Note 2
Seasoning (Note 3):
- ½ tablespoon sweet paprika
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Marinade:
- 1 cup buttermilk 250 ml
- 1 egg large
Flour coating:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
- ½ cup cornstarch 60 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher
Instructions
Prepare chicken:
- Slice the chicken breasts into two thinner pieces. Place a kitchen towel under a large cutting board to prevent it from slipping. Lay one chicken breast on the cutting board. Place one hand flat on top of it. Slice horizontally through the middle of the breast. Open up the breast so you have two fillets. 4 chicken breasts
Seasoning mixture:
- Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. You will need ½ of the seasoning for the marinade and ½ of it for the flour coating. ½ tablespoon sweet paprika + ½ tablespoon smoked paprika + 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder + 1 teaspoon onion powder + 2 teaspoon oregano + ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper + 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper
Marinate chicken:
- Mix buttermilk, beaten egg, and only ½ of the spice mixture in a shallow container (non-metallic) that will hold all the chicken snuggly, preferably in a single layer or only lightly overlapped. 1 cup/ 250 ml buttermilk + 1 large egg + ½ of the seasoning mixture
- Add the chicken and turn it into the marinade; the pieces should be fully or almost entirely covered by it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap.
- Marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes (on the counter) and up to 4-6 hours (in the refrigerator). Bring it to room temperature before frying; this will take 30-40 minutes.
Flour coating:
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and the remaining seasoning mixture in a shallow bowl.1 cup/ 120 g flour + ½ cup/ 60 g cornstarch + 1 teaspoon salt + ½ of the seasoning mixture
Frying chicken breast:
- Coat with flour: Lift the pieces from the marinade and let them drip gently. Dip them into the flour coating, turning them to coat on both sides and pressing them down gently to help the coating stick. Set them aside.
- Heat the oil; the temperature should be around 350°F/175°C (measured with an oil thermometer.vegetable oil – enough to fully submerge the chicken
- Add chicken: Carefully lower 2-3 pieces of chicken into the hot oil using tongs; don’t overcrowd the pan; fry the chicken in several batches.
- Fry: If the chicken is fully submerged in oil, it will need 4-5 minutes to cook, and there will be no need to flip it. If it’s only partially submerged, it will take 6-8 minutes, and you must flip the pieces halfway through.
- The cooking time also depends on the thickness of the chicken pieces. Ensure that the meat is cooked before serving it; the internal temperature should be 165°F/74°C.
- Rest: Once cooked, transfer the chicken pieces to a large plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Chicken breast: One medium boneless skinless chicken breast weighs about 6-7 oz/ 180-200 g.
- Seasoning: Use any other spices or spice mixtures you like. Remember to split the mixture into two parts; you will need some for the marinade and some for the flour coating.
- Oil: Adjust the amount of oil according to the pot size; for perfect deep-frying, the chicken pieces should be submerged in oil. You can use less oil and partially submerge the chicken in it; in this case, the cooking time will be slightly longer (6-8 minutes), and you will have to flip the chicken halfway.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 557IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg