I just made the crispiest, crunchiest, most irresistible cornflake chicken, and I’m officially obsessed! Move over boring breadcrumbs: cornflakes are the secret weapon for next-level breading.
The cornflakes create an unbelievably satisfying crunch that’ll have you hooked from the first taste.
But the real key to success is marinating the chicken in buttermilk spiked with a dash of hot sauce.
It’s a delicious twist on fried chicken without the mess and the extra calories of deep frying. Trust me, this dish is a quick and easy crowd-pleaser the whole family will love.
Why You’ll Love This Cornflake Chicken
Kid-Friendly: This fun and tasty take on fried chicken is a massive hit with the littles. The cornflake coating makes it a delightful novelty that most kids want to try.
Crispy Delight: It’s hard to believe that cornflakes can create such a satisfying, crunchy texture. It’ll remind you of your favorite fried chicken.
Customizable Heat: Adding cayenne pepper allows you to adjust the dish’s spiciness easily. Go mild or extra spicy for the heat lovers in your life.
Time-Saver: Cornflake chicken features a quick prep time and hands-off baking. It allows you to do other things in the kitchen or spend time with family and friends.
Ingredients
- Chicken Tenders or Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: I prefer to use boneless, skinless breasts. You can substitute tenders if you prefer. Both are lean strips of white meat, perfect for breading and baking.
- Cornflakes: These will act as your “breading.” They give the chicken its extra crispy coating. Be sure to crush them into fine crumbs first.
- Large Eggs: For binding the coating to the chicken.
- Milk: Mix it with the eggs to create the “glue” that holds the breading in place. Any milk (2%, skim, whole, etc.) is fine.
- All-Purpose Flour: Another layer in the breading. It sticks to the chicken and helps hold the egg wash in place.
- Seasonings: A blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. For extra heat, you can also use a dash of cayenne.
- Cooking Spray: Your secret weapon for creating golden-brown perfection in your breading.
How to Make Cornflake Chicken
Like most fried chicken recipes, this one has quite a few steps. Luckily, they’re quick and easy to follow.
1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top. Spray it with cooking spray.
2. Crush the cornflakes. Crush them into coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer them to a shallow dish.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk. Whisk them together in a second shallow dish.
4. Mix the flour and spices. Finally, combine the flour and spices in a third shallow dish.
5. Arrange. Place the shallow bowls in the following order: flour mix, egg mix, and cornflakes.
6. Season and bread. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Then, dip each piece into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the cornflake mixture. Press gently to adhere.
7. Place and spray. Arrange the chicken pieces on the prepared wire rack and spray the tops with cooking spray.
8. Bake. Bake the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes or until it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. The coating should be crispy and golden brown.
9. Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for several minutes. Then, serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cornflake Chicken
These tips make for the very best chicken.
- Make it extra moist. For extra moist chicken, brine it in salt water 30 minutes prior to cooking it. Trust me; you’ll definitely notice the difference.
- Crush ’em up. Crush the cornflakes in a food processor or a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Just ensure the pieces are crushed into a fine, even crumb.
- Double your pleasure. Dip each chicken piece in the egg mixture and cornflake crumbs twice. This gives you an extra crunchy coating.
- Don’t skip the rack. Putting a wire rack on top of a baking sheet may seem odd, but cooking chicken this way yields amazing results. The hot air can circulate on all sides of the chicken, resulting in crispier, more evenly cooked skin.
What to Serve with Cornflake Chicken
Serve your cornflake chicken with any of the following:
- Dipping sauces like honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing
- Mashed potatoes
- Green beans
- French fries
- Roasted broccoli
You can also drizzle the finished chicken with a combo of honey and hot sauce. It’s a sweet and spicy way to enjoy this flavorful dish.
How to Store
Cornflake chicken stores and freezes well as long as you do it properly.
To Store: Refrigerate leftover cornflake chicken in an air-tight container for 3 to 5 days.
To Freeze: Let the chicken pieces cool fully. Then, place them on a baking sheet and flash-freeze until frozen through. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Let frozen chicken thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also use an air fryer set to 375 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes.
Cornflake Chicken
5
servings15
minutes20
327
kcalIf you’re looking for a winner of a dinner, try this crispy cornflake chicken! The outside is crunchy, and the inside is juicy and delicious.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
4 cups cornflakes
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
- In a food processor or large zip-top bag, crush the cornflakes until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer to a shallow dish.
- In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk.
- In another shallow dish, mix the flour with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Set up your breading station in this order: flour mixture, egg mixture, cornflake crumbs.
- Season the chicken pieces with a little extra salt and pepper.
- Dip each piece of chicken first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture. Finally, coat thoroughly with the cornflake crumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- Place the coated chicken pieces on the prepared wire rack, leaving space between each.
- Spray the tops of the chicken pieces lightly with cooking spray. This helps achieve a golden-brown color.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through* and the coating is crispy and golden brown.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a side of honey mustard sauce, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- The internal temperature of chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For extra flavor, you can add a teaspoon of dried herbs like oregano or thyme to the cornflake mixture.
- For a more indulgent version, you can shallow fry in oil until golden brow
My mother used to make this for our family. That was back in the 60’s, so
that’s a great recipe!!!
first time I ever used cornflakes. excellent!!!
My Grandma and my Mom made Cornflakes Chicken instead of fried Chicken. The big difference from our recipe is we melt a stick of butter, and don’t completely crush the cornflakes.
I generally add onion and garlic powder, paprika and a good amount of Jared Park and Romano Cheese. make sure the chicken is very dry. I dip it in the melted butter then roll in the cornflakes. Set on baking sheet or 9″ by 13″ pan. completely do all chicken. Usually left over butter and coating flakes. I Sprinkle them over the chicken in the pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
My step sons Fav recipe.
These are all excellent tweaks, Shelley! I may incorporate some of them myself! Thanks for sharing!