How to Bread Chicken {Step-By-Step Tutorial}

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What is the best way to bread chicken? Here, you’ll see a breakdown of the most effective method to turn those ubiquitous boneless skinless thighs or breasts into beautiful breaded patties for chicken fingers, chicken parmesan, and fried chicken sandwiches.

Breaded chicken on plate with parsley and lemon slices

Yes, you can buy chicken nuggets or pre-breaded chicken but have you ever read the list of ingredients? Breading is easy once you get the hang of it. It is all about making those nice crunchy breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken!

How to Bread Chicken (Video Tutorial)

How to make breaded chicken

Prepare the ingredients

Gently pound out your chicken until it is of even thickness. You can use a meat mallet, or if you don’t have one try the wide blade of a knife or even a small skillet or large metal measuring cup.

preparing chicken by using a mallet to pound it

Place flour seasoned with salt, bread crumbs, and beaten egg in separate bowls.

Bread the chicken

Season the chicken with salt and dredge it in the flour until well coated. Always, shake off excess flour.
Place the chicken in the eggs. Lift the chicken out and let the excess egg drip off,
Put the chicken in the breadcrumbs. Cover all the chicken ‘s surface in the breadcrumbs and press firmly to help the breadcrumbs adhere.
Lay the chicken out for 15-20 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb the moisture. This will allow for more even cooking.

Cook the chicken following your preferred method of baking, frying, or air frying.

Tips for breading chicken

Start on the stovetop and finish in the oven. To cook the chicken evenly without any burnt spots, pan fry the chicken breast first to get a crisp outside and then finish in the oven.
Arrange your ingredients assembly-line style in order of use ending with the cooking pan. It helps to set things up in straight line: raw chicken, a plate with flour, a plate with egg, a plate with breadcrumbs, then the cooking pan. Breading chicken is always a little messy, but this helps.
Pat the chicken dry. Before dipping in the flour, blot the chicken with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Use homemade breadcrumbs. It might be an extra step in making your own breadcrumbs but they are literally made with just one ingredients without added fillers, which makes the recipe more wholesome. Check out the tutorial for how to make breadcrumbs.

Recipes with breaded chicken

Frequently asked questions

Can chicken be breaded ahead of time and cooked later?

Yes, you can bread chicken and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking.

Is freezing raw, breaded chicken pieces advisable?

No. It doesn’t really work. A much commoner practice is to freeze the cooked chicken.

Why does the breading fall off my chicken?

Build the thin but important flour, egg, breadcrumb layers carefully. Start with the driest chicken you can, shake off excess flour before the chicken dipping into the egg, and then let excess egg drip off, also. Pat the crumbs on and let everything sit. Pan-frying? Don’t poke and prod. Let the chicken sit in the oil and then flip.

Breaded chicken is the basis for so many yummy meals and in general, kids, of of all ages love it. Plus, you can make it plain or add lots of spices to your bread crumbs or mix it up with dipping sauces. Have fun!

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