Simplify your dinner with this Oven Fried Chicken that comes out crispy & delicious in about an hour. Less mess & clean up, the best-baked chicken recipe. Ever!
My mom was a baker. She did a great job making sweets. But that is where it really ended for her in the kitchen. She didn’t really cook much that I can remember & so when I got out on my own I lived on things like toast & hamburger helper. Easy stuff.
So when I met the hubs we ate a lot of what he calls bachelor food. But I knew we couldn’t live on that forever.
So I started learning the basics & one of the first things I perfected was fried chicken. I make it in a handful of different ways – all equally as good as the next.
But the one that I make the most – this Oven Fried Chicken.
oven fried chicken recipe
It’s so simple to make. I like to coat my chicken using a zip-top bag. Just toss in there with my favorite flour– close & shake. It keeps the mess to a minimum & it does a great job.
I have been making this recipe for 20 years & I can tell you that each & every time we marvel at not only how easy it is to make but just how tasty it is after a long day.
Oh & did I mention that it takes less than 10 minutes to prep & a little over an hour to cook? That’s it! I told you it was easy!
It really is no wonder this recipe has been pinned millions of times & shared on Facebook over 1 MILLION TIMES. It is CRAZY EASY!
This recipe is the one that even my son makes now that he’s out on his own. He can cook once & live off the leftovers all week, which is so great considering how busy he is with work and classes.
Love easy chicken recipes? If you want to make a traditional but simple pot pie, check out my Easy Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
Here are some commonly asked questions
Can this be made with drumsticks?
You can do that. Just cook for about 40-45 minutes, turning them over after about 30 minutes. You’ll know they are done when the meat is no longer pink at the bone and the juices are clear. A meat thermometer inserted near the bone should register 165 degrees.
How do you think this would be using Almond Flour to make this recipe Keto-friendly?
I don’t think it would hurt to give it a try. If you make it, please let me know how it turns out. I have tried it with egg white protein powder and most of the time it turns out great with that.
What is the best way to store leftover oven-baked chicken thighs?
After serving, place the leftover chicken in a shallow airtight container. Be sure to label with the date before refrigerating.
The chicken should keep for up to 2 days. As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.
Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?
Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.
As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.
So, if the deep container of food takes several hours to finally get to that 35 degrees, the bacteria has been growing in your leftovers for those several hours. Not exactly what you want to happen.
Can you convert this recipe to a convection oven?
Yes – typically with convection you would reduce the temp by 25 degrees OR reduce the time by 25% but I’m not sure about the timing as I have never tried it with convection.
I have a convection chart here but it has been many years since I have updated it and I need to add several more categories.
You might need to use one of the many online free convection converters to get more accurate instructions for this.
How many can this serve?
This will depend greatly on portion sizes & the appetites of your crowd. I typically buy a large pack of chicken thighs that contains 8-10 pieces. So if all 5 of us in our family have 1-2 pieces each, it can feed us for 1 dinner.
oven baked fried chicken
Can I use a baking sheet pan or a cookie sheet pan?
I don’t recommend doing that because you need the taller sides to hold in the juices – that’s what helps to make the skins crispy and crunchy.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, you can double this recipe. But due to constraints on how much the pan can hold, you might have to do 2 baking pans and bake them side-by-side.
Can I make it without paprika?
Yes, of course. You can always add other seasonings if you like. Pick your favorites and swap those in or add them in addition to the seasonings listed here.
HOW DO YOU MAKE OVEN FRIED CHICKEN?
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Spray a 9×13 metal, stoneware or enameled cast iron baking dish with cooking spray & set aside. (please see notes in the post about using Pyrex or clear glass dishes)
- Combine the chicken, flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a large gallon-size zip-top bag-. Seal the bag & shake well until chicken is coated in flour.
- Remove each piece of chicken from the bag & place skin-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle with additional seasonings to taste if desired.
- Bake 30-35 minutes.
- Remove & turn each piece of chicken over so they are skin side up and then sprinkle with more seasonings.
- Bake an additional 30-35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven & transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.
Can this be made with frozen chicken?
I don’t recommend trying to make this recipe with frozen chicken. It would drastically increase the cooking time and result in the skin burning while trying to get the internal temperature to a safe level.
***NOTE: Due to some safety concerns with baking glass cookware at high temperatures, please use a Metal Baking Dish, Corningware or Enameled cast iron dish.
Can you tell me about the concern with clear glass bakeware?
There have been countless reports of the glassware exploding – I even had one of my readers tell me that when she was pulling out the dish at the end of baking, the whole thing exploded, sending glass & all the hot juices all over her oven, kitchen & herself.
I don’t recommend using them for baking over 350 degrees. Some say that it is because they set the hot dish on a cool countertop, but many people report that it happened when they were pulling it out before it left the oven, and in some cases, when it wasn’t even being touched with the door closed.
You can see more information here and there are many images on the internet if you search glass bakeware exploding
How to Oven Fry Chicken
Ingredients for Oven Fried Chicken
- chicken thighs with skin
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- pepper
- smoked paprika
Oven Fried Chicken Thighs
If you love this easy fried chicken recipe, you’re going to love these other delicious recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
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Oven Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 8-10 pieces chicken thighs with skin bone-in
- 1 cup all-purpose flour up to 3 cups depending on how much coating you like.
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 3 tsp table salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Spray a 9×13 metal, stoneware or enameled cast iron baking dish with cooking spray & set aside. (please see notes in the post about using Pyrex or clear glass dishes)
- Combine the chicken, flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a large gallon-size zip-top bag-. Seal the bag & shake well until chicken is coated in flour.
- Remove each piece of chicken from the bag & place skin-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle with additional seasonings to taste if desired.
- Bake 30-35 minutes.
- Remove & turn each piece of chicken over so they are skin side up and then sprinkle with more seasonings.
- Bake an additional 30-35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven & transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Taste of the Frontier cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Cindy says
The best!!! I have made a similar recipe for years. This is the best ever!!
April stackler says
This is amazing !! I do have a question is there a way you make bbq chicken similar to this? If so please send me info! I figure if this is so good I need to know!
My kids never eat meat unless I make chicken this exact way!! So yummy!!!
Gina Kleinworth says
When you say bbq – do you mean cooking it on the bbq or adding bbq flavor/sauce? I have never made it on the grill or added sauce. But if you were to add sauce, I would recommend brushing it on after the chicken has fully cooked and then broiling it on a sheet pan for a couple of minutes for the sauce to glaze.
Bernadette Angelo says
WOW!!!!! The chicken was so yummy and crunchy. I couldn’t have used a better recipe. This was the best. I put a oven proof cooling rack on a jelly roll pan. I think that is what helped me get really crunchy skin. I loved how the chicken did not have to be dipped in egg before the flour. This will be how I will be cooking my chicken from now on. Thank you for this recipe.
Ruth says
Love this chicken !! Crispy every time !!
thank you
stephanie thompson says
Seriously delicious.. I will def make this a normal meal for our home. Thank you!
Mari says
Used a combination of almond flour, cornstarch and arrowroot. It turned out great!
Martha says
If the kids are happy then it is an automatic keeper…and the kids were happy! Really enjoyed it, not greasy and easy to make. Thank you for the recipe.
Suzanne says
I only have non enamel cast iron. What would I put on the bottom? Can I still use that?
Gina Kleinworth says
You can use that – just make sure that it is WELL SEASONED so that it doesn’t stick. ALso – because of how it conducts heat, the chicken might cook a little faster – so watch your timing.
Dawn says
My husband & I have used this recipe more than a handful of times, love how easy it is to make and the taste is amazing!! I am gonna try tonight with boneless chicken thighs hoping chicken is just as tasty without bones.
Siobhan Skinner says
What safety concerns are there about glass? I’ve used glass my whole life?
Gina Kleinworth says
Please see the section in the post under “Can you tell me about the concern with clear glass bakeware?” where I give a full explanation of the issues and links to more info.
Jenn says
cookie sheets covered in parchment paper work really well, too. Increases air flow around the chicken…the bottom browns nicely, too!
Gina Kleinworth says
For this recipe – the chicken cooking in the juices is key. Otherwise the flour coating will still be dry after baking. But for other recipes where the coating is something like breadcrumbs or crushed crackers, the other method will work fine.
Miriam says
The recipe serves 8, and I live alone. You recommend that the cooked chicken be left in the fridge for 2 days (most similar recipes say 4 days), but that your son lived on the recipe for a week. Wasn’t he putting his life in danger?
Also, can the recipe be halved? What about reheating the chicken in the toaster oven?
Gina Kleinworth says
This recipe makes 8 pieces of chicken. You can adjust for your needs. The chicken will still cook the same (possibly a little faster) if you are making less.
The recommended storage time is not for “life-saving” measures as you imply – although consuming really old chicken isn’t advised. The recommendation is for best taste. Like most foods that are made ahead, the longer it sits in the fridge, the more the quality degrades. So WE prefer to not eat it past 2 days. These are OUR personal preferences on cooking and storing. You care free to store it and eat it however you like. If you found another recipe that works better for you – of course, you are free to give that a try instead.
We have never tried reheating it with a toaster oven – we don’t use one.