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.
Gina’s Recipe Rundown:
Texture: The outer layer is golden-brown and crunchy while the inside remains moist and tender, as baking locks in the chicken’s natural juices.
Taste: The breading can be seasoned with a mix of spices like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, infusing every bite with bold, savory flavors.
Ease: Making oven-fried chicken is relatively easy and beginner-friendly, especially compared to traditional deep frying.
Why I love it: Oven-fried chicken combines everything to love about traditional fried chicken with the added benefits of being lighter, easier, and less messy.
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.
- Gina’s Recipe Rundown:
- Here are some commonly asked questions
- What is oven-fried chicken?
- Can this be made with drumsticks?
- Do I need to marinate the chicken first?
- How do you think this would be using Almond Flour to make this recipe Keto-friendly?
- What is the best way to store leftover oven-baked chicken thighs?
- What temperature should I bake oven-fried chicken?
- Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?
- How long does it take to bake oven-fried chicken?
- Can you convert this recipe to a convection oven?
- Can I use boneless chicken for oven-fried chicken?
- How many can this serve?
- Can I use a baking sheet pan or a cookie sheet pan?
- Can this recipe be doubled?
- Can I make it without paprika?
- HOW DO YOU MAKE OVEN FRIED CHICKEN?
- Can this be made with frozen chicken?
- Can you tell me about the concern with clear glass bakeware?
- How to Oven Fry Chicken
- Ingredients for oven-fried Chicken Thighs
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!
oven fried chicken recipe
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
What is oven-fried chicken?
Oven-fried chicken is a healthier alternative to traditional fried chicken. It’s baked in the oven but prepared with a crispy coating that mimics the texture and flavor of deep-fried chicken.
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.
Do I need to marinate the chicken first?
Marinating is optional but sometimes recommended for flavor and juiciness. This particular recipe doesn’t call for it. Common marinades include buttermilk, yogurt, or a mix of seasonings and oil.
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.
What temperature should I bake oven-fried chicken?
Bake at 400–425°F (200–220°C). This high temperature helps achieve a golden, crispy coating while cooking the chicken evenly.
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.
How long does it take to bake oven-fried chicken?
Cooking time varies depending on the size and cut of the chicken:
- Bone-in chicken: 40–50 minutes. (I have this recipe at 1 hour total)
- Boneless chicken: 20–30 minutes.
Always check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
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.
Can I use boneless chicken for oven-fried chicken?
This recipe uses bone-in with skin thighs – not drumsticks. I have not found boneless chicken with the skins remaining.
I have not tried it with breasts – it would have to be bone IN, skin ON for the recipe to work – but it still might not turn out right as this recipe relies on the moisture content of chicken thighs.
Breasts will be different with the juices they release and they would take much longer to bake – which would result in a dryer end result. I don’t recommend for this recipe.
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.
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 oven fried chicken thighs 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?
NOTE- one of the videos we made of this recipe shows us using a glass pan. This was MANY YEARS AGO and PRIOR to learning about the issues with these pans. We had used the glass pan for many years and never had a problem. However – our son used a newer one and had the pan explode. (we did an updated video on Instagram showing a different pan)
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.
ALSO – you can watch this TikTok video I found that explains that the OLD glass dishes with the all-caps logo “PYREX” (made by Corning) are the older version that is made with borosilicate and are safe to use.
The ones with the lowercase logo “pyrex” (made by Corelle) are made by the new company since it was sold in 1998 and those are the ones made without borosilicate (the new ones are made with soda lime – which isn’t as durable or resistant to large fluctuations in temperature) which makes them so durable.
So – that is how you tell which dishes are good to use.
How to Oven Fry Chicken
Ingredients for oven-fried Chicken Thighs
- chicken thighs with skin
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- pepper
- smoked paprika
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
- 4.5 pounds chicken thighs with skin bone-in – 8-10 pieces
- 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 Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
I just made this recipe and found it to be very easy and quick. They were gone before I could make anything to go with them. Could I put a package of ranch seasoning into the flour mixture?
Can I use chicken wings instead of thighs and how do I adjust cooking time
I’m not sure how that would work, Nancy as I have never tried it with the flour seasoning. I’m not sure it if would be effective with the same method as they would need to have most of the flour touching the pan on each side to make them crispy and not leave the flour dry on the exposed parts. I do have a baked & seasoned wings & drummettes recipe here – https://www.kleinworthco.com/garlic-parmesan-wings-drumettes/ it just isn’t a crispy fried chicken texture.
Can I make it without paprika ?
sure.
Just made this tonight. It turned out absolutely delicious! My husband and son snd I just loved the crispy skin (I know I shouldn’t have the skin but sooo good). This was super easy. I didn’t know what kind of seasonings to add so I added some onion, onion from pampered chef. Very good. This is a keeper!
Can I use a baking sheet pan or ask some call it 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 you tell me the concern about 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 https://food.thefuntimesguide.com/exploding_pyrex/ and there are many images on the internet if you search glass bakeware exploding
Can you convert this recipe to a convection oven. I have heard that for convection you reduce temperature and time but I am not sure that is true
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 (https://www.kleinworthco.com/convection-cooking-conversion-printable/) 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 instruction for this.
I tried doing this with wingettes and I only had to bake 20-25 minutes after turning and everyone ooo and awed after devouring them they were a big hit, you said to let you know how they did and I was greatly pleased
I was wondering if you could do this recipe with skin on bone in breast? And how would you adjust the cooking time?
Absolutely delicious.!!!
Absolutely delicious!!!!
Do you just spray the pan. No oil or butter?
Nope – just the pan to keep from sticking as best as possible. The chicken will release enough liquid to keep it from drying out as it cooks. This is why it is important to use a casserole dish and not a baking sheet to keep those juices contained
This is the way I have always made my oven fried chicken except I substitute Bisquick for the flour. The difference is amazing!
I’m curious about the difference in using bisquick…does it provide a crispier skin or is it the flavor difference?? Please share 😋
I have never tried it with Bisquick – it has shortening in it, so I would imagine it would be flakier.
I think the size of chicken breasts has changed dramatically since Julia Child’s day, which could account for some of her shorter cook time.
Very tasty and easy to make. Will definitely be making again!
This is the best baked chicken I have fixed.
I have made a gluten free version of this several times, and I love it!!
I was wondering about how they would turn out that way. I may try it next time. I’m gluten sensitive so I try to use gluten free flour sometimes. Thanks for sharing that.
I am celiac and was wondering how this would come out with gluten free flour. I’m glad to hear it works great and will try it tonight.
I have never tried it with gluten-free – but I did try it with egg white protein powder to make it keto-friendly and it worked quite well. So I would imagine that the gluten-free flour would work just fine too. I also tried it with psyllium husk powder – I didn’t really like the visual on that. It tasted fine – but wasn’t aesthetically pleasing.
My bachelor days were before the inventions of home computers / internet, microwave ovens and many of today’s boxed and bagged ingredients and not much competition when it came to close grocery shopping options in my small hometown (without a car). I knew that Chef Boyardee wasn’t gonna do it every day of the week as the only thing I knew how to make carried over from my teen years. On my own I knew that I had to choose between living in restaurants, learning to expand my cooking skill or starving to death. When it came to sink or swim, I swam. I sure wish we had awesome resources like this one. This is a great website. Thank you for what you do.
I have been making my oven fried chicken this way for many years. The only difference is I use Bisquick instead of flour. So good!
Ohhhh I bet that is delicious. I’ll have to give that a try. Thank you!
Made these tonight and they were delicious. I added just a little bit of onion and garlic powder. Will definitely be making them again and again. Thank you for sharing.
This turned out amazing! Crispy as any pan fried I’ve ever had. My new ‘fried chicken’ go to!