If you make really good and crispy oven fried chicken...

[Laurie4b]

So I am on a new adventure. Because one ds was coming home from work every day with Bojangles, I started looking for healthier alternatives (with lots of help from the board.) 

 

So I have scored on the cajun seasoning and the oven-baked fries were great. 

 

The oven-fried chicken had a good flavor, but was not crispy. 

 

I made it by dipping it in buttermilk/seasoning mixture, then in panko. I baked it at 400 till it was done.

 

By the end of baking, the chicken juices were flowing and that made it soggy. (It was still tasty.) 

 

So what is the secret? 

 

 

 

[LucyStoner]

It's counter intuitive but you want to cook it at 400+ only for the first 15 or so minutes and then drop the heat down to 350 or so.

 

When baking poultry with skin, a high heat at first followed by a lower temp for the rest of the cooking time will give you the best crispy outside and juicy inside result.

Edited April 29, 2016 by LucyStoner

[6packofun]

Dry the chicken pieces REALLY good before doing your coating, do high heat (I do 425) for the first 15-20 min. AND put the chicken on a cooling rack IN the baking sheet to let juices drip down and not drench the chicken pieces.  Only flip once or not at all if you can get away with it.

 

Al this said, it's still not perfect, but much better than my previous attempts over many years.  LOL

Edited April 29, 2016 by 6packofun

[zoobie]

Cornflake crumbs. Bread the pieces and place them on a cooling rack above a sheet pan. Put them in the fridge uncovered for at least 30 minutes before baking.

[Carol in Cal.]

Use the Unfried Chicken recipe in that Oprah Winfry cookbook.  It works.  Plus the cookbook is old enough to be in libraries and thrift stores.

[G5052]

Similar here. I put it higher heat first, then drop the temp.

 

And use a rack and flip them once.

[Pegasus]

Skip the flour/bread crumbs and use crushed pork rinds and fresh Parmesan as a coating instead.  This makes a very crisp crust and is also gluten-free and low-carb for those who are interested in that way of eating.

[Kelly on the prairie]

This is no good for you but it's been in our family for years and is delicious. It's just called Oven Fried Chicken.

 

4 c flour

2 T salt

2 T baking powder

8 t paprika

3/4 c shortening

 

Mix dry ingredients well and then cut in shortening. Double gallon freezer bag it and keep in the freezer. This keeps a long time. Place pieces of chicken in the bag and press from the outside of the bag to cover the pieces. Bake them in a 450 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. This is very crispy and much loved. It is also a quick easy meal to make in a pinch.

[rmtzc2009]

I place a cooling rack on top of my sheet pan. My chicken sits on the cooling rack. This prevents the bottom of the chicken coating from being soft or mushy.

[Lady Marmalade]

Soak your chicken pieces in the buttermilk for several hours first.  You can even do it overnight!  When you're ready to cook, drain the buttermilk well and pat dry- the flavor will be all soaked into the chicken and then you can coat with crumbs that you've seasoned with your Cajun flavors. 

 

If you're not averse to using cooking spray, you can also give your chicken parts a spritz of spray after they've been coated in crumbs.

 

I echo the baking on a cooling rack to get the chicken crispy all around.

 

Personally, I follow the Barefoot Contessa's method for Oven-Fried Chicken which actually starts by pan frying the chicken pieces, and then letting them finish in the oven.  

[Anne in CA]

One thing that is crucial for all fried chicken is the knowledge that paper towels are your worst enemy for cooling the chicken. Almost every recipe on God's Green Earth calls to cool your cooked fried chicken on paper towels. They steal your crispiness. Cook fried chicken on a rack.