If you like your chicken crispy, golden and delicious, you will be amazed at what Panko breadcrumbs can do! Oven-baked, this Panko Chicken recipe is a simple way to cook your chicken breasts in under 30 minutes from start to finish. Add your favourite sauce and a healthy side dish, and you have yourself a feast! Panko-crusted chicken goes equally well with Asian-Style sauces as well as traditional Western sides!
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Why You Will Love This Panko-Crusted Chicken
- Simple ingredients – nothing fancy needed!
- Panko Chicken is an extremely versatile base recipe, that you can add to in terms of seasoning and sauce. A perfectly simple recipe to please the entire family!
- Quick and easy to make, this dish will come together in less than half an hour.
- Easily adjustable recipe: make panko chicken nuggets, chicken fingers or crispy chicken tenders.
- This crispy perfection is great to serve hot or cold, as a main meal or as one of the finger foods at a party!
But What Is Panko?
Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs, typically used for (deep) fried dishes. World-renowned for their extra crunchy texture, Panko breadcrumbs add a crispy coating for chicken, fish and other ingredients. A lot coarser than regular breadcrumbs, Panko is also a lighter option, as the breadcrumbs are made from crustless bread. As a matter of fact, the Japanese word panko, literally translates into “bread flour”.
Panko breadcrumbs can be used in a variety of Asian and Western-style dishes, including Katsu Curry, Scotch eggs and German Schnitzels.
Ingredients
- chicken breasts: boneless skinless chicken breasts are used in this recipe. Remove the mini fillet, then cut each breast in half sideways so you have 2 thin pieces per breast (plus the mini fillets).
- mayonnaise: you may choose regular or light – it won’t make too much of a difference. It is mainly used to create a sticky layer for the breadcrumbs to stick to.
- panko breadcrumbs: crunchy panko breadcrumbs are what takes this recipe from ordinary to extraordinary. You should find them in most larger grocery stores in the United States or the UK. I promise you, once you tasted panko breaded chicken, panko will become your pantry staple.
- seasoning: we used garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper.
- parmesan cheese: optional, but recommended.
- oil: we used vegetable oil. You can substitute it with melted butter.
Variations and Additions
You can season your panko bread crumbs any way you like. To your breadcrumbs, salt and pepper we tried adding:
- ½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Zest of ½ a lemon
And they all (and combinations of) work beautifully.
What is more, you can make a more traditional breaded chicken, by skipping the mayo and using flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs to coat the chicken. All you need to do is:
- Roll the chicken pieces in flour and shake off any excess flour.
- Whisk egg in a shallow bowl. Cover the floured chicken in the beaten egg, and let any excess drip off.
- Coat the chicken in panko bread crumb mixture.
- Chicken, coated this way is better pan-fried than baked.
Step-By-Step Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C Fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper or tin foil (foil reflects the heat better, so we think panko chicken turns out crispier if using foil).
Cut each of your chicken breasts in half sideways so that you have two flat chicken pieces per breast (you may have an extra piece if your chicken breasts have mini fillets attached).
Spread a thin layer of mayo onto each chicken piece (just one side).
To make the panko coating, in a large shallow bowl mix together the panko crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and finely grated parmesan. Add the oil and mix together well.
Pick up each piece of chicken and dip it into the panko breadcrumb mixture mayo-side down. Lay the chicken breasts on the prepared baking tray. At this point, you can press down any leftover panko mixture onto the top of the chicken pieces.
Bake panko-crusted chicken in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes depending on how thick your chicken pieces are (cooked chicken has an internal temperature of 74°C (165 F), if you have an instant-read thermometer).
Serve the chicken cut into strips or whole with your favourite sauce (there are a few suggestions in the notes!).
Tips & Tricks For Success
Be generous with panko breadcrumbs. The signature texture of panko chicken is crunchy, so you want to ensure that lots of those crunchy breadcrumbs will be there for you to experience when you bite into your chicken. Some will fall off as you bake, so make sure to use enough to compensate.
Don’t add too much mayo. Whilst a thin layer is needed to flavour and tenderise the meat, and help the panko breadcrumbs adhere, too much mayo will make the coating soggy.
Don’t skip the oil in the panko mixture. It makes the breadcrumbs wetter and helps them stay on top of your chicken pieces.
Storage and Reheating
Once your panko chicken has cooled down to room temperature, pop any leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Alternatively, you can freeze panko chicken. Lay them out on a lathe board and place them in the freezer until frozen solid. Then transfer the chicken to airtight zip-lock bags. To cook, take them out of the freezer, and cook at 190°C Fan for 18-20 minutes.
Panko Chicken Needs Sauce!
So many great sauces that go with this Panko Chicken recipe. Make your favorite dipping sauce, like:
- Barbecue Sauce
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Herb and Garlic Mayonnaise
- Even Ranch Dressing works!
But if you ask us, we love Panko Chicken most with Asian-style sauce like Chinese BBQ Sauce (Char Siu) or Katsu Curry Sauce.
What To Serve With Panko Breaded Chicken?
This chicken recipe is one of the most versatile chicken recipes you’ll ever come across. Once you chose a sauce/ dip to with it, it should dictate the side dishes that you pair with it. If you are going for a Western-style meal, pair this chicken with Quick Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Food Mill Mashed Potatoes and Fried Tenderstem Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon.
Alternatively, you can use panko chicken in a brioche burger bun with some salad and slaw for a delicious chicken burger!
If you are going East with your Panko Chicken, try some Asian-style side dishes, like:
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes
If you like a quick and easy chicken dinner, we have a bunch of recipes for you to try. If you are looking for an elegant dinner idea that uses simple ingredients, look no further than Chicken Limone. But if you are in the market for something spicier and saucier, try our Chicken Karahi. If you are after a truly classic recipe, why not cook Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Piccata?
Recipe Card
Crispy Panko Chicken Recipe (Baked)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts approx 220g each
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 20 g parmesan finely grated (optional)
- 1 teaspoon oil or melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C Fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper or tin foil (foil reflects the heat better, so we think panko chicken turns out crispier if using foil).
- Cut each of your chicken breasts in half sideways so that you have two flat chicken pieces per breast (you may have an extra piece if your chicken breasts have mini fillets attached).
- Spread a thin layer of mayo onto each chicken piece (just one side).
- To make the panko coating, in a large shallow bowl mix together the panko crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and finely grated parmesan. Add the oil and mix together well.
- Pick up each piece of chicken and dip it into the panko breadcrumb mixture mayo-side down. Lay the chicken breasts on the prepared baking tray. At this point, you can press down any leftover panko mixture onto the top of the chicken pieces.
- Bake panko-crusted chicken in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes depending on how thick your chicken pieces are (cooked chicken has an internal temperature of 74°C (165 F), if you have an instant-read thermometer).
- Serve the chicken cut into strips or whole with your favourite sauce (there are a few suggestions in the notes!).
Notes
- Barbecue Sauce
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Herb and Garlic Mayonnaise
- Even Ranch Dressing works!
Nutrition
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