Description
Cereal Crusted Chicken is a deliciously crispy and flavorful dish where tender chicken pieces are coated in a seasoned flour mixture, dipped in egg wash, and then crusted with crushed cereal before being baked or air fried to golden perfection. This recipe offers a fun twist on traditional breaded chicken with a crunchy cereal coating, perfect for a quick family dinner or party snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
Coating
- 4 cups cereal (e.g., cornflakes, crispy rice, or Chex), crushed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Cooking spray or oil (for baking or air frying)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) or the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it if baking.
- Prepare Coating Stations: In one shallow bowl, mix the flour with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper, creating the seasoned flour mixture.
- Mix Egg Wash: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined.
- Prepare Cereal: Place the crushed cereal in a third bowl, ready for coating the chicken.
- Cut Chicken: If working with whole breasts, cut the chicken into strips or nugget-sized pieces for uniform cooking.
- Dredge in Flour: Coat each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour mixture to create a dry base layer.
- Dip in Egg Wash: Submerge the floured chicken pieces into the egg and milk mixture to moisten them.
- Coat with Cereal: Thoroughly cover each piece with the crushed cereal, pressing gently to ensure the cereal adheres well for maximum crunch.
- Arrange for Cooking: Place the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet or in the air fryer basket. Lightly spray the tops with cooking oil or spray to promote browning and crispiness.
- Cook: For baking, cook for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). For air frying, cook for 12–15 minutes, flipping once during cooking.
- Serve: Allow the chicken to cool slightly before serving with your favorite dipping sauces for a crunchy, delicious meal.
Notes
- You can choose any crunchy cereal like cornflakes, crispy rice, or Chex for coating depending on your taste preference.
- Cutting the chicken into uniform sizes ensures even cooking and crispiness.
- Lightly spraying with oil before cooking enhances the golden crust finish.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it is fully cooked; it should reach 165°F (74°C).
- This recipe works well for both oven baking and air frying, providing flexibility based on your kitchen equipment.
