Crunchy Cornflake Chicken (baked or fried!)

Juicy chicken coated in a seasoned cornflake crust and cooked until perfectly crisp!

If you’ve never coated chicken in cornflakes before, you’re in for a treat. Follow me…

Cornflake Chicken Breast

For this recipe, we’re going to be using boneless skinless chicken breast. You could use thigh, but you’ll risk the cornflakes burning by the time the chicken thigh cooks right through. Plus, chicken breast is much easier to slice into strips, which is what we’re doing today.

Chicken Tenders vs Chicken Strips

Strictly speaking, a chicken tender is actually the strip of meat located underneath the breast. They are, as the name suggests, ever-so-slightly more tender than the breast itself. If you can find a pack of chicken tenders go for that. However, sliced chicken breast works absolutely fine.

Process shots: lay chicken breast on chopping board (photo 1), slice into even-sized strips (photo 2).

Cornflake Crusted Chicken

How do you crush cornflakes for chicken?

I find it easiest (/most therapeutic) to pound them in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. You could also use a food processor, or just crush them with your hands in the bag. You’ll want to crush the cornflakes until they mimic the texture of Panko breadcrumbs. Save a bit of the flaky texture; don’t crush them into a fine dusty crumb.

How do you coat chicken in cornflakes?

To coat the chicken in the cornflakes, it’s the same technique as coating it in breadcrumbs. So dredge the chicken in flour, then into beaten egg and finish in the crushed cornflakes.

Process shots: add cornflakes to zip lock bag (photo 1), crush with rolling pin (photo 2), coat in seasoned flour (photo 3), then beaten egg (photo 4), then crushed cornflakes with more seasoning (photo 5).

Cooking Cornflake Chicken

When it comes to cooking the chicken, I typically use one of two methods:

Baked Cornflake Chicken

This is obviously the healthier option, and arguably produces less mess, however, they don’t come out quiteeeeee as crispy/juicy compared to when they’re fried. To bake the chicken I recommend using a wire rack, just so the hot air can circulate the chicken and allow it to crisp up evenly. You only need oil spray for this method.

Fried Cornflake Chicken

No need to deep fry, shallow frying works just fine here. You’ll want enough oil to come up to just above halfway up the chicken. I recommend frying in batches, just so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Rest on a wire rack when cooked to allow the excess oil to drain off.

Serving Cornflake Chicken

I typically serve the chicken in 2 different ways:

• Honey Mustard Dip – I use the honey mustard dip for my Pigs in Blankets. It’s quite mustard heavy, so adjust quantities as needed. These are great with so many dips though, so check out my Delicious Dips for inspo!
• Chicken & Waffles – These are perfect with waffles. I drizzle them with maple sriracha, which is just equal parts sriracha and maple syrup.

They’re also of course great with a side of Wedges or Fries!

For more chicken tenders recipes check out my Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders, Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders and Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cornflake chicken shall we?!

How to make Cornflake Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)

Crunchy Cornflake Chicken (baked or fried!)

Juicy chicken coated in a seasoned cornflake crust and cooked until perfectly crisp!

5 from 5 votes

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Servings (click & slide): 4

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Calories per serving: 385kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £2 / $2.50

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Equipment:

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board (for slicing chicken if you don't have tenders)
• Large Zip Lock Bag & Rolling Pin or Food Processor (for crushing cornflakes)
• 3 Large Shallow Dishes (for dredging chicken)
• Large Cast Iron Skillet or Heavy Bottom Pan & Tongs (if you are frying)
• Small Pot (for seasoning mix)
• Wire Rack & Baking Tray

Ingredients (check list):

• ▢ 1.3lbs / 600g Chicken Tenders OR Chicken Breast, breast sliced into strips (see notes)
• ▢ 5 cups / 180g Cornflakes
• ▢ 1/3 cup / 50g Flour
• ▢ 2 Eggs, beaten
• ▢ 1 tsp EACH: Paprika, Salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp EACH: Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper
• ▢ 1 cup / 250ml Vegetable or Sunflower Oil (if frying)
• ▢ Oil Spray (if baking)

Instructions:

• Crush Cornflakes: In a zip lock bag or food processor, crush the cornflakes to a texture similar to Panko breadcrumbs. If you don't have a zip lock bag/food processor, just use your hands to scrunch them up in the bag. Place to one side.
• Mix Seasoning: In a small pot combine 1 tsp salt & paprika with 1/2 tsp onion powder & garlic powder and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper & black pepper. Place to one side.
• Coat Chicken: Set up 3 bowls - the first with flour and half of the pot of seasoning, the second with 2 beaten eggs and the third with crushed cornflakes and the other half of the seasoning. One by one, coat the chicken strips in flour, then egg and finish in the cornflakes, ensuring you thoroughly coat them at each stage (namely the cornflakes). Repeat with the remaining strips.
• BAKING OPTION: Space out on an oiled wire rack above a baking tray. Spray the chicken with oil, then pop in the oven at 200C/390F for 15mins or until golden, crispy and piping hot through the centre.
• FRYING OPTION: Add 1 cup/250ml oil (or enough to comfortably cover the base of the pan) in a heavy bottom pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. You want the oil around 350F/180C (drop a few crumbs in to test if they rapidly sizzle). Working in batches, fry the chicken for a few mins each side, or until deep golden and visibly crispy. The chicken should be piping hot and white right through the centre (test one strip if you're not confident with frying). Place on a wire rack above a tray and bring oil back to temp between batches.
• See notes for serving suggestions!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Chicken - A chicken tender is actually that strip of meat located underneath the breast. I find them to be ever-so-slightly more tender than the breast itself, so if you can get a pack of chicken tenders go for that. However, sliced chicken breast works absolutely fine. One breast should get around 5 'tenders'.

b) Serving - For this post I served in 2 different ways:

• Honey Mustard Dip - I used the honey mustard dip for my Pigs in Blankets. It's quite mustard heavy, so adjust quantities as needed. These are great with so many dips though, so check out my Delicious Dips for inspo!
• Chicken & Waffles - These are perfect with waffles. I drizzle them with maple sriracha, which is just equal parts maple syrup and sriracha (around 2-3tbsp of each should suffice).   

They're also of course great with a side of Wedges or Fries!

c) Make Ahead - I tend not to make these ahead of time, just so the coating stays crispy. However if you have leftovers just tightly store them in the fridge and reheat at 180C/350F for 5mins or so, until hot and crispy again (chicken will naturally be less juicy second time round).

d) Calories - Assuming they're baked with no sides or sauce. Whole recipe divided by 4:

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Crunchy Cornflake Chicken (baked or fried!)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 385 Calories from Fat 50

% Daily Value*

Fat 5.51g8%

Saturated Fat 1.387g7%

Trans Fat 0.008g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.509g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.651g

Cholesterol 166mg55%

Sodium 689mg29%

Potassium 593mg17%

Carbohydrates 42.23g14%

Fiber 4.6g18%

Sugar 0.32g0%

Protein 41.65g83%

Vitamin A 160IU3%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 50mg5%

Iron 3.74mg21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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