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Panko Breaded Chicken Recipe
Crispy panko chicken ready in 20 minutes, no, this is not a dream! This recipe is incredibly easy to make and the taste is truly unforgettable.
Say goodbye to boring chicken and hello to this exceptionally tasty panko chicken recipe! Seriously, the taste is so good and each piece of chicken is fried to perfection.
The chicken breasts are moist and tender in the middle, whilst the panko breadcrumbs create an exceptionally golden crispy coating. There are seasonings in both the flour and breadcrumbs for a tasty bite throughout.
I love to serve this Panko-crusted chicken with my homemade katsu curry sauce and trust me… this flavour combo is insane!
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
This recipe for crunchy panko crusted chicken is incredibly easy to make and is full of delicious flavours. Juicy chicken breast is coated with a mixture of seasoned panko breadcrumbs and is fried until perfectly crispy.
With only 10 minutes prep time and 10 minutes cook time, this main dish is both quick and hassle-free to make. This classic dish is bursting with flavour, making this panko crusted chicken a must-try for anyone who loves easy yet flavourful dishes. This recipe is the perfect weeknight meal!
Watch How To Make It
What Is Panko Chicken & How Is It Different From Regular Fried Chicken?
Panko chicken is breaded chicken made with panko breadcrumbs, it’s fried until crispy and is usually served with rice and katsu curry sauce.
Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb made from crustless white bread. They are a lot larger than regular breadcrumbs, creating a crunchier and crispier texture.
In comparison to regular fried chicken, which is made with seasoned flour, panko breadcrumbs absorb less oil, therefore, are a lot lighter and crunchier.
Where Can I Find Panko Breadcrumbs In The UK?
Majority of supermarkets in the UK sell panko breadcrumbs, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.
You can usually find it in the “world foods” section.
You can also get it here on Amazon (they have everything!). Asian supermarkets also sell panko breadcrumbs, so if you have one near you, then you can find it there too.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the few ingredients you need to make this recipe:
- Panko Breadcrumbs: I like to use JFC Japanese Style Panko Breadcrumbs, but any brand is fine to use.
- Chicken Breasts: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken cutlets or fillets is what will give you the iconic panko chicken shape. However, you can also use boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenders instead. You use a meat tenderiser to create a smooth and even-layered piece of chicken.
- Egg: Chicken breast is dipped into whisked eggs; this helps to bind the panko breadcrumbs to chicken.
- Plain Flour: The pieces of chicken are coated in plain flour first before dipping it into the whisked egg mixture. This helps the egg stick to the chicken better.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder are shared equally into the panko breadcrumbs and flour. This creates a deliciously seasoned chicken throughout.
How To Make Panko Chicken
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make breaded chicken with panko bread crumbs. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card:
Tenderise Chicken Breast
Step One:
Place the chicken breast in-between two pieces of cling film, parchment paper or baking sheet and use a meat tenderiser to flatten the chicken breast.
Start pounding at the centre of the chicken breast and work your way to the edges until you have reached an even thickness.
TIP: If you don’t have a meat tenderiser, you can use a rolling pin to flatten the chicken to an even thickness.
Coat Chicken In Panko Breadcrumbs
Step Two:
Get 3 large shallow bowls and line them side-by-side. Pour flour in one bowl, whisk an egg in the second bowl and pour panko breadcrumbs into the third bowl.
In a small mixing bowl mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Divide the seasonings equally between the flour and panko breadcrumbs then mix until evenly distributed.
Step Three:
Take a piece of chicken breast and coat it with flour. Next, dip it into the whisked egg and then coat it in the panko mixture.
Ensure that the chicken breasts are evenly coated in each stage before proceeding to the next step. It’s important to avoid leaving any patches uncoated.
TIP: Use big enough plates and bowls otherwise the breadcrumb mixture and flour mixture will fall onto your work-surface when coating the chicken in it (like in my picture).
TIP: Don’t be afraid to use your hands, I particularly like to do this when coating the chicken in panko breadcrumbs. This way, you can press the breadcrumbs into the chicken and ensure every part is covered, as you can feel parts that are bare.
Fry Panko Crusted Chicken
Step Four:
Now it’s time to shallow-fry the chicken! Heat oil in a non-stick pan over a medium to high heat. Fill the pan with oil at least 1/3 deep.
When the oil is hot, fry the breaded chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (the time depends on the thickness of your chicken). The pieces of chicken should be golden brown and crispy on both sides.
What To Serve With Panko Chicken?
I’m yet to come across a side dish that doesn’t pair well with this panko chicken recipe! Its scrumptious flavour complements a variety of dishes. Below are some of my personal favourites:
- Oven Roasted Courgettes
- Oxo Roast potatoes
- Marmite Roast Potatoes
- Skin On Fries
- Salt And Pepper Chips
- Tenderstem Broccoli
- Mashed Potatoes
Tasty Dipping Sauces To Serve With Panko Chicken
Complete your meal with these tasty sauces, you can dip pieces of chicken into it or drizzle lots of sauce over it:
- Katsu Curry Sauce
- Garlic Sauce
- Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce
- Chinese Curry Sauce
- Homemade Peppercorn Sauce
- Sriracha mayonnaise
- Honey mustard dijon sauce
My Top Tips For The Perfect Panko Chicken
This recipe is really easy to make but the oil temperature needs to be hot. If the oil is too cool, the breadcrumbs will absorb the oil and turn soggy and oily. A great way to know if the oil is hot enough is to drop breadcrumbs or a pinch of bread into the oil, if it starts to sizzle instantly with lots of bubbles, then it’s ready for frying.
Make sure you don’t overcook the chicken, the texture will be hard and tough and the panko bread crumbs will be dark brown in colour instead of golden. If the breadcrumbs are burning too quick, then you should turn the heat down.
Pounding the chicken to an even thickness is important. This helps the chicken cook evenly, quickens the cook time and prevents some parts being tender and other parts being dry.
If you’re using a large enough pan, then you can cook two chicken breasts (or more) at the same time. But if the pan is big enough for one, then you’ll have to make this recipe in batches, the oil might need topping up after multiple rounds.
You can check if the chicken is cooked by using a meat thermometer. Cooked chicken should reach at least 75°C. You could also cut the chicken at the thickest part, if it’s red / pink and not white, then it needs to cook for longer.
Recipe Variations
Make a cheesy parmesan panko chicken: Add a handful of parmesan cheese to the panko breadcrumbs. The more parmesan you add the greater the cheesy flavour will be!
Baked panko chicken breast: If you don’t want to fry the chicken, you can easily bake it in the oven like my oven-baked chicken goujons recipe. Simply preheat your oven to 190°C, spray the chicken with cooking oil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked throughout.
Make spicy chicken panko breadcrumbs: If you want to add some spice to this recipe add a teaspoon of hot chilli pepper, paprika or cayenne pepper. Or you can keep it light with Italian seasonings.
Use regular breadcrumbs: If you don’t have panko breadcrumbs, you can make this dish with regular breadcrumbs (it will taste just as good).
How To Store, Freeze & Reheat
If you have any panko chicken leftover, then you can store it for later. Simply keep the chicken in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to eat it, you can reheat it in the microwave until piping hot (though the breadcrumb coating will soften). You could also reheat it in the oven until piping hot throughout to maintain some level of crunch.
If you want to keep the chicken for more than 3 days, then I recommend you freeze it. Make sure the chicken has cooled down and is placed in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To defrost, leave the chicken overnight in the fridge or cook from frozen at 180°C. for 30 to 40 minutes.
FAQs
Panko breadcrumbs are not gluten-free as it’s made with wheat flour. You can buy gluten-free panko breadcrumbs but double check the packet ingredients before starting this recipe.
Place the cooked breaded chicken onto a cooling rack with parchment paper or kitchen towel underneath. You can also place the chicken in the oven on a low heat.
To get panko breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken, you need to first coat the chicken into flour and then into egg before coating it into the panko breadcrumbs. These prior steps help the breadcrumbs bind to the chicken without falling off. A great tip is to pat the breadcrumbs into the chicken to help secure it.
More Chicken Sides & Dinner Recipes
Love chicken recipes? Well, you’re in the right place! Check out these amazingly good chicken recipes that you can make next.
- Chinese Chicken Balls
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Honey Chilli Chicken
- Chicken Vermicelli
- Salt And Pepper Chicken
- Chicken Shish Kebabs
Crispy Panko Chicken (The Best!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts (cutlets or fillets)
- 1 Egg
- 120 g Panko Breadcrumbs (1 Cup)
- 120 g Plain Flour (1 Cup)
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- Oil (For Frying
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast in-between two pieces of cling film, parchment paper or baking sheet and use a meat tenderiser to flatten the chicken breast.
- Start pounding at the centre of the chicken breast and work your way to the edges until you have reached an even thickness.
- Get 3 large shallow bowls and line them side-by-side. Pour flour in one bowl, whisk an egg in the second bowl and pour panko breadcrumbs into the third bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Divide the seasonings equally between the flour and panko breadcrumbs then mix until evenly distributed.
- Take a piece of chicken breast and coat it with flour. Next, dip it into the whisked egg and then coat it in the panko mixture.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan over a medium to high heat. Fill the pan with oil at least 1/3 deep.
- When the oil is hot, fry the breaded chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (the time depends on the thickness of your chicken). The pieces of chicken should be golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Music in video from Uppbeat, License code: 08VBCZFHCZBZDBBY
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