Crunchy Corn Flake Chicken
A little about the recipe:
I don’t have a moving story or funny anecdote for every recipe I make, but my mom’s corn flake chicken recipe does hold a special place in my heart. A version of this recipe has been a staple in my house for my whole life. My mom wasn’t a diverse cook, but the things she did make were always delicious and homey. This recipe is one of my absolute favorites of hers. I would request it all the time, which I’m sure my mother enjoyed greatly. When I grew up and I started making it for my college friends and eventually my husband it was an instant hit with them as well. I even had a roommate that would take the leftover pan of crumbs to her room to munch on while watching her shows.
While my mother’s base recipe was great, there were a few technical problems with the recipe. Usually when making a breaded chicken, whether you are baking or frying it, you need a binder. That sticky mess that holds that breading on to the chicken and keeps it from sliding all over the plate when you cut into it. Now my mom’s version was as southern as it could get. She would literally just dip whole chicken breasts into melted butter and pour the crumbs on top. While this was delicious, this technique made it so that very little of the crust would actually stay on the chicken.
Creating a new corn flake chicken recipe.
As I played around with the recipe I knew I wanted to create a marinade/binder that would still have the fat needed to keep that flavor, but would also make the chicken more moist and hold onto that delicious crust. I got an idea when I was making tandoori chicken, an Indian chicken dish that is marinated in yogurt. The yogurt has fat and acidity which break down the chicken but it is also a great vessel for flavor. So adding spices to it will also cook those spices into the chicken when heat is applied. However for this recipe yogurt wasn’t going to cut it in terms of fat content when compared to my mom’s beautiful helping of butter.
So instead I went with sour cream which has 10% more fat than yogurt but still achieves the same goals in flavor and tenderness in the chicken. I added some similar spices that I use in the crust, a little lemon juice for some more flavor and acidity and voila the perfect marinade.
Now the crust is by far the star of this dish and I didn’t change a thing about that part of the recipe. Cornflakes are a very standard American cereal, but their savory corn flavor and satisfying crunch make them an amazing crust to use in cooking. My mom called this recipe Parmesan Chicken because of the healthy amount of cheese that went into the crust. However, it always managed to confuse people because they always assumed she meant the popular Italian dish Chicken Parmigiana. Which is why I decided to change the name. Don’t get me wrong the Parmesan is just as important as the corn flakes in terms of flavor, so don’t skimp on it. This corn flake chicken will not disappoint!
What to serve with this corn flake chicken?
Step by step:
So the very first step is to make the marinade and prep the chicken breasts. I prefer to do this the night before I plan to cook. This gives the chicken the maximum amount of time to marinate. Take a medium sized bowl and add in all of the marinade ingredients. Add some cayenne if you like to have a little spice in your dish. Make sure to mix this thoroughly so that all those flavors can coat the chicken as evenly as possible.
To prepare the chicken breasts, I like to trim off any excess fat or cartilage that might be left on there from the butcher. Then I take a slim sharp knife and as evenly as possible, cut each piece horizontally. If your chicken isn’t even, you can use the flat side of a meat mallet. Just place a sheet of plastic wrap over the chicken and pound down the thicker parts. This will ensure an even cook on the chicken.
Make sure to pat the chicken dry then add it and to the marinade in the bowl and mix until the chicken is completely covered. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. The longer the marinade time, the more moist and flavorful it will be.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cornflakes in a blender and pulse for a few seconds until chopped into small pieces, but not a fine powder. Place the crumbs in a shallow dish, add Parmesan cheese, all seasonings and mix well. Taste the crust mixture and adjust the salt and spices to taste. Drizzle in half the melted butter and mix thoroughly. You don’t want to make the crumb mixture soggy, so add a little at a time.
Prepare a sheet pan by covering it in foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place the sour cream chicken in the corn-flake dish and coat both sides well. Press the corn flakes into the chicken. You want to make sure they are fully covered. If you run out of crust you can always make more. Trust me when I say there can never be too much crust!
Pour the remainder of the crumbs and the remaining 3 tbsp. of butter over the chicken. The extra butter is optional but it does add a ton more of the irresistible flavor. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken reads 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. If the crust is getting too dark but the chicken is still not cooked, cover with foil and continue baking. The amount of time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken, adjust accordingly. In this recipe the chicken was approximately ½ to 1 inch thick.
Crunchy Corn-flake Chicken Video Tutorial
Crunchy Corn Flake Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally (6)
Sour Cream Marinade:
- 1½ cups sour cream, light or full fat
- 1 tablespoon lemon juices
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 medium clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- cayenne pepper 1-2 light dashes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Corn Flake Crust:
- 4-6 cups corn flakes cereal
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- cayenne pepper 1-4 dashes (optional)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
For the Marinade:
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Taste sour cream mixture, adjust salt and add the cayenne pepper if desired. Set aside. To prepare chicken, cut each piece horizontally as evenly as possible. You should have 6 pieces now of similar size and thickness. If your chicken isn’t even, you can use the flat side of a meat mallet, place a sheet of plastic wrap over the chicken and pound down the thicker parts. Make sure to pat the chicken dry then add it and to the marinade in the bowl and mix the chicken until the chicken is completely covered. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours*
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cornflakes in a blender and pulse for a few seconds until it's chopped into small pieces, but not a fine powder. Place crumbs in a shallow dish, add parmesan cheese, all seasonings and mix well. Taste the crust mixture and adjust the salt and spices to taste. Drizzle in half the melted butter and mix thoroughly. You don't want to make the crumb mixture too soggy, so add a little at a time.
- Prepare a sheet pan by covering it in foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place sour cream chicken in the cornflake dish and coat both sides well, pressing corn flakes into the chicken. Repeat and pour the remainder of the crumbs and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over the chicken. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken reads 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. If the crust is getting too dark but the chicken is still not cooked, cover with foil and continue baking. The amount of time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken, adjust accordingly.**