This baked panko chicken recipe is an incredibly easy and flavorful chicken dinner quick enough to make on busy weeknights. Juicy chicken breasts are dredged in flour, egg, Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and savory seasonings and baked to golden and crispy perfection. They're ready to serve with your favorite side dishes in just 30 minutes.
Serve with side dishes like an oven-baked potato and my cheesy baked asparagus.
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If you are a fan of straightforward and beginner-friendly dinners, then you must try this easy and delicious baked panko chicken recipe. With just a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep work, you can have a mouthwatering meal to share with your family in no time!
Not only is this panko breaded chicken incredibly flavorful, but it's also a healthier alternative to fried chicken. With its golden brown, crunchy exterior and juicy, tender interior, this chicken is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table!
🥘 Ingredients
All you need is chicken breasts, Panko breadcrumbs, and some basic ingredients that you might even have in your kitchen already. If not, all of these ingredients are simple to find at the grocery store.
- Chicken Breasts - 2 pounds of chicken breasts (boneless, skinless).
- Flour - ¼ cup of all-purpose flour (or use an all-purpose flour substitute).
- Paprika - 1 teaspoon of paprika (or use a paprika substitute or smoked paprika).
- Garlic Powder - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Onion Powder - ¼ teaspoon of onion powder (or use an onion powder substitute).
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of each, salt & pepper (to taste).
- Egg - 1 large egg (at room temperature, or use an egg substitute).
- Panko Breadcrumbs - 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan Cheese - ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese (grated).
- Butter - 1 tablespoon of butter (melted, or use a butter substitute).
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Bake Panko Chicken
If you've never made breaded chicken before, there's no need to worry because this recipe is beginner-friendly. Take out a baking sheet, parchment paper, a wire cooling rack, a sharp knife, a cutting board, 3 shallow bowls, and measuring utensils to get started.
My baked Panko chicken will make 8 servings. There's plenty for everyone to enjoy, so there's no need for any extra work.
Prepare Chicken
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat a wire cooling rack with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil to prevent sticking.
- Prep & cut chicken. Prep the two pounds of chicken breasts by trimming any fat or tendons. If your chicken breasts are relatively small, they can be tenderized and pounded flat using a meat mallet. Otherwise, use a sharp knife (carefully) and butterfly the chicken breasts into halves to make chicken cutlets. Tenderize the smaller chicken breast pieces until they are all relatively the same thickness.
- Prep ingredients. Make your dredging station using three shallow bowls or dishes:
1) In the first bowl combine ¼ cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of paprika, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. 2) In the second bowl beat 1 large egg. 3) In the third bowl combine 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter until the dry ingredients are lightly coated with the butter.
Coat & Bake Chicken
- Coat chicken. Coat the chicken breasts or cutlets by dredging them in the seasoned flour first, then the beaten egg, and finally in the Panko mixture. Transfer each chicken piece to your prepared baking sheet. Continue until all of the pieces are coated.
- Bake chicken. Bake the chicken in your preheated oven at 425°F (218°C) for 10-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C); then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. *See notes.
- Serve. Slice and serve the chicken with your favorite sides.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Keep everything tidy by placing the chicken breasts, or pieces, on your cutting board covered with (or in between) a sheet of plastic cling film. Use the meat mallet to flatten as needed.
- Chicken breasts flattened in this manner will cook quickly and evenly, ensuring that your dinner is served on time.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check your chicken breasts for doneness. The internal temperature should be 160°F (71°C) before resting and checking at the thickest portions of your chicken breasts. The resting time will add a few degrees of 'carryover cooking' to bring your chicken to the USDA food safety guideline temperature of 165°F (74°C).
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Transfer cooled leftovers into a shallow airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Flash freeze the breaded baked Panko chicken breasts by placing them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 3-4 hours.
Once frozen, wrap each chicken breast in plastic cling film and transfer it into a plastic freezer storage bag or container. Use within the first month for best results, but you can freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Place the leftover panko chicken on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and heat at 400°F (205°C) until heated to your satisfaction.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Panko chicken is a dish made by coating chicken in a breadcrumb mixture called Panko, which is a type of Japanese breadcrumb. Panko breadcrumbs are made from white bread that has been processed to create a light and airy texture. This coating will give your chicken breasts a crunchy texture that is different from traditional breadcrumbs.
Yes, you can use regular breadcrumbs in place of Panko, if you'd like. However, the texture of the coating will change as Panko creates a lighter and crunchier coating. Using regular breadcrumbs will result in a heavier and denser texture.
Absolutely! Feel free to prepare/cut the chicken and make the dredging station a day before. Store the beaten egg in an airtight container and the chicken in a plastic storage bag in the refrigerator. The flour mixture and Panko breadcrumbs (without cheese and butter) can be stored at room temperature separately. When you are ready, follow the coating and baking steps above.
😋 More Tasty Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Burrito Bowl - An easy and delicious Tex-Mex dish that can be customized to include all of your favorite burrito ingredients.
- Chicken Quesadillas - This chicken quesadilla is a simple and quick recipe to make for lunch or dinner.
- Honey Sesame Chicken - Honey sesame chicken is a crowd-pleasing dish that's easy to prepare and ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.
- Crockpot Whole Chicken - If you are wanting to cook up a delicious rotisserie-style chicken, this recipe is a must-try.
- Chicken Salad With Grapes - A quick and tasty meal that the whole family will enjoy.
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders - These easy chicken tenders are juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and full of flavor.
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📖 Recipe Card
Baked Panko Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat a wire cooling rack with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil to prevent sticking.
- Prep the chicken breasts by trimming any fat or tendons. If your chicken breasts are relatively small, they can be tenderized and pounded flat using a meat mallet. Otherwise, use a sharp knife (carefully) and butterfly the chicken breasts into halves to make chicken cutlets. Tenderize the smaller chicken breast pieces until they are all relatively the same thickness.
- Make your dredging station using three shallow bowls or dishes:1) In the first bowl combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. 2) In the second bowl beat the egg. 3) In the third bowl combine the Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and melted butter until the dry ingredients are lightly coated with the butter.
- Coat the chicken breasts or cutlets by dredging them in the seasoned flour first, then the beaten egg, and finally in the Panko mixture. Transfer each chicken piece to your prepared baking sheet. Continue until all of the pieces are coated.
- Bake the chicken in your preheated oven at 425°F (218°C) for 10-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. *See notes.
- Slice and serve the chicken with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Keep everything tidy by placing the chicken breasts, or pieces, on your cutting board covered with (or in between) a sheet of plastic cling film. Use the meat mallet to flatten as needed.
- Chicken breasts that have been flattened in this manner will cook quickly and evenly, making sure that your dinner is served on time.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check your chicken breasts for doneness. The internal temperature should be 160°F (71°C) before resting, and checked at the thickest portions of your chicken breasts. The resting time will add a few degrees of 'carryover cooking' to bring your chicken to the USDA food safety guideline temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- To store: Transfer cooled panko chicken breasts into a shallow airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Flash freeze the breaded baked Panko chicken breasts by placing them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 3-4 hours. Once frozen, wrap each chicken breast in plastic cling film and transfer into a plastic freezer storage bag or container. Use within the first month for best results, but you can freeze these baked chicken breasts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To reheat: Place the leftover panko chicken on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and heat at 400°F (205°C) until heated to your satisfaction.
Margie says
So light using the Panko on the chicken breast. Followed this recipe to a T. This dish is juicy and flavor in every bite.
This one is a keeper! Thank you
Anonymous says
Perfect for dinner, everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe, it's going to be a new regular!