Homemade Shake & Bake

Growing up, we always had a box or two of shake & bake in the pantry. It's a simple last-minute dinner that can easily be prepared in a matter of minutes.

Now, however, I'd much rather make my own. I find that it tastes better, doesn't have any ingredients that I don't want, and can be stored for months.

🥘 Ingredients For Homemade Shake & Bake

This simple mixture is free of any added sugars, preservatives, and MSGs. Plus, it is made up entirely of pantry staple ingredients and spices!

• Breadcrumbs - You can use Panko or just plain breadcrumbs. For best results, you'll want the breadcrumbs to be ultra-fine, so you can just blitz them a couple of times in a food processor.
• Cornmeal (optional) - This optional ingredient will help to make your chicken or pork a beautiful golden color. If you are running your breadcrumbs through a food processor, go ahead and mix the cornmeal along with it.
• Salt - 2 teaspoons of salt.
• Smoked Paprika - 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, if you don't have any, then regular paprika will work just fine (or use a paprika substitute).
• Celery Salt - ½ teaspoon of celery salt (or use a celery salt substitute).
• Garlic Powder - ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Pepper - ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
• Onion Powder - ½ teaspoon of onion powder.
• Chili Powder - ½ teaspoon of chili powder (or try a chili powder substitute).
• Oregano (optional) - A pinch of dried oregano.
• Parsley (optional) - A pinch of dried parsley.

🔪 How To Make Homemade Shake & Bake

To make the shake & bake mixture itself, all you have to do is mix everything together. I'll add some quick instructions below for how to use your shake & bake, too.

This recipe will make enough shake & bake for about 6-8 pork chops or 2½ pounds of chicken. You can easily double or triple the batch to store some for later.

Make The Shake & Bake

1. Blitz. If desired, blitz the breadcrumbs and optional cornmeal in a food processor so that it is ultra-fine.
2. Add. In a large food storage bag, add all of your ingredients (1½ cups (162 grams) of breadcrumbs, the optional 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of cornmeal, 2 teaspoons (10 grams) of salt, 2 teaspoons (10 grams) of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon (4 grams) of celery salt, ¾ teaspoon (4 grams) of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) of onion powder, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of chili powder, and an optional pinch of oregano and/or parsley).
3. Shake. Seal the bag and shake it up so that all of the ingredients are well combined.
4. Store. Either store for later or use to prepare chicken or pork.

Shake & Bake Chicken

You can use your shake & bake coating for pretty much any type of chicken you like! I enjoy it with bone-in chicken thighs, but you could also use other bone-in chicken pieces or boneless pieces (such as chicken breasts).

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6).
2. Brush. Brush your chicken pieces with extra virgin olive oil.
3. Coat. Place one piece of chicken into the bag with the shake & bake mixture, seal the top, and shake it up until the chicken is well-coated.
4. Repeat. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken and discard any remaining shake & bake.
5. Bake. Place the chicken onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes for bone-in or 20-25 minutes for boneless.

Shake & Bake Pork

This shake & bake can be used with 6-8 pieces of either boneless or bone-in pork chops (about ½ inch thick).

1. Preheat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C/Gas Mark 7).
2. Brush. Brush your pork with some extra virgin olive oil.
3. Coat. Place one piece of pork into the bag with the shake & bake mixture, seal the top, and shake it until the pork chop is well-coated.
4. Repeat. Repeat with the remaining pieces of pork and discard any remaining shake & bake.
5. Bake. Place the pork onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Boxed Instructions

You can follow the instructions I've listed above. Or you can check out the original shake & bake instructions that were on the box! See below:

1. Prepare. Heat oven to 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6). Moisten 6 to 8 (½-inch thick) bone-in or boneless pork chops, 2½ pounds of bone-in chicken pieces (about 6 pieces), or 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 breasts) with water.
2. Shake. Shake chops or chicken, 1 piece at a time, in a shaker bag with 1 packet of coating mix. Discard the bag and any remaining coating mix.
3. Bake. Bake on an ungreased or foil-covered rimmed baking sheet until done (minimum internal temperature of 145°F for pork chops, or 165°F for chicken, when tested with a meat thermometer).
   Bone-in or boneless pork chops, boneless chicken: 20 minutes
   Bone-in chicken: 45 minutes
4. Rest. Let chops stand 3 minutes before serving. Do not cover or turn meat while baking.

🍴 How To Use Shake & Bake

You can use your shake-and-bake mixture to make some tasty shake & bake chicken or shake & bake pork chops. If you don't want to mess with the oven, you can make some delicious air fryer shake & bake chicken or air fryer shake & bake pork chops instead.

🥗🥘🍲 Best Served With

My favorites are simple sides like a baked potato or yellow mashed potatoes. Simple buttered noodles, cream cheese pasta, or a fresh wedge salad are also amazing sides to serve with a hearty shake-and-bake main.

Check out my post on what to serve with shake & bake chicken for more tasty side dish recipes. Enjoy!

😋 Tips For Using Shake & Bake

• You do not need to flip your pork or chicken during cooking. It also should not be covered.
• For an extra crispy coating, place your meat onto a lightly greased wire rack that has been set inside of a baking sheet. This will allow the air to circulate under the meat, making both sides crisp.
• Let your meat rest for a few minutes after cooking so that it remains nice and juicy on the inside.
• Your meat is done when the internal temperature reads 145°F (62°C) for pork or 165°F (73°C) for chicken.
• You can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe. Increase the recipe portions if you want to make a large meal, or to have some on hand. When ready, you will need about 1½ cups of the coating per 8 pork chops or 6 pieces of chicken.

🥡 Storing

You can store any shake & bake mixture that has not come into contact with raw pork or chicken. Place it in a sealed bag, jar, or container and store it in the pantry for 1-2 months.

😋 More Homemade Seasonings

• Sazon Seasoning - A versatile seasoning that is perfect for stews, meat, rice and beans, or soups.
• Chipotle Seasoning - A smoky, bold, and slightly spicy seasoning blend.
• Tex-Mex Seasoning - Simple pantry spices are combined for a tasty seasoning that can be enjoyed in so many ways.
• Fajita Seasoning - Upgrade your favorite fajitas by using this homemade spice mix.
• All-Purpose Seasoning - Add this seasoning to any of your homecooked meals to enhance the savory flavor.
• Burger Seasoning - The best way to make any burger patty completely unforgettable.

📖 Recipe Card