This Pan Fried Panko Chicken Breast is crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. It's made with thinly sliced chicken breast that's been seasoned, gently coated in panko crumbs then pan fried until perfectly golden brown and crispy.
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Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe calls for only 8 ingredients.
- Prepping the chicken breast is quick and easy.
- It takes less than 10 minutes to cook.
- Pan frying the chicken is a healthier option to deep frying.
- If you crave fried chicken, you can get the same texture and feel from this pan fried panko chicken without the added calories and fat.
Food Pairing
The crunchy texture of the panko pairs well with a variety of flavors, from savory to sweet and tangy. Speaking of sweet and tangy our crisp and refreshing Chicken Strawberry Walnut Salad is one of our favorites.
Ready to take your pan fried panko chicken to the next level? We've got you covered, from Saffron Yellow Rice to Crispy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes. You also have our creamy Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe that's a little more indulgent. Or, simply pair your panko chicken with Sauteed Green Beans, Crispy Oven Roasted Broccolini, Roasted Asparagus With Garlic or our Basil Pesto Pasta With Veggies (No Pine Nuts) for a complete and satisfying meal.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Thinly sliced chicken breast is recommended for this recipe, it takes less time to cook and the panko coating will adhere better and does not become soggy compared to thicker cut slices.
- Panko crumbs are lighter and crispier compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Use unseasoned panko crumbs instead, so you can use your favorite seasonings and ultimately get your desired taste.
How to Make Pan Fried Panko Chicken Breast
- Use a simple brine of just kosher salt and water to brine the chicken for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour if time permits.
- Rinse chicken breast in cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Get 3 shallow bowls or other dishes to set up your dredge station: Dish 1 (all purpose flour); Dish 2 (egg wash); Dish 3 (panko crumbs)
- Season then dredge each chicken breast in the all purpose flour, then into the egg wash, then into the panko crumbs.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Place your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil, then pan fry the chicken for 4 minutes on one side flip then pan fry for an additional 2 to 4 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F this will ensure that each breast is moist (DO NOT OVERCOOK).
- Sprinkle with dried parsley which is optional.
FAQs
This requires that your chicken is dried completely and properly dredged. After pat drying your chicken with paper towels do the following: 1) Dredge your chicken in all purpose flour then gently shake to remove any excess flour. 2) Dredge through the egg wash then allow any remaining to drip off. 3) Finally, dredge your chicken in the panko crumbs and gently press to ensure that the panko sticks on both sides.
There are a few things to keep in mind: 1) Use thinly sliced chicken breast instead of the thicker slices. Thicker slices will take longer to cook which can potentially release moisture causing the the chicken to become more soggy than crispy. 2) Your chicken isn't completely dry before starting the dredging process. 3) Not shaking off the excess flour. 4) Not gently pressing the panko crumbs into the chicken. 5) Flipping your chicken over too soon.
Technically yes; however, we recommend panko crumbs. Panko crumbs are drier and the flakes are larger which will result in a crispier and crunchier texture compared to regular bread crumbs.
Expert Tips
- Brine the chicken breast in a simple salt water brine as this will add flavor and moisture as well as tenderize the meat. Brine at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours if time permits.
- Use thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breast instead of the thicker slices. The thinly sliced chicken breast cooks faster and the crispy outer coating remains intact and doesn't become soggy.
- If you cannot find thinly sliced breast, use a sharp knife and slice yourself if doing the latter make sure you cut them the same size and thickness.
- It's IMPORTANT that the chicken is dried thoroughly before starting the dredging process.
- During the dredging process, shake off any remaining flour, allow any excess egg wash to drip off, and gently press the panko crumbs into the chicken making sure all sides are coated.
- Adding a little clarified butter or regular butter to the oil adds more flavor and allows for a crispy golden brown coating.
- The oil butter mixture should be hot before adding the prepared chicken to the skillet.
- This panko chicken recipe doesn't require a lot of oil as long as there is enough oil to reach the sides of the chicken breast is fine.
- Before pan frying, prep all your chicken first and place on a baking sheet.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees at which point the chicken is done... DO NOT OVERCOOK.
- You can also serve with your favorite dipping sauce with this panko chicken.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pan Fried Panko Chicken Breast
Pan Fried Panko Chicken BreastEquipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken breast (thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breast.)
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoon Grape-seed oil
- 2 tablespoon clarified butter (or regular butter)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko crumbs
Brine
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 6 cups water
Instructions
Brine
- In a large pot, add kosher salt and luke warm water and stir until salt dissolves.
- Add chicken and allow the chicken to brine for 30 minutes up to 1 hour in the fridge.
- Remove chicken from brine and rinse well with cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels and season with Cajun seasoning and kosher salt.
Dredging Station
- Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper and set aside.
- Get 3 shallow bowls or other dishware: 1 for flour; 1 for egg wash; and 1 for panko crumbs.
- To each chicken breast do the following to both sides of chicken: First dredge with flour and gently shake off any excess. Second, dip into egg wash and allow any excess to drip off. Third, dredge with panko and gently press panko onto both sides. Place each prepared chicken breast on prepared baking sheet.
- Place a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter. When oil is hot, add prepared chicken to skillet and do not disturb. Allow it to cook on one side for 4 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Flip and cook other side for an additional 2 to 4 minutes do not overcook. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F at which point it's done. By the way, DO NOT overcrowd the skillet. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Remove from skillet and place on a cooling rack on top of a clean baking sheet.
Video
Notes
- Brine the chicken breast in a simple salt water brine as this will add flavor and moisture as well as tenderize the meat. Brine at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour if time permits.
- Use thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breast instead of the thicker slices. The thinly sliced chicken breast cooks faster and the crispy outer coating remains intact and doesn't become soggy.
- If you cannot find thinly sliced breast, use a sharp knife and slice yourself if doing the latter, make sure you cut them the same size and thickness.
- It's IMPORTANT that the chicken is dried thoroughly before starting the dredging process.
- During the dredging process, shake off any remaining flour, allow any excess egg wash to drip off, and gently press the panko crumbs into the chicken making sure all side are coated.
- Adding a little clarified butter or regular butter to the oil adds more flavor and allows for a crispy golden brown coating.
- The oil butter mixture should be hot before adding the prepared chicken to the skillet.
- This panko chicken recipe doesn't require a lot of oil as long as there is enough oil to reach the sides of the chicken breast is fine.
- Before pan frying, prep all your chicken first and place on a baking sheet.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees at which point the chicken is done... DO NOT OVERCOOK.
- You can also serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.
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